My mountain bike carbon bars have withstood over 20 crashes with a lot of them involving my bike flying off trail landing far down the hill. These are raceface standard trail bars and not even their strongest downhill ones, I recently replaced them just in case but road bars should be made just as strong. I understand road bars have more weak points because of the drops but if they need to compromise strength to make them lighter than alloy bars, you may as well stick to alloy bars...
LBS mechanic here. The carbon bar failures I have seen are mostly at the holes that allow for hydraulic hose routing. This seems to be the case in this example.
Is there a side impact test for handle bars, not a constant load but multiple sharp impacts to mimic the bike falling over. Crashes are one thing and we have to accept damage but bikes should be able to take a few stationary drops at a cafe stop.
There maybe, you would have to scan different standards to see if one exist. The issue is most standards are at a cost to access, so unless you are in the industry and it is worthwhile having a subscription, pretty had to sift through them.
People don't realise this industry doesn't support old models like the car industry. Once a bike has finished a manufacturing run, it is only what you can find as old stock in shops.
If people have found retro-compatibility problematic on some components (groupsets / wheels) imagine what a world of pain you will be entering by considering such a proposition 🚳
when this video was made the Bianchi bikes where made in Taiwan and Vietnam (as far as I know). In June 2024 they opened their new factory in Treviso, Italy, where they will build up to 1500 bikes every day, so I think new Bianchis are truly "made in Italy"
That's why I will never use carbon handlebars on road bikes. To add to the list, carbon saddle rails too. Carbon saddle body is ok, just not the rails.
As reported by Bianchi it has been an unfortunate series of two different accidents with two different bikes in the same race. Clearly a race bike is designed to perform, and is tested to perform without accidents. When you fall anything can happen and the severity of impact is unpredictable.
Watched a rider drop a bike during Paris-Nice and I suspect the whole bike would have to be scrapped. It's like you said about helmet integrity, there is a lot you can't see and with FEA these days, design margins are nothing like the old days. And even if there are one or two companies specializing in carbon fiber repair, there is only so much they can do and at what cost? It sure makes sense to stay with aluminum bars even if one likes to pretend or just do a few amateur rides. How much difference can it really make?
I’m never going over to carbon bars or fully integrated bar/stem combos. The weight savings of carbon bars don’t make sense for me. As an amateur mechanic I need the ability to drop out my fork and change or re grease my headset. On a non integrated setup its a five minute job, its a nightmare on a fully integrated setup.
I'd like to see the UCI ban the integrated bar/stem combo. We have a standard for road bikes already. And should be grounds for a recall. Also, surely wouldn't these standards generally only test in specific force directions that might be different to the forces experienced in the real world? And dropped bikes/pile ups are a constant theme in pro races I've watched :p Also, the UCI rules mandating components being sold to consumers doesn't even hold water anymore considering the insane prices,
Important to remember the difference in design terms between latest carbon and carbon of 10 years ago. Today everything is aero / super light so tubes multi shaped (cf: mainly round) in name of lightest and fastest. Have marginal gains been taken beyond the point of common sense to enable more ‘bling’ sales and marketing (…that’s the rant bit) ? Older carbon has its points to monitor (regular inspection for wear and tear; less sophisticated manufacture) but in design terms there is usually more material present (good or bad depending on your viewpoint). Hence a greater margin for error. I don’t think there’s an inherent problem with CF in bikes per se it’s how it sometimes seems to be applied in juxtaposition to common sense and basic laws of physics 🤔
i ride alloy bar because i weigh 87 k and have a fitness background. riding with carbon bar (and perforated for internal cable) is kind of suicide in the long run. carbon brakes without notification. alloy bends and makes noise beforehand.
Same problem as the Canyon bars. Not enough material at points where the bars are under high stress. I had several sets of Specialized bars which had extreme impact. They didn't snap and show no signs of brittle break failure. I've known other bars that failed shortly after impact and they were made of less material. Handlebars are one area where you don't want to be a weight weenie.
@Waynos Fotos Alloy bars have their own issues. Make absolutely sure you keep them in shape and replace your bar tape more frequently. I used to replace mine each season or when they were scuffed. Human sweat can cause them to corrode and fast.
