Handebar broke off - nasty cash

Frank, can you make a guess as to this failure mode?

Glad you are ok. Nothing beats steel.

Andy

On 8/29/2019 10:35 AM, Tom Kunich wrote:
Frank, can you make a guess as to this failure mode?

I'd greatly prefer to see it in real life before guessing. But:

I agree with Sir and Jay that the initial crack was there quite a while.
The discoloration indicates that.

It's puzzling to me that before the final failure, the crack seemed to
run from the 12:00 position to the 5:00 position (in the original
photo). Fatigue cracks normally start in regions in tension. The typical
loads shouldn't put that region in tension.

I suppose running into something with the right handlebar could start a
tiny crack in that area, especially if the aluminum is high strength and
thus more brittle. But I'm sure Joerg is a very careful rider.

Personally, I wouldn't have thought it was a good idea to use steel as
an internal reinforcement in an aluminum handlebar. Is that common?
Maybe dissimilar metal corrosion did have an effect.


--
- Frank Krygowski

I am bothered by that absolutely clean break in the 2:00 to 3:30 position and that 8:00 to 10:00 position. That isn't a crack. More over, those are the vertical load bearing positions of the handlebar.

It appears to me that the bar failed at the ending of the steel brace almost like a clean cut.

On 2019-08-29 04:03, Tosspot wrote:
On 29/08/2019 00.38, Joerg wrote:

snip

Not having that dreaded handlebar tape anymore is another serious
upside of the (steel) flat bar I have now. I mounted these:

https://www.meetlocksonline.com/coll...e-parts-1-pair




Very comfortable. So much so that I installed the non-horned version
on the MTB.

https://www.meetlocksonline.com/coll...e-parts-1-pair


My favorite style. I have the Ergon GP3s on all my flat handlebar bikes,
unlike the meetlocks the horn is adjustable.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...s/rp-prod15030

I also like the non-horned GP1s.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...ps/rp-prod9686


Except mine cost less than half :-)

However, the non-horned Ergon is better because on the Meetlocks
non-horned they elected to use a compression rubber mount for the
outsides. Beats me why because the integrated aluminum clamp ring on the
horned version would have been possible and is so much better.
Especially on an MTB where you reach in more forcefully.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 2019-08-29 16:59, Tom Kunich wrote:
I am bothered by that absolutely clean break in the 2:00 to 3:30
position and that 8:00 to 10:00 position. That isn't a crack. More
over, those are the vertical load bearing positions of the
handlebar.

It appears to me that the bar failed at the ending of the steel brace
almost like a clean cut.


About 1/4" away from the end of the steel tube. The corrosion happened
vertically, in riding direction. So not from pooling but probably from
condensation, maybe caused by the cooling winds hitting the handlebar
from the front. It was weird. Anyhow, nothing could be seen from outside.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 2019-08-29 13:19, Andy wrote:
Glad you are ok. Nothing beats steel.


Absolutamente! Steel is what I have now as a handlebar.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Saturday, August 31, 2019 at 4:51:41 PM UTC+2, Joerg wrote:
On 2019-08-29 13:19, Andy wrote:
Glad you are ok. Nothing beats steel.


Absolutamente! Steel is what I have now as a handlebar.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

From a safety point of view I think you woud be better off with a CF handlebar with the same weight as your current steel one.

Lou

On 8/31/2019 5:50 PM, wrote:
On Saturday, August 31, 2019 at 4:51:41 PM UTC+2, Joerg wrote:
On 2019-08-29 13:19, Andy wrote:
Glad you are ok. Nothing beats steel.


Absolutamente! Steel is what I have now as a handlebar.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

From a safety point of view I think you woud be better off with a CF handlebar with the same weight as your current steel one.

I wonder if anyone makes one.

It seems easy to market "Less weight!" It might be difficult to market
"Less likely to break!"

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Sat, 31 Aug 2019 07:47:28 -0700, Joerg
wrote:

On 2019-08-29 04:03, Tosspot wrote:
On 29/08/2019 00.38, Joerg wrote:

snip

Not having that dreaded handlebar tape anymore is another serious
upside of the (steel) flat bar I have now. I mounted these:

https://www.meetlocksonline.com/coll...e-parts-1-pair




Very comfortable. So much so that I installed the non-horned version
on the MTB.

https://www.meetlocksonline.com/coll...e-parts-1-pair


My favorite style. I have the Ergon GP3s on all my flat handlebar bikes,
unlike the meetlocks the horn is adjustable.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...s/rp-prod15030

I also like the non-horned GP1s.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...ps/rp-prod9686


Except mine cost less than half :-)

However, the non-horned Ergon is better because on the Meetlocks
non-horned they elected to use a compression rubber mount for the
outsides. Beats me why because the integrated aluminum clamp ring on the
horned version would have been possible and is so much better.
Especially on an MTB where you reach in more forcefully.

Some years ago I was building up an old frame and used straight bars.
I found that on longer rides, say 2 hours, or more, my wrists got
tired. I changed to normal drop bars and it seemed much more
comfortable.

But, of course, this depends on what one is used to :-)
--

Cheers,

John B.