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bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars
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I've had this bike since 2006-2007 and was on the trainer today sprinting up a hill hitting 600W+ for short periods and I guess the pressure was too much on the bar and it just cracked from too much weight. It immediately felt off and loose when cracked. I thought initially that it was a crack due to corrosion, but there was no sign of corrosion near or around the crack.

Do bars just snap under pressure sometimes or is this due to age? Should I look for more durable bars in the future? My bike is old and this is going to be another expensive repair at the LBS isn't it... ughhhhh what a pain -

Also as a note, this one dude at a LBS put all that crappy packaging tape under the wraps. I hope to take it to a different LBS that maybe is better.

https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney
Last edited by: plant_based: May 24, 20 17:56
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [plant_based] [ In reply to ]
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Fix it yourself for cheap.
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]
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jimatbeyond wrote:
Fix it yourself for cheap.

I have no idea how to install shifters?

https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [plant_based] [ In reply to ]
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Loosen the bolt and slide them off the old bar.

Slide them on the new bar and tighten the bolt.
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]
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Sometimes shit just breaks. Could have been injured when the bike fell over 10 years ago and finally just died. Figure out what size the clamp area is and how wide the bars are and buy a new set. Alloy pretty good ones are $50-75 or so and fancy carbon can be way up there in the hundreds. Pretty easy fix with a couple allen wrenches. If it is a trainer bike you can reuse your bar tape. Watch a You tube instructional and you are good to go. At a shop with say $50 an hour rate, a probably more expensive alloy bar and new tape you are talking $150 give or take. Do it yourself, easy to learn and everyone should know how to do basic maintenance like a bar change and save $75..
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [G-man] [ In reply to ]
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This is a really good carbon bar:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/283869378420
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [G-man] [ In reply to ]
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G-man wrote:
Sometimes shit just breaks. Could have been injured when the bike fell over 10 years ago and finally just died. Figure out what size the clamp area is and how wide the bars are and buy a new set. Alloy pretty good ones are $50-75 or so and fancy carbon can be way up there in the hundreds. Pretty easy fix with a couple allen wrenches. If it is a trainer bike you can reuse your bar tape. Watch a You tube instructional and you are good to go. At a shop with say $50 an hour rate, a probably more expensive alloy bar and new tape you are talking $150 give or take. Do it yourself, easy to learn and everyone should know how to do basic maintenance like a bar change and save $75..

ohh ok good to know thanks

https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]
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jimatbeyond wrote:
Loosen the bolt and slide them off the old bar.

Slide them on the new bar and tighten the bolt.

cool - thanks Jim

https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [plant_based] [ In reply to ]
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plant_based wrote:
jimatbeyond wrote:
Fix it yourself for cheap.


I have no idea how to install shifters?

1 bolt. The hardest part for me is actually wrapping the bar tape. I honestly have done a complete frame build but then taken the bike to someone to do the bar tape. ;-)

Note that depending on the type of shifters then you may find that the 'crappy tape' is actually there to hold the cables that run under the bar tape in place and allow you to then wrap the bars properly. And you wouldn't want to try doing bars without that tape. Of course not wanting to teach you how to suck eggs, but you may limit your options if you decide to only use bike mechanics that don't use some tape to hold the cables/wires in place. The added bonus being that when you do change bar tape then all the cables / wires stay put.
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]
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jimatbeyond wrote:
This is a really good carbon bar:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/283869378420

wow!

https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [Duncan74] [ In reply to ]
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Duncan74 wrote:
plant_based wrote:
jimatbeyond wrote:
Fix it yourself for cheap.


I have no idea how to install shifters?


