# Carbon Fiber Seat Post or Handlebars make a difference???



## jakerson (Jun 15, 2004)

I was looking at some different things. I was wondering - does a carbon fiber seatpost or carbon fiber handlebar make any difference in ride quality? 

I'm not looking at them from a weight-weenie standpoint... just ride quality.


----------



## gogogomoveit (Nov 20, 2003)

jakerson said:


> I was looking at some different things. I was wondering - does a carbon fiber seatpost make any difference in ride quality?
> 
> I'm not looking at them from a weight-weenie standpoint... just ride quality.


Handlebars- maybe. I havent tried any of them

Seatpost- No.


----------



## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

- handlebar: here's the difference, they break if you overtighten.

- seatpost: theory, common sense and advice wants that it makes no difference. But imagination or not, I believe my current carbon seatpost is more comfortable than a Thomson Al, both having no setback.

Pierre




jakerson said:


> I was looking at some different things. I was wondering - does a carbon fiber seatpost or carbon fiber handlebar make any difference in ride quality?
> 
> I'm not looking at them from a weight-weenie standpoint... just ride quality.


----------



## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

*In my opinion...*

No. I use a Easton seatpost and really can't say that it reduces road buzz. Was using aluminum before. I doubt that 4 or 5 inches of exposed carbon above the seat clamp could make a difference and I'm pretty sure my rear end argrees.

As for bars, haven't tried them but most of my friends who work at shops are pretty leary of them. The previous poster is correct, they do break if you over tighten them. The also break if you use the correct torque on the bolts. I've never seen an aluminum bar fail. I ride the Cinelli Solida Mag, it's their standard Solida bar with a 6 inch wrap of carbon in the center to bulge it out to 31.8. Does the carbon make a difference? Probably in stiffness but not in dampening.


----------



## Sintesi (Nov 13, 2001)

jakerson said:


> I was looking at some different things. I was wondering - does a carbon fiber seatpost or carbon fiber handlebar make any difference in ride quality?
> 
> I'm not looking at them from a weight-weenie standpoint... just ride quality.



The seatpost does make a difference in my opinion. I have a USE alien carbon post that I've been riding for the last 3 years and recently had a problem with the saddle adjustment mechanism. So I switched back temporarily to my old aluminum Ultegra post for a a few days. Now, I've been saying to everyone up unto this point that I really couldn't feel a difference between the two seatposts but now after I went back to the Ultegra post I can say definitely the carbon post feels softer on the backside. 

As I've grown older comfort has increasingly become an issue for me and I now think carbon posts have an edge in this department.


----------



## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

*Sintesi*

Thanks for the post. I'll try throwing on my old campy on as an experiment.


----------



## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

*Post no, bars yes*

I had a bike and switched aluminium (Dura Ace) and carbon (Look) posts and never felt any difference. I can see a carbon rear triangle making a difference because of its length, but a post is too short to make any difference IMO. They do look cool and are light though.

My wife gave me a set of Easton carbon bars for Christmas in 2002. I put them on one of my bikes and noticed a big difference over the TTT Prima 199 bars I had. They are much stiffer and they do feel smoother on my hands. I really like the shape of them too. Instead of a gradual bend, it has two sharp bends to the hood area that create a flat place to hold onto which I find to be really comfortable. I bought another pair soon after for my other bike. 

People who give you the impression that these bars will crack easily when you install them are the same people who laughed at carbon bikes 10-15 years ago. They're ignorant. I caught all kinds of sh!t 12 years ago when I bought a carbon bike (Kestrel 200 Sci). Now everyone rides them. Get the bars and install them. You don't need a torque wrench. They're just as tough as any other bar.


----------



## Flyingsquid (Feb 15, 2004)

I absolutely love my Cinelli Ram's . One of my bikes (the Trek) still has Bontrager bars & I can always tell a difference when I ride that. To be honest, I think it is mostly the shape of the bars & not the carbon . I also don't tape the tops of the Cinelli's and I have really grown to like that feeling of not having bar-tape when you are riding on the hoods. They also just seem more comfortable from a temperature standpoint. They don't get overly cold when the weather turns. The carbon seatpost also seems just a bit smoother ride, but can't guarantee that's not just in my head....


----------



## Tig (Feb 9, 2004)

*Compact frame, yes*

With a standard frame with less than 5 inches of seat post showing, a carbon post wouldn't likely make much difference in ride comfort. With more post exposed on a compact frame a _slight_ difference in vibration dampening can be noticed. 

More importantly, the diameter of the carbon seat post makes even more difference. I forgot who it was here a few years ago that used a small diameter seat post with a shim. They tested it versus a thicker carbon seat post that didn't need a shim, and the differences were noticeable. I think what they felt was more flex instead of just increased vibration dampening. 

I've read test results on carbon versus aluminum bars. The carbon was actually _stiffer_, but transmitted less vibration to the hands. I use the new Cinelli gel bar tape, and it feels absolutely wonderful. It is only slightly thicker than their cork tape, and the "gel" isn't a liquid. Liquid gel bar tapes have been known to leak and make a nasty mess. Some people like double wrapped tape, but I don't like the oversized diameter. You have to really know how to stretch the second layer over the first without tearing the tape.


