# So I corroded my 2nd handlebar



## sadisticnoob (Dec 6, 2009)

My 2nd 3T aluminum bar in 3 years has just corroded to the point where there are holes in the bar.

I ride with no gloves though, so i assume my sweat has ran thru the bars.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

I'm guessing you never wash your bars and don't change your tape very often?


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

My Cinelli bars are over 30 years old with quite a few scrapes, scratches, rub points, and glue spots, but not a spot of corrosion. The 3T stem has a little pitting and scratching where it entered the steel steerer tube, but nothing compromising the integrity. 

There are numerous aluminum alloys. 6061 is a common marine grade including salt water resistance. 7000 series aluminum has less corrosion resistance. 

I'd try a different brand, or perhaps try Carbon Fiber.


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

hey look! custom internal routing holes, but really what the hell does it take to do that?


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

Ventruck said:


> hey look! custom internal routing holes, but really what the hell does it take to do that?


I was wondering the same thing. I thought I had seriously corrosive sweat, but Jeebus... that is some next-level, Ridley Scott Alien perspiration going on there.

With the next set of bars, I would consider doing a first wrap in plastic before putting on bar tape.


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

Opus51569 said:


> With the next set of bars, I would consider doing a first wrap in plastic before putting on bar tape.


You could try something like electrical tape. However, corrosion tends to build up in seams and joints. If your wrap isn't absolutely PERFECT & undamaged, it could make it worse. 

A couple of additional paint layers might help. 

As mentioned, I'd try a different brand. If you can find the specs on the aluminum, then a marine grade might be worth a shot. 

CF bars would also be like plastic, as long as the resin is undamaged. In a couple of weeks, I'll be trying out a cheap E-Bay bar with high expectations.


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## Roland44 (Mar 21, 2013)

sadisticnoob said:


> My 2nd 3T aluminum bar in 3 years has just corroded to the point where there are holes in the bar.
> 
> I ride with no gloves though, so i assume my sweat has ran thru the bars.


Wow, that's the first time I see something like that. Do you sweat acid or something?


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## n2deep (Mar 23, 2014)

Interesting,, Could the root cause be galvanic corrosion? Is there any way possible that you have a stray current running thru the bike? Do you chain it to a light post or do the bars touch a heater and or other electrical component. Its possible to lean the bike against a electrical component and the bike provide a ground path.. 

You see this type of corrosion in boat motors all the time and a small amount of current can speed the process up significantly.


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

CliffordK said:


> I'd try a different brand, or perhaps try Carbon Fiber.


+1

Yup, I'd start shopping around some carbon wrapped aluminum bars.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

You are an ...... ALIEN!
You clean your bike in the ocean after riding??? Seriously, you live near the ocean?
One way to get rid of those pesty wheelsuckers!


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

I've done the same thing to 2 sets of bars, each lasting about 2 to 3 years. I live in florida (hot weather and my door is 40 feet from the ocean), I ride lots (about 9,000 miles year), and almost always in the drops (that's where mine corrode). These factors, plus manufacturers are making thinner bars to save weight for marketing purposes, combine for this result.


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

Were your first bars 3T? What brand did Figon use? 

I realize bike manufactures will play around with alloys to get stronger thinner materials, but most people don't expect major parts failures within a few years.

I'd contact 3T. Perhaps the bars are out of warranty, but if I was a manager of a company, I'd want to know my parts were failing. Unfortunately in today's modern corporate world, it is hard to get through to anybody that really cares.


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

CliffordK said:


> Were your first bars 3T? What brand did Figon use?
> 
> I realize bike manufactures will play around with alloys to get stronger thinner materials, but most people don't expect major parts failures within a few years.


Mine were both Deda, a 215 shallow and a Newton.

Actually, the fine print on most bar's owner's manual says "replace every 12 months". has for years, so they are covered.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

Well the next set, I would...
spray paint with clear coat or something plastic sealing before putting bar tape on.
Make sure you plug the ends so air cannot circulate inside the bars.
Don't clean your bike in the ocean.


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## n2deep (Mar 23, 2014)

Fignon's Barber said:


> I've done the same thing to 2 sets of bars, each lasting about 2 to 3 years. I live in florida (hot weather and my door is 40 feet from the ocean), I ride lots (about 9,000 miles year), and almost always in the drops (that's where mine corrode). These factors, plus manufacturers are making thinner bars to save weight for marketing purposes, combine for this result.


Try sending the bars back to the designer/manufacturer, If it was me I would trade you a new set for the damaged set so I could figure out the failure mechanism.. 

Too strange.. Best of Luck!!


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

I saw a few other threads on handlebar corrosion, with the above being a pretty mild example.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/components-wrenching/handle-bar-corrosion-273239.html
aluminum handlebars fail too

Perhaps some people are more prone to the issue than others. And it may be that some brands are worse than others. Are these all black painted bars? Or, are all "modern" bars black?

It sounds to me that some manufactures are not considering corrosion as an issue, and are choosing alloys only with weight as a consideration and not corrosion.

I did read about replacing bars every few years. I did replace mine only because I wanted a different style of bars. Now I'm wondering.


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## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

I had this happen for 20 years. The bar manufacturer makes no difference, nor does the alloy. I sweat a lot, and it's alien sweat that will corrode anything. I was rinsing my bars off after every ride with hot water to wash out the salt... made zero difference. 2-3 years and the bars were done regardless, always corroding through where the shifters mounted to the bars. I posted here on how I corroded through Campy's "new" alloy shifter mounting bolt in 3 months to the point of failure.

