Do you trust old handlebars?

[Grant]

I've never in 20 years of riding actually seen a bar fail completely though, and that includes trials.
SP

I snapped a set of Azonic DH bars that were probably only a year or two old about 10 years ago. Took off over a set of doubles and in pulling up pulled the RH side of the bar clean off at the stem, made for an interesting landing!

They were secondhand and had been used by a 'heavy' trials rider before me.

To be honest, I've had the same bars on my Cannondale for 10 years and that's seen a hard life, and I wouldn't give them a second thought!

 

[Jamiedyer]

I wouldnt turn my back on them for a second

Jamie

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

That hammerhead went cheap; did you get it?

Yeah, lucked out on that one.

cool

 

[neilll]

Still using a pair of Hyperlites I bought in 1991

you're a dangerous man or light and gentle as a fairy

I was waiting for the 'fairy' comments to come along

Guess I fall into the dangerous category although i'm no hooligan on a bike....long overdue for a bar snapping accident :shock: :shock:

 

[MikeD]

That said, most of us are riding around on frames that are at least 12-15 years old so the bars might be the least of our worries...

Plenty of people have snapped frames and not even noticed, beyond wondering why it feels a bit flexy all of a sudden. But if a bar snaps, you're going to crash hard, and quite possibly collect the bike in your face on the way. It's also easier to inspect frames for tiny cracks - bars tend to go at the edge of the stem clamp or where the controls are, points that are (by definition) quite well hidden to the casual observer.

 

[skinnyboy]

I was sat outside tonight having a bifter when a kid on a bmx rode past jumped the kerb and next minute is on the deck crying his eyes out. His handlebars snapped clean off! Bike was only a few months old apparantly. Didn't help I guess that the kid was built like chunk from the goonies haha

 

[tintin40]

Simple 'Yes'

 

[reanimation]

I was sat outside tonight having a bifter when a kid on a bmx rode past jumped the kerb and next minute is on the deck crying his eyes out. His handlebars snapped clean off! Bike was only a few months old apparantly. Didn't help I guess that the kid was built like chunk from the goonies haha

:?

Thats what happened to me!

First reaction is to slow down on brakes but nowt to hold onto apart from comedy bars and force vs gravity!

that must have been the actual stem snapping rather than the bars as bars are usually heavy steel. lot of leverage on BMX bars. Probably manufacturing care, shonky materials, and non design in this case as well as too many BBQ snags. Mine was down to old Alloy, probably under engineered and over played with, I was only a skinny 16 Yr old lad.

 

[skinnyboy]

that must have been the actual stem snapping rather than the bars as bars are usually heavy steel. lot of leverage on BMX bars. Probably manufacturing care, shonky materials, and non design in this case as well as too many BBQ snags.

It snapped right on the weld where the bend for the grips meets the cross tube. He then gouged a massive hole in his knee with the newly offending ragged orifice, hence the scene from Dusk till Dawn on my doorstep! Pretty pisspoor for a supposedly decent bike, although it looked battered lol feckin kids these days!

His dad came past to thank us for looking after him which was nice. Told him to screw a decent BMX out of the shop that he bought it from, something a little more "heavy duty for the lad". The shop in question is so overpriced as well, went in there a few weeks back and practically guffawed at their ludicrous prices on utter tat.