I currently have an aluminum stem and handlebars. Is there much of a performance gain by swapping them for a CF stem and handlebars?

Also - do people actually wrap the CF handlebars in tape?

If you are a professional racer, then you might find a weight advantage. If you are not - stop reading ads before you buy a carbon-house in an area frequented by hurricanes and tornadoes.

Carbon bars and stems are susceptible to breakage much more so than aluminum or steel.

I love my carbon bars, but if you're looking for something that is a huge noticeable difference...you're going to be disappointed (you probably wouldn't even notice a change). You would still need to wrap the bars with tape.

I've heard claims that various carbon parts, including handlebars, will reduce road vibration. No idea if it's really true. But there's no way carbon handlebars provide anything but very marginally reducing the weight of your bike in exchange for a ton of money.

Thanks for the responses. Much obliged.

I admit that the CF handlebars and stems look nice but bang for the buck lies elsewhere.

Maybe I should upgrade the engine instead...

Cheers