The solution was carbon bars and Ti shifter mounting hardware. Now at the end of the season the Ti shifter mounting bolt is covered in salt, but one rinse and it's like brand new.


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## steelbikerider (Feb 7, 2005)

I live in east TX close to the Gulf coast and have to replace my bars every 3 years. Use white bar tape and replace every 6 weeks or so and that will give you a chance to clean the bars off. Or go carbon but still use white bar tape to remind you that it should be changed fairly often.


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## crit_boy (Aug 6, 2013)

sadisticnoob said:


> My 2nd 3T aluminum bar in 3 years has just corroded to the point where there are holes in the bar.
> 
> I ride with no gloves though, so i assume my sweat has ran thru the bars.


I sweat alot, don't wear gloves, don't change the bar tape often, wash my bike regularly, and was thinking of trying those bars. 

Interesting info. See wife, I have to get carbon bars. . .


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## sadisticnoob (Dec 6, 2009)

I stay in Singapore about 5km from the beach though there is a canal around 100m from my place that brings in sea water whenever there is high tide.

Well this current bar lasted around 9 months or so with 1 bar tape change for its entire lifespan. 

my first bar (3t egronova) lasted longer but i removed it cause the salts started to smell funky though i din see any hole in the bar. This one seem

I wash the bike roughly every month or so simply washing the cockpit area with water and dishwasher/ body soap before rinsing it off.


might wanna get carbon handlebar but its like 2.5x the cost.


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

sadisticnoob said:


> might wanna get carbon handlebar but its like 2.5x the cost.


Carbon handlebar is a lot cheaper than alloy since you won't be changing it every 8 months


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## DHerz (Apr 27, 2014)

No real ground path unless the bike is sitting on the rims and not tires. Sweat buildup over time, coupled with storage in a humid area will cause corrosion like that, though I wouldn't guess the handle bars to be the first place to find it. I find on my bike that the front derailleur tends to corrode due to sweat dripping off of me and my lack of wiping the bike down after every ride.


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## sadisticnoob (Dec 6, 2009)

View attachment 300738


managed to grab a great deal on a used 42cm egronova LTD will report back one year later on the condition of the bar


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

Your photo was lost. Use the advanced editor when attaching photos.

Isn't the TTT Ergonova similar to what you already had with 7005 aluminum?

Why not choose a 6061 aluminum bar which should be a marine grade?

Amazon.com : Control Tech Razor Alloy 6061 Road Bike Handlebar : Controltech : Sports & Outdoors
ITM Alutech 6061 Handlebars Black | Cycling Components
Ritchey Comp Logic Road Bar | Chain Reaction Cycles
New Takeoff Felt Superlite 6061 Handlebar 31 8 Clamp 44cm Width | eBay
Felt Alloy 6061 Drop Bar Cycling Handlebar Black 31 8 Clamp 43cm Road Bike | eBay
New Takeoff Felt Superlite 6061 Womens Fit Handlebar 31 8mm Clamp 38cm Width | eBay

Or, a CF bar. 
These bars are going onto my next bike build. NOTE, THE CURVES ARE DIFFERENT ON THE BARS I RECEIVED THAN WHAT IS IN THE PHOTO.
Glossy Full Carbon Road Bicycle Handlebar Carbon Standard Integrated Handlebar | eBay


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## sadisticnoob (Dec 6, 2009)

sorry, used the wrong html attatchements










did consider alu bars, but some information of it can be vague.

snagged this bar at a great price


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

Ahhh, I see there is an Ergonova alloy, and an Ergonova CF.

Good luck with your new bars. Hopefully they will do well for you.


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## David23 (Jun 5, 2012)

Jwiffle said:


> Carbon handlebar is a lot cheaper than alloy since you won't be changing it every 8 months


Exactly.


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## jakebud (Jan 5, 2006)

Electrical tape, done carefully, works great as a base layer.


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

jakebud said:


> Electrical tape, done carefully, works great as a base layer.


Not a bad idea. One still has to work around the brakes, and if the moisture gets under the tape, it will be trapped there. 

The corrosion only seems to affect certain people, and perhaps certain brands of 7000 series aluminum bars. Coastal environments? 

For those with corrosion problems, then moving to CF (which the OP did) is a wise decision. For everyone else, it really doesn't matter. 

I just took my 30+ yr old aluminum bars off of my bike this year as I wanted to try a different shape of bar, but they are corrosion free, and I'd have no problems with remounting them on another bike to be used for another 30 years use.


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## headloss (Mar 3, 2013)

CliffordK said:


> Not a bad idea. One still has to work around the brakes, and if the moisture gets under the tape, it will be trapped there.


If weight isn't an issue, I imagine that plastidip or liquid electrical tape would solve this problem... even add a little extra cushion under the tape. I'd apply it after the shifter is mounted though to ensure a good clamp.


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## Doug B (Sep 11, 2009)

Buy some new unpainted aluminum bars. Take them to a local plating shop, ask them for a "type 2 anodize finish followed by a chromate finish" on the aluminum. This will dramatically improve the corrosion resistance, add no measurable weight. You could at that point apply a light coat of paint, and it will stick well to the chromate finish. This would nearly completely eliminate any chance of corrosion.


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## bmwjoe (Jul 15, 2012)

Wow that is bad corrosion. Different aluminum alloys have different corrosion properties. That said, instead of blaming the bars, let's look at the tape. The tape could be a big factor. I don't know if you are using self adhesive tape or not. This could have a factor. The material itself will also have an effect. I would make a switch. Another thought would be to wrap the bar 100% with electrical tape before you install the bar tape. This will provide an electrical insulator that would prevent the conditions that cause corrosion.

Ride Safe,

Joe


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