1 bolt. The hardest part for me is actually wrapping the bar tape. I honestly have done a complete frame build but then taken the bike to someone to do the bar tape. ;-)

Note that depending on the type of shifters then you may find that the 'crappy tape' is actually there to hold the cables that run under the bar tape in place and allow you to then wrap the bars properly. And you wouldn't want to try doing bars without that tape. Of course not wanting to teach you how to suck eggs, but you may limit your options if you decide to only use bike mechanics that don't use some tape to hold the cables/wires in place. The added bonus being that when you do change bar tape then all the cables / wires stay put.

oh ok - interesting - I really don't know a lot about bike mech

https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [plant_based] [ In reply to ]
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Glad you weren't hurt. I didn't realize I had cracked a set of bars on my gravel bike until I went to replace the bar tape! Thankfully, it wasn't too bad, but it was just aching for a catastrophic failure at some point (they were carbon). I think it was a result of a crash at BWR last year that ended up twisting my shifter.

If you replace the bars with alloy ones, it's hard to really screw up an install. However, if you go carbon, be sure to use a torque wrench. Plenty wrong for newer (and even experienced) mechanics to screw up. As far as replacing the bar tape, there's no reason to try it yourself (especially with what the LBS had done with packing tape). Wrapping bar tape is actually more of an art. Plus, if you don't do it right the first time, just unwrap it and try again. There is immense satisfaction in wrapping your own bar tape too!

"Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps"
Blog = http://extrememomentum.com|Photos = http://wheelgoodphotos.com
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [allenpg] [ In reply to ]
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allenpg wrote:
Glad you weren't hurt. I didn't realize I had cracked a set of bars on my gravel bike until I went to replace the bar tape! Thankfully, it wasn't too bad, but it was just aching for a catastrophic failure at some point (they were carbon). I think it was a result of a crash at BWR last year that ended up twisting my shifter.

If you replace the bars with alloy ones, it's hard to really screw up an install. However, if you go carbon, be sure to use a torque wrench. Plenty wrong for newer (and even experienced) mechanics to screw up. As far as replacing the bar tape, there's no reason to try it yourself (especially with what the LBS had done with packing tape). Wrapping bar tape is actually more of an art. Plus, if you don't do it right the first time, just unwrap it and try again. There is immense satisfaction in wrapping your own bar tape too!

Yeah - I can wrap my own bar tape - I've done it before, but have noticed that some bike techs cut off a piece and put it over the middle of the shifters when wrapping, so I have done the same.

Another issue on this bike is that I have shifting issues and don't know how to shift into the top fastest gears - I've been riding on the lower gears like a fixie almost on Zwift for the past 5 weeks or so. I broke an Ultegra 10spd shifter on this bike and the LBS couldn't find a replacement so put a 105 10spd shifter on the front, which I have not liked as much as the Ultegra and found an Ultegra 10spd that I might want to put on this bike. Its used, so I hope I am making the right decision to put a used part on the bike, but don't really know and miss the Ultegra feel on the front shifter. Its a mess and I hope I get everything cleaned up - but just have a really low confidence in fixing this stuff myself.

I can do bar wraps though. I used to play tennis when younger and it is very similar.

https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [plant_based] [ In reply to ]
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"Yeah - I can wrap my own bar tape - I've done it before, but have noticed that some bike techs cut off a piece and put it over the middle of the shifters when wrapping, so I have done the same."


Bar tape packages comes with a separate piece of tape to cover the shifter's clamp. No need to cut a piece off the main wrap.
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [plant_based] [ In reply to ]
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f'king hell - was really hoping to make a few grand today on the poker tables to cover this -

I started playing on the bike today, but have been getting bad beats - had a decent day on the bike Monday making a couple hundred on Zwift / Ignition poker

https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney
Last edited by: plant_based: May 24, 20 22:18
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [plant_based] [ In reply to ]
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plant_based wrote:
allenpg wrote:
Glad you weren't hurt. I didn't realize I had cracked a set of bars on my gravel bike until I went to replace the bar tape! Thankfully, it wasn't too bad, but it was just aching for a catastrophic failure at some point (they were carbon). I think it was a result of a crash at BWR last year that ended up twisting my shifter.

