Gravel Bars (Carbon vs Alloy) (Flared vs Regular)

[00Garza]

Ok so this topic has probably been done to death, but I'd like the forums thoughts on it. A few years ago, the general consensus was chinese carbon bars were not worth the risk. Has this changed?

My gravel frame (Flyxii FE-02) is on the way and I had fully intended to go with alloy bars, but now am considering carbon. The price for most flared alloy bars is similar if not more expensive than Chinese carbon bars from my online perusing. I could go super budget with kalloy uno regular bar stem combo. Are the flared bars just gravel aesthetics, or are there tangible benefits?

[Tijoe]

When I first built my Seraph gravel bike, in 2019,  I used a pair of regular carbon Easton EC90 drop bars I had laying around on the bike.   When I started riding some organized gravel grinders, I saw that the majority of the riders were riding flared drop carbon bars.   I have past-injury wrist issues, and I was finding that with regular drops bars, my hand positions on the drops was literally painful. 
I ordered a pair of ZNIINO flared carbon bars.   They really helped with the majority of my wrist pain.  I've been riding them on the gravel bike for about 3500 miles.
Since then, I ordered 3 more pairs over the past 2 years.  I installed them on my 29er hardtail bike packer,  and on 2 of my road bikes.   

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800808580660.html?pdp_npi=2%40dis%21USD%21US%20%2462.00%21US%20%2434.72%21%21%21%21%21%402101e9d216741506419278287e80d8%2112000020551519533%21sh01&spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.productList_2003126793894.pic_1&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa&_randl_shipto=US

I am considering trying out a pair of these bars, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803892892709.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.slider_2003126793893.0&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US

[coffeebreak]

I chose carbon regular. The big catch with chinese carbon is the same as with anything else Chinese, certain risk of it breaking. Not all are bad, so going with general sentiment helps. My VB bars are excellent and would not hesitate buying that set again whereas RXL ones were borderline poor - that is on me. The reviews of RXL aren't super positive and I went with it anyway. With that said if the weight saving is only goal, I feel some alloy bars are super light too. The bars that came with my Cannondale Synapse were quite light. But I like the slight dampening effect of carbon over alloy.

As for flared/regular I am still in two minds. I have a cromoly bike (Fuji Jari 2.3) that came with super flared bars. Riding it gets some used to. Even after months I don't see the benefit of that vis-a-vis regular bars of my VB bike and I ride the same gravel trails with both. There are people who swear by flared bar but I am yet to get hooked onto it. Not a big fan of how it looks either. This is just my opinion though and I am sure there are scenarios where flared is useful but I am yet to encounter them.

[jonathanf2]

I'm never going back to alloy bars. On the trail, dampening of carbon bars are more noticeable than on road in my opinion. AliEx prices are super reasonable as well!

I'm using these two style of flared bars:

RXL mild flare bars, fairly lightweight and solid, I use these on my road bikes:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803093583495.html

Big flare bars, great on the trail and have a cool, aggressive look, mounted on my gravel bike:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802602373090.html

[acedeuce802]

I run carbon flared integrated bars from Carbonda, came with my CFR707.  I'm still a bit hesitant with Chinese handlebars from other vendors.  I've beat mine up pretty good, hitting potholes at 20+mph hard enough to break bottle cages but the bars are solid.

I personally like a little bit of flare.  I find the hand position comfortable and it gives me a bit of wrist clearance.  I had Ritchey Venturemax (24deg flare) before and did not like that at all, it just felt awkward to me.  I could see bars like that being useful if you are going to do a lot of trail riding where you need technical control in the drops.  My riding is mostly mild unpaved roads, so no need for "MTB-like" handlebar control from the wide hand position. 

