[johnnyb]

Just wanting to show all the Mary bar enthusiasts what can happen when you are JRA.

I'm posting this here because of all the rave reviews of the Mary bar and singlespeeding. I have been using the Mary bar much to my enjoyment on my single speed for about six months and transferred it over to my 1X9 because of an ankle sprain for the past few months and it failed by snapping off at the stem on a downhill section, I had just a second to tap the front brake and grabbed a tree limb to keep me from pitching over the edge of a nice singletrack. No scrapes, no pain except in the wallet since I'm going to a new downhill-type bar (31.8mm). Any suggestions for a strong bar?

The stem was torqued to spec, so it probably was due to fatigue from pulling on it when climbing. Only 1,000 miles on it so I'm now suspicious with all the fancy tube bending. The bar is kind of flexy so this is the result. So if you're a big guy and kind of strong and riding with Mary, you better check it! I've got a Titec Jones bar on the SS now and its giving me the hee-be jee-bees now. :eekster:

 

[Speedub.Nate]

That's a bit disturbing, and you're not the first to report this happening.

I installed a Mary on my wife's bike and I really had to work to get it through the stem's single-bolt clamp, leaving a tiny score. It looked like nothing to worry about -- cosmetic only. I'd better re-evaluate.

Did you have a nice walk out?

 

[BThor]

I have to second this experience. I have a mary bar that also failed on the exact same side, in the same place.

Check your bars boys, you don't want the problems that result from the sudden failure. Last summer I had such a failure and just now am I recovering from the head Injury.

 

[johnnyb]

Did you have a nice walk out?

Oh, only about five miles. I'll go with a big fat tube and a little tingly in the palms rather than something a little more unpleasant for sure. :madmax:

 

[abbeytrails]

I had the same thing happen to my Origin8 Spacebar. I believe mine snapped from pulling on climbs too. I'm 6'2 220(ish) so when I was running downhill and hit a bump, that poor bar had no chance of holding me together. Glad I only escaped with bruises as it sounds like others weren't so lucky! I am now riding 31.8 bars for the added strength but would really like to know what the strongest handlebar on the market is as well....

 

[j e SS e]

Yikes!:yikes: I ran Mary's for a couple years and never had any problems with them, even after falling off my roof rack @ 45mph. Though that did score the forward bends pretty badly which has always been a little unnerving. It's starting to look like perhaps the design has a relatively short fatigue life.

I havn't run the Mary for a while now since I've taken to big risers. Azonics are where it's at.:thumbsup:

 

[JMac47]

Good thing there's......

I had just a second to tap the front brake and grabbed a tree limb to keep me from pitching over the edge of a nice singletrack. No scrapes, no pain except in the wallet :eekster:

......plenty of limbs near by on most of the trails anyway, eh? At least it didn't happen while going around WW where there aren't as many?? Glad to hear you're ok and didn't take a tumble jb.

 

[slocaus]

Has anyone with a failed Mary contacted Brant at On-One? I'd think he would want to look at them and attempt to understand the reason for failure. I was impressed with the testing that went into the carbon 29er fork, or I would not be riding it on my Inbred.

 

[johnnyb]

31.8 is my new attitude now. I put my original Ritchey from my first monocog on last night and now I'm ready to roll. I think I'm getting a Azonic or Titec with a new stem this week.

Abbeytrails, I'm same size and weight as you and I've broken plenty of parts in my 20 years of riding. Just another lesson to be learned here for sure. Clydedales unite!

Its interesting to see I'm not alone with this issue. Everybody keep safe out there!

 

[ferday]

ouch!

with 3 sets of marys on the go, this was a scary post to read!

i wish someone made a heavier duty version of the mary....

 

[Mallanaga]

Mary almost sent me to ER!

what a b!tch!! maybe a stronger pimp hand is necessary...

on a side note...
i want a carbon version of the mary... i'll be putting her on my jabber when it finally gets here. carbon would just be sexy. or maybe even just a 31mm version of her. or... a 31mm carbon version of her!! yes...

 

[Jerk_Chicken]

Just exploring an option that the right arm when pulling up on the bar is the dominant one?

 

[Ryan G.]

Ouch sorry to hear almost about a close call at Tamarancho? JB.

I was riding with Slide and another buddy who was rocking the mary bars, and I was looking at the bends of the bars thinking....

 

[gticlay]

When I used to ride tons and tons (at University, lots o' spare time...) I broke handlebars quite often. I was around 250lbs and having done well at some (ok, one) national level race, I could climb (strong!). I'd tend to agree with you that it is the climbing, not the rattling around downhill that breaks them. Then the Scott thermoplastic came out and they were awesome. I only broke about 1 a year instead of 3-4.

The moral of the story is carefully look over your bars every other ride - look for silvery cracks (always run black bars) or 'marks', especially near the stem but I've had them break inside the grips too so you never know where it's going to happen. Check your frame too - they'll typically break right under the downtube or where the top of the top tube meets the headtube. Also chainstays can crack. It is a serious thing when a part fails and not the fault of the manufacturer most of the time.

 

[johnnyb]

Just exploring an option that the right arm when pulling up on the bar is the dominant one?

My pimp hand is the lefty!

 

[johnnyb]

Ouch sorry to hear almost about a close call at Tamarancho? JB.

I was riding with Slide and another buddy who was rocking the mary bars, and I was looking at the bends of the bars thinking....

Hey Ryan,

I was riding home after doing some trail work on Tamrancho. I think I got a few karma points from that to save my sorry ass! Those bars are flexy.

 

[slocaus]

I'm digging the PIG sticker! :thumbsup: edit: KPIG radio for the uninitiated. kick azz schtuff.

At least e-mail the pics to Brant ([email protected]). I'm riding Marys and would like to hear his comments on this.

 

[jgsatl]

maybe a nice cromo bar with similar bends might be the ticket.

 

[abbeytrails]

I have no doubt that my ride style has a lot to do with the bars failure. I know I pull up and push down on bars while riding....I am currently riding 31.8 Easton EA50`s and replace it after each year. If somebody showed me a stronger handlebar, I would gladly pick it up and try it out....

 

[Schmucker]

Thus is the nature of aluminum.