----------



## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

Only difference I've detected is in my credit card balance.

CF Bars I've tried - Kestrel EMS SL
CF Posts I've tried - Record, Deda Blackstick Mag, Vitus, USE Alien

They look cool though.


----------



## c_dale (Feb 1, 2004)

Take all the above comments for opinions, not fact-- and this certainly applies to me. What I can offer, though, is my experience. 

I have a CAAD3 Cannondale frame that can be a little, errr, jarring on less than ideal roads. I had an aluminum seat post on it a couple of years ago and picked up a carbon Easton seatpost on eBay for really cheap. I could immediately notice the difference. Some of that, sure, was a placebo effect. But I also think some of it is due to your frame material/design as well as how much "feedback" you're getting from your current seatpost. In my example, I also had a beefy aluminum seatpost that was passing along a lot more vibration/shocks than a lightweight (and arguably less rigid) one probably would have. Combine that post with a really stiff frame and you have a lot of room for improvement. I've been on the Easton post for probably 2+ yrs and it's still going strong. When I decide to replace I'm getting another carbon post.

I recently got Easton carbon bars too. I had lightweight aluminum ones on before and I like the carbon a lot better, primarily because they are much stiffer. I was careful installing them and don't have any reason to expect that they are more suspectible to failure than lightweight aluminum ones.

I would just suggest thinking about what you currently have and whether the potential (marginal) improvements make carbon worth it. Most would say "no" and that's probably right for them. I've been happy with my carbon so far and as long as I perceive it worth the extra cash, probably will continue to use it. As usual, this is highly subjective.


----------



## Sintesi (Nov 13, 2001)

Fogdweller said:


> Thanks for the post. I'll try throwing on my old campy on as an experiment.


It's subtle but it's there. I was in full agreement with you until a few weeks ago regarding carbon seatposts. 

But, as you know, it's always subjective. Maybe my backside has grown more sensitive but I did feel the carbon was more comforatable.


----------



## jakerson (Jun 15, 2004)

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input.


----------



## marron (Nov 25, 2002)

*Carbon characteristics*

Carbon seatposts can be anywhere from stiff (Look) to very flexy (Easton). I've used these two as well as the Supergo house brand Weyless carbon post. Of the three the Weyless has been the best for me.  It does soften the ride of my steel Gunnar slightly while saving a bit of weight. The Easton carbon posts are way to soft for my taste; I can feel the saddle actively flexing as I ride and I only weigh 159#. I think this has more to do with the severly catilevered head design than the carbon shaft. In any event, I still think the best seatposts of all time are the mid '90s campy alloy posts; Their reliable, light and easy to adjust.


----------



## Cool Roadie nom de Plume (Apr 8, 2004)

*post yes, bar dunno*

Even on Ti I noticed a reduction in Buzz when swapping out a cheapy Al mountain bike post for an Easton CF post.


----------



## Phippy (Jun 1, 2004)

I went from a Deda blackstick to a Thomson Masterpiece and haven't noticed a difference, but, I swapped out my deda newton bar for a Kestrel EMS Pro Sl and have noticed less road vibration and chatter.

Using a four bolt Deda Einstein stem and holds my Pro Sl very securely, bar feels very stiff has well. I'm 172lbs.


----------



## JRF (Aug 24, 2002)

*The best thing I ever did..*

I purchased a set of FSA kwings, they made a huge difference!! No problems with breaking or over tightening, just use common sense. I also purchased a bontrager carbon seat post. the combo of these items made my klein ride sweet. I do a lot of long distance stuff these changes have made the ride super comfy.

The ride on my Klien Quantum went from what I would COMPARE TO ROLLER SKATES WITH STEEL WHEELS TO SKATES WITH POLY WHEELS, VIBRATION IS GONE!!
I don't think you would be disappointed.


----------



## vl1016 (May 8, 2004)

I have the Easton EC90 handlebars, and I like them. I got them for my b-day with the idea that thye would lessen some of my arthiritic pain in my hands. I noticed the difference the first ride. Stiffer than my previous bars, helped with my hill climbing, and definitely transmits less vibration. Retrospectively, i probably wouldn't pay as much as I did for them, and I'm not crazy about the flat bend, but overall I do like them and they do reduce my hand fatigue.


----------



## travis200 (Oct 29, 2002)

The seatpost was more of a bling bling item can't feel a difference on a compact maybe more so.
The handle bars were a great investment I am running the EC90's and love the feel more than any other aluminum bar I have used. A wise buy IMO.


----------



## capt pearl (Aug 15, 2003)

*same question different*



jakerson said:


> I was looking at some different things. I was wondering - does a carbon fiber seatpost or carbon fiber handlebar make any difference in ride quality?
> 
> I'm not looking at them from a weight-weenie standpoint... just ride quality.


I'm curious about a carbon fork and a carbon rear triangle or seatpost for my next frame for the exact same reason - comfort. I'm not a weight weenie especially and nothing that I'm looking at is very heavy.

thanks,

-capt p


----------