[Tijoe]

I might add, I've been a die hard roady for 45+ years.   Never in my life would I have thought that I might use any bar other than a regular drop bar.  Unfortunately pain is a motivator to try something new, otherwise I would still be using regular drop bars.   From my perspective, I have found that flared bars give a wider, more stable position in the drops, which comes in handy on rough terrain and when descending.  On my 29er hardtail, with flared drop bars, I have been able to coast at full speed down 8+% grade, very rough/washboarded forest roads.   (Over time I rode these descents on flat bars, regular drop bars, full rigid bikes, full suspension bike, with flat bars.)   My fastest descent times are on my 29er hardtail with flared dropper bars.  My FS ride with flat bars is the next fastest.
In the past, my buddies used to be significantly faster than me on these descents.   Last year, they were asking how I had become so much faster.   
I believe that is is the stability of the flared bars and being able to tuck on the drops in a more wider more comfortable aero position than either flat bars or regular drop bars.

[jonathanf2]

In the past, my buddies used to be significantly faster than me on these descents.   Last year, they were asking how I had become so much faster.   
I believe that is is the stability of the flared bars and being able to tuck on the drops in a more wider more comfortable aero position than either flat bars or regular drop bars.

This is definitely true. My buddies and I ride this fast, downhill canyon trail on our gravel bikes. I'm hitting close to 30mph on a rutted dirt trail. The carbon bars make such a huge difference in stability, dampening and steering control. Even on technical switchbacks, the wide flare makes it easier to maneuver as well.

[00Garza]

I ordered a pair of ZNIINO flared carbon bars.   They really helped with the majority of my wrist pain.  I've been riding them on the gravel bike for about 3500 miles.
Since then, I ordered 3 more pairs over the past 2 years.  I installed them on my 29er hardtail bike packer,  and on 2 of my road bikes.   

I was actually looking at these. They have two flare options. 25 or 30 degrees. Which did you go with?

[jannmayer]

I'm a fan of flared bars for gravel as well. I have a Whiskey alloy bar, 26 cm wide, 24 deg flare on my CFR707 and love it. It's very comfortable and I like having the extra width in the drops.


I picked up a cheap alloy 42 cm 16 deg flare bar that I'm going to put on my road bike at some point. The non-flared drops just don't feel as comfortable anymore.


I've never ridden carbon bars. The name brands are very pricey and it's a very high risk component to experiment with...

[FullCarbonAlchemist]

Low angle flare, low drop, super wide (46-48cm) aluminum. Short stem. Find the exact bar geometry you like and *then* once you’re completely sure it’s dialed consider getting carbon if it’s available in that geometry. But this combination can be tough to find in carbon.

[eeney]

I initially went with a flared carbon bar from Aliexpress.  Challenge was trying to get the shifters not to slip without crushing the carbon bars.  Ended up changing them for Ritchey Beacon allow flared bars.  Much easier to tighten shifters and have no worry about the materials..... plus the weight and cost saving wasn't so significant.

[zilcho]

I love the Carbonda CGB01: http://www.carbonda.com/accessory/handlebar/123.html

The flare on them rotates the entire drop outwards from the shifter clamping point, compared to most that seem to just rotate the tip of the drops out, leaving your hand position still under the top of the bars...if that makes sense. The flats are semi aero and feel great to me. Compatible routing for fully internal, partially internal, or traditional. The only downside would be the rise of the flats from the clamping point means most bar mounted accessories are not going to work, there is just not enough clamping space.

[carbonazza]

... On my 29er hardtail, with flared drop bars, ...

Did you put a wider handlebar on your 29er than you do for a gravel or road bike?

[Tijoe]

Did you put a wider handlebar on your 29er than you do for a gravel or road bike?

On all the bikes, I went with the 2nd widest ZNIINO bars that I could find, or were available, back when I purchased them:  440/575 bars.   
On my mountain bikes I run 780s, but the center of my hand positions on the drops is about 620mm, and when I have my hands rotated on the flared drops, my relative hand positions are only around  20 to 25mm in closer on the flared drop bars.  Therefore steering leverage on the bars isn't that much different, but I get to descend in a tucked position, giving me a lower CG.  But, shifting can be more complex because I use a bar end shifter on the 29er.
I hope to remedy some of this because I purchased an EDS electric shifting system for this 29er.  (To be installed when the snow farts melting.)

[00Garza]

Pulled the trigger on some 30 degree flare ZNIINO bars. Most likely won't ship until after Chinese new year festivities.