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  1. #1
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    carbon longevity

    hey materials scientists... I have a 10 year old carbon bar on my hardtail. lots of miles. A salsa moto, if curious. While riding today, I started thinking.... man, that would really suck if my bar failed. I dont suspect fatigue failure is something to worry about in the classical sense, but what's the general consensus... swap out high risk carbon parts after a lot of use? or just let my mind wander to other catastrophic topics while on long rides.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by chaka View Post
    10 year old carbon bar.......lots of miles.....what's the general consensus... swap out high risk carbon parts after a lot of use? or just let my mind wander to other catastrophic topics while on long rides.
    Funny I had the same internal monologue on a ride today, looking at my bar flexing all around at me.

    Swap that shit. Bar failure sucks, and it sounds like you're due for one. At ten years you got your money's worth.

  3. #3
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    Interesting question. Do you have the same concerns for carbon roadie forks? Curious...

  4. #4
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    Not an engineer, buuuut... I was told five years is a good lifetime for cockpit parts on mtb regardless of material, and I stick to that. New bar and stem is a lot cheaper than teeth.

  5. #5
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    why would bar vs frame failure be any more / less likely to happen?


  6. #6
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    A handle bar is an unsupported lever in an pretty important application and if it fails in use it might not be good where as I think mostly a frame will crack

    I have seen a poorly designed aluminium frame break entirely in half but its less likely to fail Catastrophically
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  7. #7
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    You could run a full stress analysis which would likely cost more than new bars. I am an aerospace engineer so you can trust me.


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  8. #8
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    I would probably replace but would be more concerned about 10 year old aluminum bars you had been sweating on for 10 years. If you've ever seen a sweat corrosion failure on an aluminum bar and stem you'll understand why.

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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZomblibulaX View Post
    Not an engineer, buuuut... I was told five years is a good lifetime for cockpit parts on mtb regardless of material, and I stick to that. New bar and stem is a lot cheaper than teeth.
    This. I just heard a story from a old timer at my local bike shop where his 10+ year old carbon bars crumpled under his weight. Luckily it wasn't while riding and it happened while he was stopped. So, no new teeth involved, just a bruised chin. You've got your money's worth out of those ones. Get some new ones and let your mind wander elsewhere during your rides.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flyoverland Captive View Post
    Interesting question. Do you have the same concerns for carbon roadie forks? Curious...
    Not really. and not really worried about frame failures either. A bar seems to take loads more consistently applied in the same place (concentrated at the edges of the stem clamps I'm guessing) and direction, vs a fork or frame. As XXX-er said I think the unsupported lever aspect matters also comparatively. Also probably matters that you can look down and see it flexing too

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by mntlion View Post
    why would bar vs frame failure be any more / less likely to happen?
    Because nothing clamps onto a frame generating a stress riser like brakes and shifters (and stem) do on a handlebar. Plus you can ride out a cracked frame. When a bar goes it goes for good.




    Swap those bars. I don't even use aluminum bars that long.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

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