Bent bars

[Dogtrousers]

Just before lockdown I crashed quite heavily after hitting a pothole. My handlebars are a bit bent, with the lower run of the drops on one side pushed in by about 1 or 2 cm. For now the torn bar tape is just cobbled up with insulating tape and the bike is on the turbo for the duration of the current crisis.

I'm wondering whether to straighten them. Would this be introducing fatigue I wonder? I've read about handlebar failures causing crashes, and on an audax I actually saw someone with broken bars (the rider was uninjured but a bit miffed).

Being a cautious chap I think I'll probably replace them, but interested in your thoughts. They are aluminium, btw.

 

[ChrisEyles]

I personally would straighten them and see how they felt for a bit of they were my bars, and be mindful of the fact they may be weakened (fast descents on the hoods maybe and take it easy pulling on the drops for a bit). If you're not pulling hard on then or leaning a lot of weight on them they'll probably be fine.

But I am a stingy sod and hate throwing things away.

If a friend came to me with the question I'd probably recommend replacement - make of that unhelpful answer what you will!

 

[Ajax Bay]

I wouldn't bend them back for the reason you wonder about (I had the same decision to make last year).
However parsimonious one's approach, when heading out for a ride (and particularly as you gather speed down a hill), you want 100% confidence in your bike, its steering, brakes, wheels, and tyres.
I would replace them and you may be able to choose a bar shaped better for your riding style, which may have changed over time . I went for a compact bar with less reach in the drops and less 'drop'. I'm more comfortable in the drops than before and thus more likely to get down onto them - a 'good thing'.

 

[neil_merseyside]

I wouldn't risk them.

 

[12boy]

I've heard bending aluminum isn't a good idea although it's been mostly in connection with dropouts. How to get the bend where you want could be tricky. I've also read about bending forks after filling the with sand to keep the bend even. Unless you enjoy this kind of challenge I too would buy some new bars.

 

[ColinJ]

Replace, but use them on a turbo trainer bike? (That's assuming that you have a dedicated turbo trainer bike, and don't do any turbo sprinting out of the saddle!)

 

[I like Skol]

Bin!

 

[raleighnut]

I'd bin em too.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

There is no danger in using it as is, if you can tolerate the asymmetry. But bending is both dangerous and difficult. The new bend will almost never undo the old one, but bend next to it.
If the bend wasnt caused by a crash, but a natural sag over time, you should immediately stop using it. That's a clear sign of metal fatigue and imminent failure and faceplant.

 

[davidphilips]

Make sure to give the rest of your bike a good check over and be extra careful if its a carbon frame or carbon forks, you may be lucky and just get away with new bars.

 

[Ajax Bay]

be extra careful if its a carbon frame or carbon forks

Come on - this is @Dogtrousers' bike.
I appreciate you are saying this in case others find this thread in future.
Or maybe you are highlighting the perceived fragility of carbon frame/forks?

 

[fossyant]

Bin, safety critical part.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Thanks for your answers all.

But bending is both dangerous and difficult. The new bend will almost never undo the old one, but bend next to it.

Thanks for confirming my suspicion.

you may be able to choose a bar shaped better for your riding style, which may have changed over time . I went for a compact bar with less reach in the drops and less 'drop'.

Interesting thought. They are already quite tightly curled (and hence quite shallow). But there is a world of weird handlbars out there that I could have a go with.

Come on - this is @Dogtrousers' bike.
I appreciate you are saying this in case others find this thread in future.
Or maybe you are highlighting the perceived fragility of carbon frame/forks?

Actually they are carbon forks*. Spa provide their Steel Audax with carbon forks. And yes I am a bit worried about them**. But as I'm turbo only at the moment I'm worrying at my leisure.

* OK OK. It is a carbon fork.
** it

Replace, but use them on a turbo trainer bike? (That's assuming that you have a dedicated turbo trainer bike, and don't do any turbo sprinting out of the saddle!)

No dedicated bike. Just the one bike for road and turbo use. I share the turbo with my wife so there's no point having a dedicated turbo bike as there are very frequent bike swaps and re-calibrations.

This morning I rode up a road in France called the Gorges Daluis on the turbo. I had a "virtual mechanical" half way and had to restart the ride from the bottom. At least with a real mechanical you can re-start from where it happened.