Crunchy sound: ZIPP Bars at risk?

[ti_boi]

I have some neato Zipp bars on my bike, carbon fiber, flat top....today as I was slowly going uphill and pulling (probably too hard) I heard a crackling sound.....it does not inspire confidence when that sound is heard--I am pretty sure that I tugged too hard. Should I take those bad boys off and try another bar???? Just curious....they still seem rigid -- :confused: :confused: :confused:

[regularguy412]

-- at least take'em off and look'em over. If everything looks OK, you're only out the time it took to unwrap/re-wrap the bars and take off/ replace the brake levers. Be sure and get any tape residue off so you can better see any small cracks. Take the bar completely off,, so you can also check the stem clamp, itself, (as well as the area ON the bar that the stem clamps).

As they say: " An ounce of prevention ....."

Mike in AR

[swoop]

take em off. if you bought them online be warned that they've had a problem with counterefit bars failing. they look exactly like the real bars.. zipp has to inspect them to tell which is which.

fear the loud crack sound.

[ti_boi]

It was a 'loud' sound ! I blame the fact that I like to stay in the big ring even on the most aggressive hills and tend to over compensate a bit....oh, and I am 235 with swimmer's shoulders and a beer drinkers torso.....Ugh.

I just got that 1" solid riser piece from Serotta, and plan to take it in to the LBS as soon as that little part comes and actually switch the bars....I didn't like what I heard at all....it was disturbing. I want a nice wide bar with a traditional drop....kind of like 'Jan' uses....the Deda Newton...it would essentially match the stem....

[swoop]

when carbon bars rotate against the face plate it makes a helluva loud snap too. and that isn't always a bar ending thing....

did they rotate down?

[ti_boi]

No not at all....they 'flexed' from side to side and that sound sounded like tiny fibers breaking......not at all what you want to hear....wondering if carbon bars 'do that' and still survive or if they are compromised....I tend to avoid carbon fiber -- like my fork is carbon but the center tube is alloy.

[swoop]

this is exactly what sucks about carbon bars... the not knowing. i have them on all my bikes! and i'm neurotic anyway....

[ti_boi]

exactly....that and the fact that I bought them online....and they might in fact be copies....though if they are they are very 'convincing' replicas....I might go ever wider this time....they are 44 I think and I might try to find 46s. I elevate paranoia to an art form swoop.

[swoop]

the copies are so good that you can't tell by looking. if you got them out of an ebay store stop using them immediately and send them to zipp. there have been horrible failures with exact looking imitations.

[ti_boi]

*will do exactly that................swoop you are wise................your chi is strong...........and flatulence great. Be well.

[Your_Friend!]

Ti Boi!

For A While, I Think Jan

Used Schmolke Brothers

Handlebars!

Love,
Your_Friend!

[swoop]

http://www.zipp.com/Support/CounterfeitHandlebars/tabid/176/Default.aspx

[rinconryder]

I think you can go to the Zipp site and get info about the fake bars. The fakes are pretty much dead on, really diffiult to tell the difference. If you boght em on ebay deff. take the tape off and check it out. From what I call, one of the diff. between the fake and real is that the reals are supposed to come with a nice crown royale type bag - typical Zipp for you.

[rinconryder]

uh yeah, like the link above said. :crap:

[ti_boi]

My goodness that is an ugly picture............I like the 'Smoke' Brothers Idea friend.....I got the 'bag' with the bars, though.

Man, I wish I had Ti bars!!! :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:


Well fellas...I'm east coast and up far too late....I'm with my 3.5 year-old daughter tomorrow and keeping up with her is going to be a challenge without the requisite amount of sleep. Thanks for the information!!!

[kerrycycle]

Many of the pros do not even use carbon stems or bars for not only reliability, but also for stiffness. In general, carbon bars & stems do not provide that significant of a weight savings, especially for the money. If you are a bigger guy, there are some light aluminum bars on the market that will work great (Deda & FSA come to mind). Then again, there is that carbon bling factor that kicks the practical considerations to the curb. Good luck!

[Too Tall]

Not to mention carbon bars are generally pretty stiff and if you ride alot that can be a prob. I've got "real" Zipp B3s on the Spectrum and love them long time....awesome shape.

Ok ok "Your_friend" I give, I'll play. You know your stuff. Schmolke bars are outta sight quality and stupid light. Prob. is they are stinkin short drops so are preactically useless if you ride your bike in the drops and don't race. None the less, if you are looking for the ultimate in light well made those are the poop:

[ti_boi]

I am admiring these right now, they match the stem on the bike and i like the drop.......

