There's some food for thought.

[Stick Legs]

Its rather odd that a forum of people who happily ride around on 20 year old, sub 130 gram aluminium handlebars would feel ill at ease using modern carbon parts.

Okay, fair point, but I am super paranoid about critical components and buy the best I can, and for bars use newer stuff, from the best manufacturers or ideally Ti.

Critical components for avoiding unecessary pain...

BB axles,
Seatposts,
Bars,
Stems,
Forks,
Cranks.

 

[Supratada]

This reminds me that ages ago, when I was about 13 I stripped the clamp thread of an aero stem on my old racer. So I drilled all the way through and put a bolt through instead of buying a new stem.

I ended up needing new jeans as when it failed and I went over the bars, the metal edges and the bolt head shredded my trousers very close to the groin. I was never able to descend with confidence ever again after that.
Even now I keep looking at my Ringle stem, just in case.

 

[kaiser]

Its rather odd that a forum of people who happily ride around on 20 year old, sub 130 gram aluminium handlebars would feel ill at ease using modern carbon parts.

Okay, fair point, but I am super paranoid about critical components and buy the best I can, and for bars use newer stuff, from the best manufacturers or ideally Ti.

Critical components for avoiding unecessary pain...

BB axles,
Seatposts,
Bars,
Stems,
Forks,
Cranks.

I'd say you see as much cracked ti comparatively.