# Help me pick a new handlebar for my commuter



## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

This is my commuter. My 1989 Fisher (not Gary Fisher yet) Paragon. Beautiful steel frame with cool rack braze-ons that I plan to use when I put the original fork with rack braze-ons back on.

I did this project after a trip to Holland a couple years ago and I fell in love with the Dutch commuter philosophy. IF I could have put one of the cool old Batavus step throughs in my suitcase to bring home I would have. But that was not practical and this bike as modified will be a more practical commuter for me, as I go more miles than a true city bike commute.

So, I put on the bar you see during my initial conversion. It got me part of the way there. But I would like to be more upright, and have less weight on my hands, similar to the upright Dutch bikes. The very long top tube and geometry of this old Gary Fisher designed frame requires a bit more rise, and a bit more sweep.

Candidates include:

Nitto B483 City Cycle bar
20 Inches wide, 95 mm rise.
http:Nitto B483 City Cycle bar, (25.4) silver, Handlebars

B603 Promenade Cruiser
19 inches wide, 65 mm rise. 
B603 Promenade Cruiser bar, 25.4 clamp, 2.5 in./65mm rise, 19 in. width, silver, Handlebars

Dutch Bike Co Workcycle bar
full stats unknown until they are open tomorrow
WorkCycle Handle Bar

I want to know how wide that Dutchbike bar is, and compare it to the NItto. I like the look. The City Cycle bar looks more old school American, but may be a practical choice.

Hmm.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

Well, the work cycle bar out of seattle is 23 inches wide and looks to be a good fit. I may try that one. I plan on doing some measurements of where it would put my hands and go from there.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

Do you have a bike co-op nearby? That's where I get all my weird, old bars, for $5 each.

Personally, I know I'm not a fan of the bars that point straight back. Judging from the photos I'd probably prefer the Nitto to the Promenade, although the nitto has a ton of rise (possibly too much).


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

One in Boise. But that is a Benjamin worth of gas back and forth. Soccer season for my daughter is coming up so we may get over there in the next few weeks.

Regarding the bars, I am not sure I want truly straight back either. I liked the Dutch work cycle look, but I want the thing to ride well, and I will be commuting longer than across a small town. Maybe 11 mile rides on bike path. So I want rise to bring me up, but not too, too much, and want sweep, but not halfway back to the saddle to feel bound up for steering.

I found a whole bunch of steel Wald bars to look at too. I am going to do some more measuring before I get something. Any local shop will have to order in, and Amazon will have something to me in two days if I find what I want. I give tons of money to the local shops so I don't worry about a 15 dollar part once in a long while if they don't carry it.

The current bar rises nearly enough but does not sweep quite as far as I want. You can see in the photo that it brings my hands back even with the back side of my steering tube. I would like my hands to be one full position back if that makes sense. I am also going for somewhere in the mid 20 inches wide range. 23 -25 would be ideal. Not like 30 so I feel like I am on a beach cruiser.

This Wald looks maybe ok. Amazon.com: Wald 896 Low-Rise Cruiser Bike Handlebar (26-Inches Wide, Chrome, 3-Inch Rise): Sports & Outdoors

As do these: http://www.amazon.com/Wald-8095/dp/B000BR0TEY

They look near to your Nitto North Road, but not quite as swept back and more angled.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

It gets really complicated. One other thing to keep in mind is that sweepy bars are often angled downward. Bar angle can totally change the feel of the ride, and with my northroad bar and similar Mary bar I aim them at the rear dropouts.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

I was planning on flat, or playing with ever so lightly angled down. But not so much as to completely defeat the rise.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

That's understandable. When you get one though, I would recommend going nuts and angling the bar way down for a ride or two, just to see what it feels like. You can angle it up too.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

Found a pic of the Wald 8095, the one that is kinda like a Nitto North Road but not as swept, installed. See that pic here: 1988 Bridgestone CB-1

Looks like it could do what I am looking for. Raise me some, bring me back a little further than I am, and they are not swept way back parallel to the top tube. Cheap too. I could just order a couple from Amazon, and send back the one I don't want when I get them.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

newfangled said:


> That's understandable. When you get one though, I would recommend going nuts and angling the bar way down for a ride or two, just to see what it feels like. You can angle it up too.


After looking at it some more, and riding some, I have decided to go with keeping the current bar I have, which is not far off one of the Walds I was looking at (the english 3 speed type), and ordered a shorter and taller stem to bring me back and a little more up, and still use the same bar. I think that is all that it will need.

Ordered a new rear rack and am closing in on bags too. And located and pulled out the old fork that I will re-install and ditch the old rock shock, when the stem comes in.










See what did you do to your commuter thread for other details.


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

I must have tired 4 different bars on my pompino until i installed a on one mary bar. I really like.

<img src=https://www.on-one.co.uk/imgs/products/oo/950_constW/HBOOMA-BLK-254_P1.jpg>

On-One Mary Handlebar | On - One


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

Yeah the Marys are pretty cool. This one I have is similar, but will a maybe just a tad less sweep and a little more rise. I am liking that combo. If after moving the bar back a bit with a shorter stem, I want more sweep, I think I will go with the Wald 8095 which is like what I have, but the sweep goes back a bit farther. I think bringing the bar I have back will work though as it is comfortable for me as far as hand positions.


