Photo by Annalisa Fish

In Part 1, we went through the foundational considerations for identifying the fit of the Route Werks System to your bike. Today, we will go a little deeper and discuss how a specific material used in many modern handlebars - carbon fiber - can affect your ability to use our System.

How it started

As we prepared to launch our Handlebar Bag and brand way back in 2020, we did a lot of research on carbon fiber bars. Most of us on the team had ridden a bike with carbon bars at one point and knew of the hype that comes with this light but strong material. As we worked to determine the testing and safety protocol for our Bike Mount, we knew that rotation of this part handlebars was a key testing point. We also knew that if rotation occurred on a carbon handlebar, it had a high likelihood of damaging the bar enough to create a failure point. Not what we want happening to anyone using our product. 

As we continued to test, we also started reaching out to handlebar manufacturers to see if there was any further insight they could share and if they would give us a stamp of approval for use of our System on their carbon fiber handlebars. After a few months, the unanimous feedback we had received from handlebar brands around the globe was - NO, do not use this on our carbon fiber handlebars. So, as we kicked things off, we erred on the side of caution and gave our product the “not recommended for use with carbon fiber handlebars” warning. 

Where we are now

Now, we’re a curious bunch. And so were riders using our System. Through some of our own trial and error, riders telling us about what handlebars they were using, and continued outreach to handlebar brands, we continued to learn. On the surface, we knew that shapes and construction methods were significant factors in how a carbon fiber handlebar performed and failed.

After talking with one brand, we learned that some carbon fiber handlebars designed to allow clip-on aero-bars, the forward-pointing armrests commonly used by time trialists and triathletes to get into that aerodynamic position, have an aluminum sleeve under the carbon fiber in the area surrounding the stem. This allows for the handlebar to take on these higher loads and clamping forces without damaging the integrity of the carbon fiber and leading to failure. It was a huge moment. 

Armed with this new information, we once again set out, examining handlebars on the market and contacting brands. As we continued these conversations, a new piece came out. While we had done most to four research on drop-bar models, we had a few inquiries about flat-bar or mountain bike handlebars. We figured, these are going on bikes that arguably see a lot more abuse, there probably won’t be an issue. We couldn’t have been more wrong. If the “no’s” we got about usage on drop bars was at a 10 (on a 1-10 scale), then the “no” for MTB usage was a 15. While more robust, because of the forces they can experience, small, sometimes unseen damage can cause a failure in what is likely more rough terrain, resulting in serious injury. 

So, no usage of the Route Werks System on carbon fiber flat bars, period,  is where we have landed. 

Approved brands & models

This brings us to what we have learned will work with our System and has been approved by the brand making the handlebars. While it isn’t a huge list, we’re slowly adding to it as we have the appropriate conversations. Here is what we have so far. 

ENVE Compact Road Handlebar

ENVE Gravel Handlebar

Shimano/ PRO - too many models to list. See the PDF below.

Specialty handlebars

Carbon fiber isn’t the only factor making a handlebar unique. Their profile shape, the bend(s) they make, or the specific use they’re built for can impact how the Route Werks System connects. Below are some common questions about some of the specialty handlebars out there. 

Aero-shaped Drop Bars

We're big fans of these innovative handlebar designs—they look amazing and shave those precious grams while bringing characteristics not found in traditional, round bars. Their wing-shaped profiles and claims of creating an advantage that allows you to go faster are aesthetically beautiful. 

The trick here lies in how much of the round part of the handlebar (in the center) is available for the Bike Mount to attach. (Check out the Stem Head Width/ Spacing section in Part 1 of this series for more details)  On some of these bars, you might see the wing shape happen immediately after the stem head (won’t work) or there might be 30mm on either side of the stem head (will work). 

Many have asked, “why don’t you make a Bike Mount that can mold to the irregular shape of these handlebars?” The big reason is that these shapes, especially in carbon fiber, cannot take clamping forces. It crushes their structure and results in failure. Add to that the rated capacity of our Bags; it’s just a recipe for disaster.

Integrated Stem / Bar

If the aero-shaped bars described above are beautiful, these merged stem and handlebar combos are works of art. They’re so nice. The problem here is much like the aero-drop bars; they’re designed to go fast, can’t take clamping forces, and each size and model has a unique profile.  It’s simply a no-go. 

Brompton

This brand of folding bikes is a leader in the folding bike market. On most folding bikes, there is a quick-release lever where the stem joins the handlebar. This directly interferes with our Bike Mount and clamp on our Bags. For most Brompton models, this is not an issue. What does come into play for Brompton is what type of handlebar your bike is equipped with. Brompton has 3 main models of handlebar - L (Low), M (Mid) or H (High). If your Brompton is equipped with an L handlebar, you can use our 31.8mm Bike Mount with our 25.4mm Bike Mount Adaptor. One note here, when your bike is in the folded position, our Bike Mount contacts the fork. A small shift of the Bike Mount to the right will avoid this interference. Your Bag will be slightly off-set when in use but it is minor. 

The M or H handlebar possesses some characteristics that present challenges. First is the 22.2mm diameter of the bar where our Bike Mount would attach. Secondly, the bar goes through a bend almost immediately after the stem clamps to the handlebar. This results in an irregular surface, making the clamp strength of our bike mount questionable. For now, we don’t have an approved solution that passes all of our tests, but we’re getting close. More to come. 

Final Thoughts

In general, aluminum, steel, or titanium handlebars, because of their material properties are safe to use with our System without many of the concerns raised above. Carbon fiber, while an incredible material, has some limitations. We want anyone using our products to be safe and will always err on the side of doing our best to keep everyone riding and enjoying their bike. 

There are so many handlebar shapes and sizes out there. We spend a lot of time looking at what handlebars are out there, seeing what people are riding with and where we can make a reasonable case to create new Bike Mounts. So, keep letting us know if you have a handlebar we don’t currently fit. We won’t promise to make it but we are listening. 

If you still have questions or concerns about your setup, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at info@routewerks.us. 

Next week, we’ll wrap up the Fit Series as we cover clearance, suspension forks and provide a look forward at what we’re doing to grow our System. 

Until then, 

Happy Riding!

*Some fine print: Any use of the  Route Werks System [Bike Mount (all sizes), Handlebar Bag, Big Handlebar Bag and/or Out Front Mount] on carbon fiber handlebars outside of the parameters outlined above is done at the user's risk. Route Werks is not responsible for any property damage, injury or death caused by such use. Stay safe.