Are these bars safe to re-use? Slightly urgent

I bought some cinelli track drops and they are great for going fast in a straight line but pretty shit for everything else. They curve steeply round to the drop leaving me with little top area which i like for braking etc. Long story shot is I want to put my Nitto bullhorns back on but I noticed when inspecting closely that they have buckled slightly around the clamp area.

As they are aluminium I'm unsure as to whether they are safe to re use, I know the photo is crap but does anyone has any experience of nitto bars failing around the clamp area? I'm doing the london to brighton night ride this weekend and I don't want to die :/.

Another is it safe, how study would a coke can shim be taking some 25.4 risers to 26mm in a quill stem?

Should I just man up with the steep track drops?

Sorry for the noob plea for help. Need my bike ok for the morning and this weekend.

Cheers

Having had handlebars snap in half a couple of months ago, resulting in a broken elbow and totally fucked hand, I would err on the side of caution and say don’t use these...

Don't use the buckled bars. It's just not worth it. Wave bye bye to them and pop them in the recycling. Your bones and soft tissue will thank you.

If all you've got are the track drops, use them, but my advice is get the bus/tube/walk tomorrow and pop into a local bike shop on the way to work/college/sex dungeon and purchase some new bars. If it's your main mode of transport then it is an essential purchase and must not be put off. Then you can enjoy shiny new bars on your weekend ride!
As for the shim, it should be just fine.

Having had handlebars snap in half a couple of months ago, resulting in a broken elbow and totally fucked hand, I would err on the side of caution and say don’t use these...

Nasty! I hope you healed up quick, I think I'll give these a miss then :(.

Yeah I wasn't keen on the idea but I just wanted to check I wasn't being a pansy.

I have a new pair of risers but they are 25.4 so would need shimming, will I be ok to do that tonight with a coke can and then try and get to tokyo fixed during the day on saturday to get a 25.4 stem? I live in the middle of nowhere so I'm stuck for options right this minute. How much shim would I need if it is safe to do so?

Nasty! I hope you healed up quick, I think I'll give these a miss then :(.

Thanks - basically healed but terrified of component failure these days!

Learn from my misfortune and don't use bars that are trying to tell you that they want to break! :) And enjoy the night ride.

Thanks - basically healed but terrified of component failure these days!

Learn from my misfortune and don't use bars that are trying to tell you that they want to break! :) And enjoy the night ride.

Thats good, yeah I will. I'm sticking them in the recycling tomorrow to avoid temptation.

Thanks, it should be good if I can get these risers on. It will be hell otherwise haha

What she said.
I had bars snap, followed quickly after by my wrist.

What she said.
I had bars snap, followed quickly after by my wrist.

Yeah I won't be using them, again I hope you healed quick. Anytime off the bike would suck!

Anyone know if a coke can shim would get me to work and back safely tomorrow until I can sort a new stem?

A coke can shim is perfectly safe, and will last for years. In fact it might reduce the likelihood of damage to the bars as in your original picture.

Coke can shims are good, almost indefinitely.

Lot's of Nitto bars require one of these:

I know all mine do. A coke can shim is fine, but rather than paying out for a new stem or bars, just get a good shim. Velo Orange do a great shim too for less cash.

do not shim these

please bin them and forget it

^DJ, the OP has a new pair of bars that need a shim - he's already agreed to bin the bad bars. All safe!

I've been rocking irn-bru shims on many bikes over the years. It works just fine as a permanent solution. Don't buy a new stem, it'd be a waste of your money unless it bothers you that much.
Also, Irn-bru/tizer shims are far superior to crappy coke can ones. Fact.

If it's good enough for Greg, it's good enough for all of us.

Coke can shims are good, almost indefinitely.

I know all mine do. A coke can shim is fine, but rather than paying out for a new stem or bars, just get a good shim. Velo Orange do a great shim too for less cash.

My LBS didn't stock any shims and I won't be able to get one delivered for saturday. I've already got a brand new set of risers so I'm going to stick those on.

do not shim these

please bin them and forget it

I won't be using them don't worry, I wanted to find out if they were safe as I questioned their integrity myself.

How much would I need, one wrap around the bars? they only need to step up .6mm

Try one wrap first - it it's tight, snip a sliver off until you get a snug fit.

It's super easy, it's a process of trial and error to get the fit right.
Drink irn bru, cut up can with scissors, insert, tighten, attempt to wrestle/lean on bars harder than you ever would riding. If it doesn't move you've won.
Don't bother buying a shim, its just the same thing but put in packaging and sold with a massive hipster tax.
I've only ever needed 2/3ish of 1 wrap to do .6mm

It's super easy, it's a process of trial and error to get the fit right.
Drink irn bru, cut up can with scissors, insert, tighten, attempt to wrestle/lean on bars harder than you ever would riding. If it doesn't move you've won.
Don't bother buying a shim, its just the same thing but put in packaging and sold with a massive hipster tax.
I've only ever needed 2/3ish of 1 wrap to do .6mm

Thanks, I'll get on that tomorrow! Rep spreader around for the helpful advice folk!

Friendliest Forum on The Interwebz™ strikes again.

Happy to help, citizen.

Don't just the bin the bars, cut them up so no other unfortunate ends up using them....

Also, don't just bin them, give em to your local scrappy collector, he'll be thankful for them as every little helps with ali.

Don't just the bin the bars, cut them up so no other unfortunate ends up using them....

I'll bend them or something unless I can find some new hacksaw blades.

Also, don't just bin them, give em to your local scrappy collector, he'll be thankful for them as every little helps with ali.

They're going in the metal bin at my uncles yard so should work their way back into the system.

Shimmed the risers with a coke can and they are perfect, the london to brighton quite pleasant last night although devils dyke would have been nicer with the bull horns. Will invest in some more at some point.

cheers for the help

Nasty! I hope you healed up quick, I think I'll give these a miss then :(.

Every knackered component I bin (lots being as I work in a bike shop). I always completely break it before binning it. Save some poor fool digging it out of the bin and thinking its safe to use. Quick hacksaw or overtightened vice clamp will do. Stamping on crashed helmets is ultimately satisfying too.

+1 for recycling though.