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• #2
This is somewhat anecdotal, but I ran on a pair of rusted up bars (surface rust) that I picked up from a recycling center for a quid - then cut down to size - for months without any problems.
They're off the bike now, but when I removed them they showed no cracking or additional flex in them, confident they'd be fine for many more miles.
Edit: They were steel bars.
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• #3
steel yes, alu, no
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• #4
Apart from 2 bikes I think almost all my handlebars are more than 15 years old, steel or alloy. I've ridden 1960s bikes with their original aluminium parts for years.
If you're riding it rather than doing jumps on it you should be fine.
Is there any need to worry about old handlebars failing, even if there's nothing outwardly wrong with them? Not sure whether I should treat them as having a best-before date.
My brother gave me his aluminium alloy ones and they're the right diameter to allow me to put a quill stem back on my bike, but I think they are around 15 years old.
Thanks for any advice.