Handlebars

[hoser]

I am considering fabricating my own handlebars using copper pipe. Anyone have any experience or thoughts on this?

 

[Joaquin Suave]

Copper tubing is not strong enough! Not only will it be costly mistake, it has the potential to be dangerous!

If you have some unique design...I STRONGLY encourage you to go to a fabricator that has experience with bending, rolling, & TIG Welding Chromoly tubing.

The potential for catastrophic (life ending) failure makes control components like bars, stems and forks not things to be taken casually

 

[skrew37]

Take off hoser, don't be a knob, eh? (sorry Strange Brew reference) Anyway...unless you were able to line them with a smaller diameter steel pipe, it might not be a good idea. I think a highly polished set of copper handlebars would look sweet though. OR, you could mix up a large batch or JB weld and fill them with that. That would be heavy and probably cost as much as a solid copper bar. Maybe copper spray paint and a few coats of clearcoat?

 

[Wheres my dog]

I am considering fabricating my own handlebars using copper pipe. Anyone have any experience or thoughts on this?

I would go with the copper spray paint...

Those copper handlebars are not strong enough and one good bump or pothole with your weight on those bars will snap one end of right at the stem!

Safety first!!!

 

[hoser]

Thanks for the info. I didn't think it would work too well but ya never know. Had to find out. Better to ask questions than make mistakes.

 

[DougC]

What you want for handlebars is 4130 steel (cro-mo) structural tubing, in .063" or .080" wall thickness. This alloy is easy to braze and weld with all methods, you can bend it with an electrical conduit bender and it also doesn't lose stiffness from cold-bending as long as you don't kink the tube.

You could probably use mild steel structural tube but you want it at least .080" wall thickness.

Others may have used them, but I would not recommend copper pipe, electrical conduit, black iron pipe or any kind of aluminum.

 

[hammer5312]

My folks used copper pipe for a handrail in their house.....however it is 2-2.5 inch diameter and support in several locations....

 

[RedBaronX]

if you want something that looks more like actual copper than just painted steel or chro/mo tubing, you could try using copper foil--- find foil kits at craft stores or online. You're basically gluing micro-thin layers of copper to the surface and then use a heavy duty clear coat.

As I was thinking out what graphic I wanted on my tank, I toyed with copper foil for part of it, but I decided against it because I wanted to go more simple.

 

[gothicguy64]

just my two cents worth ....

im a sheetmetal tradie

have u thought of copper electro plating

use sum steel then get it electro plated in copper



brad
sydney