{"id":139529,"date":"2016-09-06T04:55:27","date_gmt":"2016-09-06T02:55:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/?p=139529"},"modified":"2016-09-07T16:52:17","modified_gmt":"2016-09-07T14:52:17","slug":"renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/","title":{"rendered":"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison"},"content":{"rendered":"

[ad3]<\/p>\n

Renthal finally entered the 35mm clamp handlebar market recently with both the\u00a0aluminum Fatbar and carbon Fatbar in 10,20,30 and 40mm rises. The 35mm clamp standard has been around for a few years\u00a0and\u00a0we’ve tested a variety of different bars over time, so it was an important moment when Renthal\u00a0broadened\u00a0their lineup with\u00a035mm offerings. \u00a0With Renthal’s reputation for quality and excellence, we were excited to finally to try the different materials back to back at our Punta Ala Test Center in this larger clamp width hoping to find some conclusions on what the real world experiences are with these materials.<\/p>\n

\"combo2\"<\/a>
Carbon 800mm width 35mm clamp bars mounted on the same bike.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Renthal had a simple aim:-
\n
\n“We wanted the characteristics of the 35mm clamp size to be comparable to our current 31.8mm equivalent bars.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Specifications<\/h2>\n

On paper its clear that both bars are identical when it comes to features, shape and measurements. The carbon bar weighs in at 80 grams less than the aluminum but it will set you back almost twice as much money as well.<\/p>\n

\"Screen<\/a>
Our tested specifications.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Carbon<\/strong><\/p>\n

UD Carbon Construction – Placement of the fibres maximises strength.
\nRide Tuned – Incredible control and comfort.
\nClamping Section – Abrasive surface finish for torsional security.
\nDH Race Ready – Geometry perfect for DH racing.
\nUltra Durable – Impact strength tested.
\nSet-up Markings – Line it up perfectly.
\nPrice – \u20ac165<\/p>\n

Aluminium<\/strong><\/p>\n

7 Series Aluminium – ultimate in strength and durability.
\nShot Peened – This process vastly increases the fatigue life and durability.
\nPositioning Grid – Line it up perfectly.
\nHard Anodised – Resists wearing.
\nGraphics – Oven cured and permanent.
\nPrice – \u20ac84,90<\/p>\n

Methodology<\/h2>\n

It was a simple test, take our Transition Patrol Carbon, grab a pickup, choose a trail (Quercia Numerata is an Enduro Race trail), shuttle\/ride it a number of times, switch bars: repeat.<\/p>\n

\"comb1jpeg\"<\/a>
The bar, the shuttle, the trail ridge line in perfect conditions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We set our bars up each time exactly the same way with all components lined up the same as previously.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_7300\"<\/a>
Mounting the aluminum bar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On The Trail<\/h2>\n

The fact that we chose to make our test as repeatable as possible was a good thing, Renthal have a reputation of producing some of the best bars out there, so we needed to make sure we\u00a0left\u00a0the handlebar as the main focus. We rode similar lines at similar speeds on a trail we know well. We pushed hard into corners, chose rocky lines and crashed a few times. Our aim was to know as much as we could about how the bars felt.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_7296\"<\/a><\/p>\n

These were our observations :<\/p>\n

Carbon:<\/span>\u00a0Compliant in all trail conditions, a quiet ride. Steering felt positive and immediate. A smooth ride feel on the hands.
\nAluminum:<\/span> More direct on the flat sections. There are more oscillations\u00a0in the bar. By the end of the trail runs, our hands were slightly more tired with aluminum bar.\u00a0 We noted that rocky trails produced more fatigue mainly due to the need to grip the bar harder we noticed we had added feedback and a bit less damping.<\/p>\n

Our initial\u00a0observations after the first runs started to become clearer. Renthal have equalized performance between the two materials fairly closely, although we can feel a difference with the carbon bar; it’s just easier on the hands. \u00a0The weight advantage with the carbon bar, although not noticeable straight away, is a factor\u00a0if you are trying to build a super light bike.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_6134\"<\/a>
We tried to keep our trail lines precise and repeatable.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

After our first runs we would say that the Carbon 35mm clamp Fatbar has a slightly softer feeling. In all of our runs we preferred the carbon bar, however it is more expensive. \u00a0If price is a concern then aluminum will serve you very well. The\u00a0 technical gains of carbon will be marginal if other components in the group set don’t match the build of the bike.<\/p>\n

The best part about a Renthal bar is its geometry. \u00a0The rise\/sweep combination is just right for the mass majority of riders. It’s very rare that someone jumps on a bike with a Renthal bar and doesn’t feel comfortable right away.<\/p>\n

The carbon bar gave a very precise ride, by using carbon some of the perceived disadvantages of the 35mm standard can be mitigated by being able to maintain the right amount of stiffness\/flex in the bar.<\/p>\n

The aluminum bar\u00a0 was not a second-rate product in anyway. We actually found ourselves riding differently with it, in some instances being more aggressive as we gripped the bar more firmly in tougher trail sections, the result was a little bit of extra speed. There was no doubt the aluminum bar\/carbon bar debate is not completely clear cut.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_7302\"<\/a>
The tools of our test…all the ingredients for a good time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trying to boil down our experiences was hard so we came up with these clear ideas :<\/p>\n

