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Home / Mountain Bikes and Gear / Components / Cockpit / Handlebars / Survey

Are You Running Carbon Handlebars on Your Mountain Bike?

When it comes to mountain bike handlebars, there are pros and cons to choosing carbon. We want to know what you're running, and why!

By Jeff Barber
May 9, 2021 Last Updated: December 14, 2023

12 comments

Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article.

When it comes to mountain bike handlebars, there are pros and cons to choosing carbon. We want to know what you’re running, and why!

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Jeff Barber

Jeff Barber has been mountain biking since 1992 and has tested hundreds of mountain bikes and components. He is the co-founder of Singletracks and serves as Editor in Chief. Contact him at [email protected].

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12 Comments

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ZipHead South Carolina // 2015
May 9, 2021

I run aluminum bars on all my bikes.I have less of a tactile feel with carbon, the weight difference isn't noticeable, no concerns about breaking the bars if I dump the bike, and I've no concerns about not being a cool kid

1 reply

jsrides Utah // 2018
May 13, 2021

It's as simple as my bike came with aluminum bars. I've been happy with them, so I haven't bothered to look into changing them. Maybe I would love carbon bars, but it hasn't been a priority to find out.

1 reply

abegold Arizona // 2006
May 9, 2021

Carbon bars are cheap in Ebay. They are Chinese so I wouldn't suggest them for heavy riders. Biking shorts, too.

0 reply

Black-Man West Virginia // 2011
May 13, 2021

I've ridden carbon bars for quite a few years. And I swear I feel less strain on my forearms. I just bought a new bike with a carbon frame... and it doesn't have carbon handlebars. Go figure.

0 reply

psailafamily277 2016
May 14, 2021

Ive put carbon bars on my fat bike which I ride all winter on the mountain bike trails.
I was experiencing a lot of finger numbness which has been eliminated by changing to the carbon bars.

0 reply

patcouser65 France // 2021
Oct 1, 2021

interesting, I found the same - Im 53 and found that my body is much more sensitive to setup these days.

0 reply

Poimein Colorado // 2009
May 15, 2021

My Trek EX8 came with aluminum bars but I needed them to fit me and they had to replace the handlebars with a different size (among other things) and they only ones they had were carbon. I thought I was getting a deal since it was a new bike, but had to pay over $100 when all was said and done. Had I known that I may have held off for some aluminum but probably not because it was during COVID and all the shops were having trouble getting parts, especially TREK, according to a family member that works for them. Hopefully they'll last.

0 reply

credible New Zealand // 2019
May 14, 2021

My bike came with carbon fibre handlebars. I don't notice the difference.

0 reply

Jon Gustavson Oregon // 2016
Oct 1, 2021

No carbon bars any longer here due to cracking them all in past (RF, Chromag, OneUp). Yes, to torque bit and carbon friction paste to all cracked bars (one catastrophic on trail). Not a total thrasher, 200lb all mt. trail rider. Back to metal on all bikes now cause of this (have badly bent one Alu bar though from landing on side). Fwiw, all carbon failures were 35mm in diameter. Never cracked 31.8mm carbon, but only owned and ridden one.

0 reply

Chin Gao New Mexico // 2016
May 13, 2021

No carbon bars for me I really believe that carbon bars will NOT make me a better rider. Now I know that this comment phase is for bars but what has made me a MUCH better rider are oval chain rings…

0 reply

williedillon Georgia // 2012
May 13, 2021

No. The less plastic I buy the better.

0 reply

patcouser65 France // 2021
Oct 1, 2021

past the ripe old age of 50 I found my body was much more sensitive to stuff not being 'not quite right'. I started getting numb fingers, back pain, cramped feet, sore elbows and wrists. Ive been mountain biking since the late 1980s - when your young your body recovers much quicker, but as I get older stuff that would not affect me before has become more of an issue. Amongst other things I found the renthal 31.8 carbon bars I now have on 2 bikes to be much more comfortable than the aluminium ones which used to give me elbow and hand pain. I also have to run larger diameter grips (Oury are my goto grips) or else my fingers go numb after a couple of hours. On my roadbike its worse despite double taping the bars, Ive not yet changed/tried carbon bars on my road bike though.

0 reply

Tagged: carbon handlebar, cockpit, survey, gear, handlebars

First published May 9, 2021 @ 2:24:02