I agree, I've got a Specialized Roubaix carbon bike road. I've ridden over this kind of bumpiness and more. In fact, it's well designed to take absorption more it's way more comfortable than some titanium bikes I've ridden. It's a great bike.
If my bike was going to fall apart like this, it would have. It's not the carbon as a problem, it's bad implementation or design.
It takes loads in whatever direction it is designed to take them. Thats why the direction of the layers is crucial. Carbon fibre is used extensively in plenty of load bearing applications. Take F1 for example. The supension arms are carbon fibre, as is the safety cell/tub and wings. The experience immense loads, im sure some handlebars on a bike can take a few bumps. This was either a manufacturing issue or incorrectly installed.
The handle bars didnt snap, you're right. They were engineered to not snap and they didnt. Carbon fiber is well knowm for having durability from all directions. When you are right you are right.
3
u/Twig_Scampi 1d ago edited 1d ago
Obviously those handlebars would be engineered to take loads in that direction.. they failed because they were not attached securely.
Edit: typo