@Waynos Fotos Very true. Some folks just take their daily driver and put it on the trainer with little or no protection. Change bar tape because it's "slipping" and end up needing new ones because they are rotted through.
Let the pros ride these! The UCI isn't doing it's job. Let those with the money drive impractical Ferrari bicycles, but those who do risk more than money.
@@waynosfotos They, The UCI should do more and foster more durable crashworthy components! Otherwise athlete waits at the side of the road until a roadworthy replacement is delivered. That'd make teams not select fragile unsafe components. Problem solved. I know, LOL!
@@waynosfotos it surely has. However it is a matter of quality assurance you were talking about, while the accidents are rather product design issues. So, same yet different
In one direction. Which is why you have weaves and layups with differing orientations and such. Think of a steel ruler that bends in one direction, not in the other.
It looks to me like carbon fibre bikes and components are basically disposable and for pros. They don’t translate well to the mass market. You wouldn’t want to have a race car as your daily driver. Who really wants to ride a bike which could break at any time and heaven forbid it falls over outside the coffee shop. Each to their own of course but I wouldn’t want anything cf on my bike. Go on, shoot me down now.
I had inexpensive carbon bars and they cracked at the stem interface. I’m staying with alloy now.
Bikes like that are only fit for the pro peleton, way too prone to failure for day to day riding in the real world.
My mountain bike carbon bars have withstood over 20 crashes with a lot of them involving my bike flying off trail landing far down the hill. These are raceface standard trail bars and not even their strongest downhill ones, I recently replaced them just in case but road bars should be made just as strong. I understand road bars have more weak points because of the drops but if they need to compromise strength to make them lighter than alloy bars, you may as well stick to alloy bars...
LBS mechanic here. The carbon bar failures I have seen are mostly at the holes that allow for hydraulic hose routing. This seems to be the case in this example.
Thanks so much for the feedback, interesting the hole creates a weak spot. 🤔
Yes, interesting observation and this is why I am not keen on forks with holes for hoses, I value my face too much.
Give me steel frames and aluminum bars, period.
Made of paper, to be paid with gold
Is there a side impact test for handle bars, not a constant load but multiple sharp impacts to mimic the bike falling over. Crashes are one thing and we have to accept damage but bikes should be able to take a few stationary drops at a cafe stop.
There maybe, you would have to scan different standards to see if one exist. The issue is most standards are at a cost to access, so unless you are in the industry and it is worthwhile having a subscription, pretty had to sift through them.
It’s gonna be interesting to see what the used bike market will be like with proprietary parts that no one can source .
People don't realise this industry doesn't support old models like the car industry. Once a bike has finished a manufacturing run, it is only what you can find as old stock in shops.
If people have found retro-compatibility problematic on some components (groupsets / wheels) imagine what a world of pain you will be entering by considering such a proposition 🚳
@@kevinfrost1579 even more food for thought , good point
when this video was made the Bianchi bikes where made in Taiwan and Vietnam (as far as I know). In June 2024 they opened their new factory in Treviso, Italy, where they will build up to 1500 bikes every day, so I think new Bianchis are truly "made in Italy"
That's why I will never use carbon handlebars on road bikes. To add to the list, carbon saddle rails too. Carbon saddle body is ok, just not the rails.
Bianchi is a Sweden Company ( Cyceurope ) Bike are made in Asia. Their is 0% Italian of it. You may pronounce "Bian Chi " instead od "Bian Kai "
As reported by Bianchi it has been an unfortunate series of two different accidents with two different bikes in the same race. Clearly a race bike is designed to perform, and is tested to perform without accidents. When you fall anything can happen and the severity of impact is unpredictable.
Not if but when you fall.
Well done for your analysis🫡
Watched a rider drop a bike during Paris-Nice and I suspect the whole bike would have to be scrapped. It's like you said about helmet integrity, there is a lot you can't see and with FEA these days, design margins are nothing like the old days. And even if there are one or two companies specializing in carbon fiber repair, there is only so much they can do and at what cost? It sure makes sense to stay with aluminum bars even if one likes to pretend or just do a few amateur rides. How much difference can it really make?
