# C3 Handlebars



## Saeborne (Jun 11, 2008)

Hi all.

Newb rider here. I crashed on my bike recently. (2007 CAAD 9 Ultimo 3)

I bent up my handlebars pretty good. People have told me that I shouldn't try to bend it back, but instead, I should replace it out right.

Is that true? Can anyone confirm or deny?

If I do need to replacement, I would like to replace it with the same stuff. Where can I buy another Cannondale C3 handlebar?

Thanks in advance.


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## cyclust (Sep 8, 2004)

Absolutely replace them; you should be able to find a set on ebay for a great price. The standard "house brand" bars such as the C3 or "fire" bars are every bit as good as some of the expensive bars from Ritchey, FSA, etc, but can be had for just a few dollars on ebay.


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## PigmyRacer (Oct 3, 2007)

Yes you should replace them, but I wouldn't worry about replacing them with the same thing. For one, they are not sold retail. To say they are "every bit as good as expensive bars" is too vague and too general to be meaningful. If you are looking for lighter or more comfortable bars you can definitely do better. They are heavy and I personally find them uncomfortable and if I needed to replace one I might upgrade to a lighter Al bar or at least buy a similar bar that I find more comfortable. Either way, don't wed yourself for replacing the Cannondale bar unless you actually like it.


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## cyclust (Sep 8, 2004)

You are probably right, my comment about being "just as good" may be overyly optimistic, but the fact is, many riders will upgrade their stock stem and bars to the tune of a few hundered dollars, and end up saving 20 or 30 grams. The stock bars that came on my 06' 6-13 were Cannondale Fire bars, and the weight is 255 grams. The stem, also a Fire, was around 150 grams. The fit and finish of both of these is excellent also. Both of these units are very competitive with almost anything on the market, to see any sigificant improvement would cost serious cash, money that could be put to much better use as in better wheels, saddles, etc. And since so many riders feel the need to "bling" their bikes with carbon handlebars these days, they often put up perfectly good, and often brand new bars such as the Fire bars on ebay, where they often bring $10- $20. In my opinion, carbon handlebars are best at lightening wallets, not bikes. They don't offer any ride advantage, minimal weight savings, just a little bling factor.


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## Saeborne (Jun 11, 2008)

Thanks for the replies, all. I did a bunch of ebay / craigslist / google searches, but couldn't find a cannondale branded replacement. I called cannondale, but they wouldn't sell to me directly.

Following your advice, I went down to the local bike shop, the one that is a cannondale distributor. I figured there was a slim chance that they could order one for me.

But actually, it turned out better than I could have hoped. Turns out, a few weeks ago, someone bought a cannondale road bike. That person wanted a flat bar, and had the store swap out the handlebars on day one. So they happen to have the exact same bars just sitting in the back!

Mine for $30! Thanks for the advice all.

Sae


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