Changing handlebars regularly?

BB said:

I've heard people say that handlebars should be changed at some sort of regular intervals, and
given some of the stress thats put on them that sort of makes sense. Is this really common
practice, though? Has anyone had a handlebar break just from normal use (i.e. not during a crash)?

Yes, I saw the aftermath of a bar breakage during the FOMBA Watershed Wahoo last year. I think it
was Team Chuck's handlebars snapped. Albeit it was an aluminum ar on a Single Speed the results were
less that pretty. Definitely made me appreciate the stoutness of my Uncle Jesse bars.

"BB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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| I've heard people say that handlebars should be changed at some sort of regular intervals, and
| given some of the stress thats put on them that sort of makes sense. Is this really common
| practice, though? Has anyone had a handlebar break just from normal use (i.e. not during a crash)?

That depends somewhat on the bar in question. Back in the 90s, when the ultra light (sub 140 grams)
flat bars started to appear, so did the admonition that you should change them every season (yearly)
due to catastrophic failure due to metal fatigue. That was also during the age of bar-ends (I still
use them myself) and of special plugs designed to keep you from crushing those beer can thin bar
walls with them.

Since then, the industry has pulled back from the precipice, strengthening bars where they need it
most. There has also been a large shift to longer, slightly thicker, heavier bars (downhill riser
style) which are noted by some (not all) as being more comfortable. As a result, you hear the
warning about changing the bars less often.

Your best bet is to use common sense. If your bars are crimped, sagging, dimpled, turning funny
colors, getting stress risers, etc, yank them off and get new ones. Bars are cheap enough that if
you have any question, you're better off making the change. Some types will last longer than others.
I've mentioned the heavier downhill type, but there are also the carbon type. I use a Scott Black
Magic (out of production) flat handlebar on my MTB and it will probably be around until doomsday
(alloy bar wrapped in carbon fiber - 150 grams, bulletproof) Before that, I had a 140 gram Control
Tech bar that fractured at 6 months.

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__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
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