I weighed a carbon expensive bar against a Deda ally one. 50grams.
I’m never going over to carbon bars or fully integrated bar/stem combos. The weight savings of carbon bars don’t make sense for me. As an amateur mechanic I need the ability to drop out my fork and change or re grease my headset. On a non integrated setup its a five minute job, its a nightmare on a fully integrated setup.
Good analysis !!!!
Glory hole carbon bar
I’m a Fuji guy…
First World Canary problems.
Not if they fail and cause you to have a bad accident.
It was not a failure. These were prototype dropper handlebars!
I'd like to see the UCI ban the integrated bar/stem combo. We have a standard for road bikes already.
And should be grounds for a recall. Also, surely wouldn't these standards generally only test in specific force directions that might be different to the forces experienced in the real world? And dropped bikes/pile ups are a constant theme in pro races I've watched :p
Also, the UCI rules mandating components being sold to consumers doesn't even hold water anymore considering the insane prices,
Important to remember the difference in design terms between latest carbon and carbon of 10 years ago. Today everything is aero / super light so tubes multi shaped (cf: mainly round) in name of lightest and fastest. Have marginal gains been taken beyond the point of common sense to enable more ‘bling’ sales and marketing (…that’s the rant bit) ? Older carbon has its points to monitor (regular inspection for wear and tear; less sophisticated manufacture) but in design terms there is usually more material present (good or bad depending on your viewpoint). Hence a greater margin for error. I don’t think there’s an inherent problem with CF in bikes per se it’s how it sometimes seems to be applied in juxtaposition to common sense and basic laws of physics 🤔
Imagine you cant handle your bike like you would a bike because if you do then it is dangerous to ride. Craptastic future for sure.
i ride alloy bar because i weigh 87 k and have a fitness background. riding with carbon bar (and perforated for internal cable) is kind of suicide in the long run. carbon brakes without notification. alloy bends and makes noise beforehand.
Stick to two piease handlebars just as aero light but cheaper
Good quality tat.
Same problem as the Canyon bars. Not enough material at points where the bars are under high stress. I had several sets of Specialized bars which had extreme impact. They didn't snap and show no signs of brittle break failure. I've known other bars that failed shortly after impact and they were made of less material. Handlebars are one area where you don't want to be a weight weenie.
True, my look I sold the carbon bars new and changed out for ally bars. 👍
@Waynos Fotos Alloy bars have their own issues. Make absolutely sure you keep them in shape and replace your bar tape more frequently. I used to replace mine each season or when they were scuffed. Human sweat can cause them to corrode and fast.
@@jamesmckenzie3532 that is true, especially if you use them on a trainer. But at least you can see the damage with regular inspection.
@Waynos Fotos Very true. Some folks just take their daily driver and put it on the trainer with little or no protection. Change bar tape because it's "slipping" and end up needing new ones because they are rotted through.
Let the pros ride these! The UCI isn't doing it's job. Let those with the money drive impractical Ferrari bicycles, but those who do risk more than money.
The UCI doesn't check for strength, just design restrictions.
@@waynosfotos They, The UCI should do more and foster more durable crashworthy components! Otherwise athlete waits at the side of the road until a roadworthy replacement is delivered. That'd make teams not select fragile unsafe components. Problem solved. I know, LOL!
All that talk of bell curve implies the Bianchi factory itself not passing standards for quality managment and their auditor would strike a warning.
The bike industry has a reputation for poor quality control.
@@waynosfotos it surely has. However it is a matter of quality assurance you were talking about, while the accidents are rather product design issues. So, same yet different
Alloy bars
A $24,000 POS! But st least it's Aero
Isn't carbon supposed to be strong?
Strong but very brittle.
In one direction. Which is why you have weaves and layups with differing orientations and such. Think of a steel ruler that bends in one direction, not in the other.
It looks to me like carbon fibre bikes and components are basically disposable and for pros. They don’t translate well to the mass market. You wouldn’t want to have a race car as your daily driver. Who really wants to ride a bike which could break at any time and heaven forbid it falls over outside the coffee shop. Each to their own of course but I wouldn’t want anything cf on my bike. Go on, shoot me down now.