If you replace the bars with alloy ones, it's hard to really screw up an install. However, if you go carbon, be sure to use a torque wrench. Plenty wrong for newer (and even experienced) mechanics to screw up. As far as replacing the bar tape, there's no reason to try it yourself (especially with what the LBS had done with packing tape). Wrapping bar tape is actually more of an art. Plus, if you don't do it right the first time, just unwrap it and try again. There is immense satisfaction in wrapping your own bar tape too!


Yeah - I can wrap my own bar tape - I've done it before, but have noticed that some bike techs cut off a piece and put it over the middle of the shifters when wrapping, so I have done the same.

Another issue on this bike is that I have shifting issues and don't know how to shift into the top fastest gears - I've been riding on the lower gears like a fixie almost on Zwift for the past 5 weeks or so. I broke an Ultegra 10spd shifter on this bike and the LBS couldn't find a replacement so put a 105 10spd shifter on the front, which I have not liked as much as the Ultegra and found an Ultegra 10spd that I might want to put on this bike. Its used, so I hope I am making the right decision to put a used part on the bike, but don't really know and miss the Ultegra feel on the front shifter. Its a mess and I hope I get everything cleaned up - but just have a really low confidence in fixing this stuff myself.

I can do bar wraps though. I used to play tennis when younger and it is very similar.

Regarding the extra piece, I do know a couple purist mechanics that think you should not put this small part of tape there; however I always end up with small gaps in that case (they don't though...) For all of you out there, the most important part of the taping process is starting in the right direction such that you end up with the tape wrapped on top of the bar in such way that you basically would tighten it when gripping the bar on top and rotating your hands towards you!

For the shifter, I would suggest installing the new/other shifter before you wrap the bar as replacing a shifter on a wrapped bike is sometimes a real struggle... I prefer to route the inner cable through the shifter first and then slide on the outer cable after that (now is also a good time to replace your outer cables and inners; for the new shifters, the inners must be replaced anyway) for cables, I try to find OEM sets as after-market kits are ridiculously expensive...
Normally I will fix my outer cables to the bar with electrical tape to ensure they are routed where I like them (either fully wrap with electrical tape or as a minimum near the shifters, in the bend and just before the end of where the bar-tape will end). I will also always fix the final part of bar-tape with electrical tape, usually these "branded" tapes are included with the bartape but in my opinion they are always *#&*( ...
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [plant_based] [ In reply to ]
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plant_based wrote:

I have no idea how to install shifters?

What shifters?

Shimano's "dealer guide" is listed on each product page. They're very clear and easy to follow. If you can put IKEA furniture together, you can do this. I learned how to do everything myself using manufacturer instructions.
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [BigBoyND] [ In reply to ]
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BigBoyND wrote:
plant_based wrote:


I have no idea how to install shifters?


What shifters?

Shimano's "dealer guide" is listed on each product page. They're very clear and easy to follow. If you can put IKEA furniture together, you can do this. I learned how to do everything myself using manufacturer instructions.

Installing the shifters is easy. All the pfaffing about getting them positioned exactly right on the curve of the bar is a pain in the
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Re: bar cracked today under pressure while on bottom bars [plant_based] [ In reply to ]
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To try to answer some of your original post.

Do things just break ? Well... It depends !
For Alu there is no infinite life in fatigue- so eventually Alu does fail.
What often gets it 1st is (as you identify) corosion- as that both thins the remaining good metal, and also any pitting (even at a microscopic level) can leave sharp 'notches' that locally increase the stress - to initiate a fatigue crack.

Depending on what Alu grade it can also change its mechanical properties over time - known as 'age hardening' (micro level changes in the crystaline structure of the metal grains) - it gets stronger in one characteristic, but also becomes less ductile and so more likely to break through once a crack is there.

I still recall one of my Mtbs from the late 1990s (a Kona) came with very specific instructions to 'life limit' the Alu bar as it was a balance between fatigue life and weight.

I'd be nervous about having a 15 year old Alu bar on an outdoors bike if it's been used lots (although I'm at year 8 on one road bike Alu bar myself).
Obvs the consequence on a static turbo is a lot lower.
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