broken carbon bar

I knew an engineer who installed the springs in a set canti's on the wrong sides. :o

Now he's managing the team writing the software for the new London underground system. Whoops! :shhh:

so my carbon bars have marks where the shop set up the brakes. I moved them inboard about an inch and without over tightening ( I was pretty conscious of this) the marks are in that position also. It seems like a paint coating that is scratching off when the levers twist.

cause for concern?

i know that factually, they are much stronger than aluminum. but it sure looks nasty when broken. my mate had his snap at the brake lever clamp. he had already completed his run and it was after a drop, not during. i'd post the pictures if i could figure out how to do so.
i put them at the link below if it works…

http://imgur.com/a/cXTht

That's caused by one of two things:

- An overtightened bar clamp
Or
- an impact to the brake lever

You can tell because the break is right at the clamp and the bar hinges away from the clamp screw.

Most likely overtightening though.

Sorry, I read that totally wrong. I thought you meant that you had zero issues dealing with RF on 8 or 9 carbon bars. Freaked out a bit. I'm running BZA bars on both of my bikes and I'm a big guy. This shit worries me but so far no issues.

Hahaha, I guess it could have been read that way. No broken RaceFace bars - ever.

RaceFace/Easton are bomb proof.

Hahaha, I guess it could have been read that way. No broken RaceFace bars - ever.

RaceFace/Easton are bomb proof.

Broken SixC. Not bombproof. Not over tightened either. 2.5 year old bar. My knee broke the bar in a low speed low side slide out on a wet root in the Delta Watershed. Went back to aluminum on this bike. Only have one carbon bar amongst my mountain bikes now.

I was on the verge of buying a sixc bar but after reading this I think I'll pass. My spank 777 bars are 290g and wide. So whydafuck would I need to change it?

I was on the verge of buying a sixc bar but after reading this I think I'll pass. My spank 777 bars are 290g and wide. So whydafuck would I need to change it?

I rode a Joystick carbon bar all season last year, but decided to go with a Gravity Lite 800mm for this year. I think it weighs 280g and CRC was blowing them out. I like that the bar has more forgiveness because the Joystick was overly stiff and a tad harsh.

I use a Six bar and have confidence in it. Have been running carbon bars since my first Easton in '99. Never a problem. That said ANYTHING can break. Why are people surprised to see broken carbon bars?

only because ive never seen similarly broken alloy ones. but i'd like to so pls post pics if you got em.

I was on the verge of buying a sixc bar but after reading this I think I'll pass. My spank 777 bars are 290g and wide. So whydafuck would I need to change it?

They're great bars don't get me wrong but they can break and are not bomb-proof. They need to be checked regularly for nicks and stress fractures and clamps should be checked regularly as well. I'm sure lots of us stay up on that…………….

But really don't you need to do the same with aluminum, if not even more frequently?

I've had no issues with carbon bars, but with other sports, most carbon pieces feel quite a bit different for some time before failing catastrophically. Aluminum just goes

Broken SixC. Not bombproof. Not over tightened either. 2.5 year old bar. My knee broke the bar in a low speed low side slide out on a wet root in the Delta Watershed. Went back to aluminum on this bike. Only have one carbon bar amongst my mountain bikes now.

Those SRAM clamps are the worst thing in the world for carbon bars. They are natural bar crushers and even a torque wrench will do you no good with them. Run them very loose or risk spitting chiclets.

This thread has popped up just as I moved my brake levers! I run a Joystick bar and when I moved the levers I have noticed that there are marks in the part of the bar with the grey decals. I think it's just cosmetic in the decal and clearcoat as I run the levers fairly loose. There is no mark where there is no decal. Am I screwed?

Those SRAM clamps are the worst thing in the world for carbon bars. They are natural bar crushers and even a torque wrench will do you no good with them. Run them very loose or risk spitting chiclets.

Ya, pretty much. They also are sharp and I don't like them on my bar, but I like the post (reverb)!