Carbon fiber bars

[bhalv]

so why is it that there are no carbon fiber bars on the market, maybe its just me but from the cycling world we have the technology to make incredibly light and strong bars so why hasn't this transferred into the moto world?

[Mazakawi]

Originally Posted by bhalv

so why is it that there are no carbon fiber bars on the market, maybe its just me but from the cycling world we have the technology to make incredibly light and strong bars so why hasn't this transferred into the moto world?

I would expect that it likely has a lot to do with cost.

Also, carbon fiber is far more likely to crack and break in the event that the bike falls over.

By cycling I'm assuming you are talking about bicycles? There's much higher forces being put on the handle bars of a 400 pound motorcycle traveling at 100+ mph than there on a 20 pound bike going 20 mph or less.

[nickadolph]

They would be under constant pressure with minimal support, so they would eventually snap in half or shatter, leaving you with a hand full of expensive splinters.

[bhalv]

my main thought would be that the constant vibration might somehow eventually compromise the structural integrity....still think it could be done

[Mazakawi]

Originally Posted by nickadolph

They would be under constant pressure with minimal support, so they would eventually snap in half or shatter, leaving you with a hand full of expensive splinters.

Along with that handful of splinters you would get a faceful of asphalt.

[bhalv]

Originally Posted by nickadolph

They would be under constant pressure with minimal support, so they would eventually snap in half or shatter, leaving you with a hand full of expensive splinters.

how are you thinking they are under constant pressure? trying to figure out what you mean by that.

[wayanlam]

i don't think light handle bars are a good place to save weight on motorbikes. you would need even heavier end bars to compensate.

i noticed that my handlebars vibrated a lot when i changed the oem ones out for clipons, before i put bar ends on them.

once i put bar ends they stopped vibrating again.

the weight savings would be so minimal in the end, that it would not balance out the additional costs.

as far as strength, im sure that carbon fiber handlebars would be strong enough to withstand just about anything besides a crash, lol

they are used in many situations where there is pressure/stress/vibrations and hold up perfectly i believe.

[CThunder-blue]

They would have to be much thicker than steel bars to have comparable strength. I ran a CF drive shaft in my turbo stealth and it was much thicker than the stock steel one. You would have to wrap the CF around a thick, almost solid cardboard core to get what you're after. It's not cost effective. Like Wayan said, the vibration dampening needed would negate any weight savings you would see.

Now... carbon fiber forks? That sounds interesting indeed

[CynicalC]

They would work fine except they would be prone to shattering if the bike fell over. On a bicycle, it's good weight saving. On a 300+ lb bike, the weight difference between cf and aluminum is negligible.

[bhalv]

yeah weight was never the concern, just wondering why i hadn't seen any out there

[ratlab]

lockhart-phillips has been selling replacement carbon fiber bars for clip-ons for years-they do vibrate more than alloy

[wayanlam]

^^^
AKA. Carbon Fiber Vibrator?

[namdamyo]

Originally Posted by wayanlam

the weight savings would be so minimal in the end, that it would not balance out the additional costs.
[...]
they are used in many situations where there is pressure/stress/vibrations and hold up perfectly i believe

I second this. I used to ride bike trials (where you pedal ), and there was a bike that had the top tube made of carbon fiber, the Koxx Karbon. It was definitely a cool design and look, but it wasn't much lighter than other all aluminum bikes because the carbon fiber had to be reinforced so it didn't snap under stress. On the other hand it made for a stiff bike which some prefer ^^

In my opinion carbon fiber handlebars would be really cool if you could see the weave through clear grips!

[wayanlam]

you would also need a clear tube for the throttle grip, lol

its something that crossed my mind too, often CF is something ppl like to show off, but on the handlebars, it would barely bi visible,

[ninja250]

I was going to say resonance.

[namdamyo]

I hadn't thought about the throttle tube! Now I'll know if I ever want to make a carbon ninja haha

Also this just reminded me I read about Lamborghini's carbon fiber car. Pretty much everything is carbon fiber besides the engine, engine mounts and suspension points on the rear axle. -> Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

I think this proves carbon fiber can be used for a lot of things

[leed]

Originally Posted by bhalv

yeah weight was never the concern, just wondering why i hadn't seen any out there

That's why! The only real reason there is ever a place for carbon fiber is for strength to weight ratio. If weight is not important, then there is no reason for it, it really just is a waste of money.

Originally Posted by Mazakawi

Also, carbon fiber is far more likely to crack and break in the event that the bike falls over.

By cycling I'm assuming you are talking about bicycles? There's much higher forces being put on the handle bars of a 400 pound motorcycle traveling at 100+ mph than there on a 20 pound bike going 20 mph or less.

I agree that carbon fiber is more likely to crack and break if it is fallen on, but the latter statement is not true.

One thing you'll find in motorcycling, is that you really shouldn't be putting much force into the bars at all. The geometry of our bikes allows very little work to do the steering, and aside from crashes, the handlebars do not go through a lot of forces. The major forces you will find come from braking, or from resting your weight on your wrists.

Another thing you will find is that the amount of force put on bicycle handlebars vs motorcycle bars.. Is more than likely greater. In any sprint or out of the saddle climb, your hands are on the bars. Pulling in sync with cadence, you're likely to pull a good amount of force over any given span of time. Unlike motorcycling, a lot of times your weight will be in your bars (especially TT and Track bikes).

I should note that a lot of riders (professionals included) actually prefer alloy bars over carbon, as there is always the issue with crashing. Crash in a race with carbon and there's a chance of game over. Crash with alloy, unless you are injured, it's a guaranteed play-on.

Alongside gram savings in weight, carbon tends to be a stiff, responsive, but still forgiving material unlike aluminium. It's easy to make aerodynamic (compared to aluminum), and will guarantee weight savings. These are all things we don't need in the motorcycle world, combined with the un-crashability.

Blah blah blah. I talk too much, I'm sorry

[ninja250]

Carbon Fiber Bar
Does it help with ED and BM's?