[Mud]

and pay for them. We have a customer who wanted the integrated bars. They cracked. We have had too many go south.

[Dave]

The obvious problem not mentioned is pulling that hard on the bars. As a 135 lb. climber, I never pull on the bars. Anytime my cadence drops below 70or so, I shift to a lower gear. It's fine to use your weight to turn the cranks over, but pulling on the bars just wastes energy. Staying in the big ring on very much of a hill isn't real bright either.

Climbing mountains, it's not unusual to pedal standing for 10-15 minute stretches. You can't do that at 40 rpm, yanking on the bars the whole time.

[Fixed]

I have that same sound when i ride a carbon fork ..on evey bike I been on crack sound I like to bomb around but so do you cats do you bro hear that when you ride carbon ..just wondering cheers

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . get those crunchy bars off the bike NOW! Having a bar snap off on a ride at ANY speed is not a scenario I would like to live through or watch happen!

BBD

[Dave]

I have that same sound when i ride a carbon fork ..on evey bike I been on crack sound I like to bomb around but so do you cats do you bro hear that when you ride carbon ..just wondering cheers

If the bike has an integrated headset and the sound occurs when you hit a rough spot in the road, then it's a loose headset. Makes a pretty distinct snap. Adjustment instructions for headsets are notoriously poor.

[Fixed]

thanks
cheers

[BumbleBeeDave]

Please tell us that until you do find out for sure what is wrong, you're not going to go down any hill at 40mph or go dodging through rush hour traffic! :eek:

BBD

[ti_boi]

Please tell us that until you do find out for sure what is wrong, you're not going to go down any hill at 40mph or go dodging through rush hour traffic! :eek:

BBD

I for one am off it for now...I have my MTB for local jaunts...calling CycleSports later today to book her in for the re-do...

*Noticing late that you were addressing fixed...oops. :)

[rinconryder]

Fixed,

I have heard the same snap sound from carbon forks that you speak of. Carbon, for all of its good qualities, does tend to snap back or almost have an aluminum feel to it when you hit a bump or anything hard.

[BumbleBeeDave]

I for one am off it for now...I have my MTB for local jaunts...calling CycleSports later today to book her in for the re-do...

*Noticing late that you were addressing fixed...oops. :)

You should get off yours, too, if it's doing something like that. If it's my BB clicking or something else that will not take me down if it breaks, then I'll take a chance and keep moving, if only to get home.

But if it's something like handlebars breaking, steerer tube, frame break, etc., then I'm off that bike NOW. I imagine going down a hill and having the bars come off in my hands and OH SH*T!!! :eek::eek::eek:

BBD

[Gothard]

Why would anyone risk his teeth, face , or worse for a carbon handlebar is beyond me... :confused:

Get a nice aloy bar, check it often, and then buy lightweight stuff elsewhere.

[regularguy412]

You should get off yours, too, if it's doing something like that. If it's my BB clicking or something else that will not take me down if it breaks, then I'll take a chance and keep moving, if only to get home.

But if it's something like handlebars breaking, steerer tube, frame break, etc., then I'm off that bike NOW. I imagine going down a hill and having the bars come off in my hands and OH SH*T!!! :eek::eek::eek:

BBD

That's having a *GH* moment.

Mike in AR

[ti_boi]

So I just took off the ZIPP bars and they look real...requisite stickers...etc. etc. I love the shape and weight but,

If I flex them though, they crackle and creak, which just does not inspire confidence...as I was unraveling the tape and undoing everything I decided that as lousy a bike mechanic as I am--you gotta respect the guys that do this stuff day in and day out so we can ride.

One reason IMHO to support the local bike shop. My new pledge...no more internet deals for me....

[Your_Friend!]

ti boi!

How Careful Was The Person

Who Installed Them?

With Regard To Torque Spec??

[ti_boi]

I doubt they really paid that much attention, but I could be wrong....in fact I think that it is the nature of the beast with these bars....I'm heading for something a little less exotic and more 'alloy' in nature.

[ti_boi]

I called around and no one really stocks anything in the traditional drop bar catagory anymore....so I dug these out...what they lack in bling, they more than make up for in pure Mojo....or should I say...."Del Mondo".... :cool:

[Fixed]

bro no worries now
cheers

[Big Dan]

Rock 'n Roll brother and keep the rubber side down..........


:)

[regularguy412]

Cinellis with the ferrule. And in silver, no less. Looks nice. Gotta love 'em.

Mike in AR

[ti_boi]

Yeah I'm stoked...I'm glad I had these stashed away....It's gonna be a nice weekend here and I gotta ride. The new program starts tomorrow~!