If you want precise control and reliability at a competitive price, go aluminum. If you need a bit more comfort and you are worried about bike weight and\/or want a\u00a0lighter weight steering experience then a carbon bar should be on your shopping list.<\/p>\n

If price\/performance is what’s important for you, aluminum would be a solid option. If you are not sure if you need a 35mm bar clamp, then that is another article…but be clear that Renthal have made a complete line up of bars that standout and offer a level of\u00a0quality that won’t leave anyone disappointed.<\/p>\n

Test Center @ Punta Ala Trail Center<\/a>
\nRenthal<\/a><\/p>\n

[ad12]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[ad3] Renthal finally entered the 35mm clamp handlebar market recently with both the\u00a0aluminum Fatbar and carbon Fatbar in 10,20,30 and 40mm rises. The 35mm clamp standard has been around for a few years\u00a0and\u00a0we’ve tested a variety of different bars over time, so it was an important moment when Renthal\u00a0broadened\u00a0their lineup with\u00a035mm offerings. \u00a0With Renthal’s reputation for quality and excellence, we were excited to finally to try the different materials back to back at our Punta Ala Test Center in this larger clamp width hoping to find some conclusions on what the real world experiences are with these materials. Renthal had<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172966,"featured_media":139531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3683,3677],"tags":[6444,2209,140],"yoast_head":"\nRenthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison | MTB-MAG.COM<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[ad3] Renthal finally entered the 35mm clamp handlebar market recently with both the\u00a0aluminum Fatbar and carbon Fatbar in 10,20,30 and 40mm rises. The 35mm clamp standard has been around for a few years\u00a0and\u00a0we’ve tested a variety of different bars over time, so it was an important moment when Renthal\u00a0broadened\u00a0their lineup with\u00a035mm offerings. \u00a0With Renthal’s reputation for quality and excellence, we were excited to finally to try the different materials back to back at our Punta Ala Test Center in this larger clamp width hoping to find some conclusions on what the real world experiences are with these materials. Renthal had\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MTB-MAG.COM\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mtbmagcom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-09-06T02:55:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-09-07T14:52:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/IMG_6134.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1067\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alex Boyce\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@mtbmagcom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@mtbmagcom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alex Boyce\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Alex Boyce\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8183276a5f7fc78c6fdac23c88e83c64\"},\"headline\":\"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-09-06T02:55:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-09-07T14:52:17+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/\"},\"wordCount\":981,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"bars\",\"carbon\",\"renthal\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Cover\",\"Reviews\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/\",\"name\":\"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison | MTB-MAG.COM\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-09-06T02:55:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-09-07T14:52:17+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/\",\"name\":\"MTB Mag\",\"description\":\"Mountain Bike Magazine\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MTB Mag\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mtbmag\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCMFGf3qU0pdIpSx9VaV7qOw\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mtbmagcom\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mtbmagcom\"],\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/MTBMAG-800X800.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/MTBMAG-800X800.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"MTB Mag\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8183276a5f7fc78c6fdac23c88e83c64\",\"name\":\"Alex Boyce\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/author\/alex-boyce\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison | MTB-MAG.COM","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison","og_description":"[ad3] Renthal finally entered the 35mm clamp handlebar market recently with both the\u00a0aluminum Fatbar and carbon Fatbar in 10,20,30 and 40mm rises. The 35mm clamp standard has been around for a few years\u00a0and\u00a0we’ve tested a variety of different bars over time, so it was an important moment when Renthal\u00a0broadened\u00a0their lineup with\u00a035mm offerings. \u00a0With Renthal’s reputation for quality and excellence, we were excited to finally to try the different materials back to back at our Punta Ala Test Center in this larger clamp width hoping to find some conclusions on what the real world experiences are with these materials. Renthal had","og_url":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/","og_site_name":"MTB-MAG.COM","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mtbmagcom","article_published_time":"2016-09-06T02:55:27+00:00","article_modified_time":"2016-09-07T14:52:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":1067,"url":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/IMG_6134.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Alex Boyce","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@mtbmagcom","twitter_site":"@mtbmagcom","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alex Boyce","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/"},"author":{"name":"Alex Boyce","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8183276a5f7fc78c6fdac23c88e83c64"},"headline":"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison","datePublished":"2016-09-06T02:55:27+00:00","dateModified":"2016-09-07T14:52:17+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/"},"wordCount":981,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#organization"},"keywords":["bars","carbon","renthal"],"articleSection":["Cover","Reviews"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/","name":"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison | MTB-MAG.COM","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2016-09-06T02:55:27+00:00","dateModified":"2016-09-07T14:52:17+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/renthal-carbon-vs-alu-35mm-bar-comparison\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Renthal Carbon Vs Alu 35mm Bar Comparison"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/","name":"MTB Mag","description":"Mountain Bike Magazine","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#organization","name":"MTB Mag","url":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mtbmag\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCMFGf3qU0pdIpSx9VaV7qOw","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mtbmagcom","https:\/\/twitter.com\/mtbmagcom"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/MTBMAG-800X800.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/MTBMAG-800X800.jpg","width":800,"height":800,"caption":"MTB Mag"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8183276a5f7fc78c6fdac23c88e83c64","name":"Alex Boyce","url":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/author\/alex-boyce\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139529"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172966"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139529\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtb-mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}