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## Guest (Apr 7, 2014)

Have you thought about Jones Loop http://www.jonesbikes.com/vmchk/Handlebars/View-all-products.html that looks like a pretty good compromise with lots of hand position.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

Forster said:


> Have you thought about Jones Loop http://www.jonesbikes.com/vmchk/Handlebars/View-all-products.html that looks like a pretty good compromise with lots of hand position.


I liked the idea of the Titec H-bar, (jones licensed) but it is gone, and a bit narrow for what I want.

Anyone try the Misfit FME or FuBar?

FME Bar Handlebar - PSYCLESTORE

FU Bar Handlebar - PSYCLESTORE

They look similar (but wider) to that black one above, that I like but wish was an inch or so wider on each side.

I am also thinking the Mary would be cool, but there is very little straight bar to use to mount lights securely.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

I don't have issues mounting lights on the Mary. I guess it depends what you're using - I've got a typical planetbike or 2, and a magic shine knockoff.

With all these sweepy bars though, mounting shifters can be a challenge. I like a bit of a gap between my brake levers and grips (say 1/2" or 3/4") and that usually pushes the shifters onto the bendy part. But luckily I ride 1x, ss or fixed.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

^^^
I don't mind them pretty close, and have not had any issues yet with the current bendy bars I have been experimenting with. The Mary or the Misfits do not appear to be any more bendy, so I think I would be ok. And after reflection, my headlight mount has a piece to re-align to account for curve.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

I remembered I had a good picture of mounting area:



__
https://flic.kr/p/di3vka


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

^^^
That's plenty.


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

I have my light mounted on one side and the portable speaker on the other side of the stem.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

I wish I could find a Mary in stock somewhere to look at in person. The misfits bar looks like it might work will too if I flipped it over. Basically I want something very similar to that black bar you see in the pictures above but in inch or so wider on either side.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

ok, so tell me more about this Mary bar. Also, some more pics of mary's installed would be great if you have them. I am very visual in conceptualizing things. So they are 645mm wide, right? With a sweep of 70mm? Rise of 37mm, so not quite an inch and a half? Hmm. Could work and could be worth trying.


Take a look at the back bar up top. I like that bar pretty well, actually, but want it to be wider, and wanted it a bit closer to me than that long stem allowed. I would install a shorter stem with a little more rise, and put the Mary on. Or so would be my plan. I am thinking that could be a nice set up. Thoughts?


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

Reviving this. Seriously considering trying that Jones loop bar noted above. Given that I commute and plan to do some gravel riding on this bike, I think it will give me some good options. Just it costs twice as much as everything else.


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

If you get a chance to try a North Road-type handlebar, they're well suited to gravel/dirt roads. If you flip them, it makes a pretty aggressive 'riding in the drops' type position. Coupling them with a shortish stem (which they are well suited to) makes both positions viable. As noted in a few of the above posts, bars with extreme sweep tend not to be very well suited towards modern shifters.

I like wrapping them with cork like a regular drop bar, makes them quite comfy.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

wschruba said:


> If you get a chance to try a North Road-type handlebar, they're well suited to gravel/dirt roads. If you flip them, it makes a pretty aggressive 'riding in the drops' type position. Coupling them with a shortish stem (which they are well suited to) makes both positions viable. As noted in a few of the above posts, bars with extreme sweep tend not to be very well suited towards modern shifters.
> 
> I like wrapping them with cork like a regular drop bar, makes them quite comfy.


Modern shifters are not an issue with my old '89 XT thumb levers. But not wanting quite so much sweep. the mountain biker in me wants a bit more width and leverage, even on my "gravel/cross/commuter" bike.

Has anyone actually used those Jones Loop bars? They look like they would be versatile, and at 710 mm maybe wide enough but not too wide, and retain my desired upright position (to preserve my damaged L4/L5 during commuting), and get me out of the early era Gary Fisher/Charlie Kelley cruiser bar.

BTW, the bike now looks like this, with a lowrider style front rack not shown. The racks will come off for gravel rides unless I am touring.


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

Ive been really impressed with the surly open bar. I love the ergonomics and its really comfortable. Things i dont like is its made from steel and lacks a 31.8 clamping area so i have to use a shim.


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## steinercat (Apr 25, 2014)

Soma Clarence maybe?


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## AlexCuse (Nov 27, 2011)

I always love to see this bike 

I have an origin8 "space bar II" I used for a while, gave a pretty nice upright position. Believe they are 660mm wide, fit a 25.4 stem. I ended up switching that bike to a dirt drop setup.










There are some gouges in the finish from forcing them out of a wide quill stem so hardly worth selling/trading but if you want to try em out they're yours for the cost of shipping.


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## GPcruiser (Apr 6, 2015)

I have been riding on my Salsa Cowbell 3 for a month or so and I love it


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

AlexCuse said:


> I always love to see this bike
> 
> I have an origin8 "space bar II" I used for a while, gave a pretty nice upright position. Believe they are 660mm wide, fit a 25.4 stem. I ended up switching that bike to a dirt drop setup.
> 
> ...


Hey Alex, always great to hear from you! You probably recognize those wheels.  I keep thinking I will install some other wheels with smaller diameter commuter tires for my commute, but have not gotten to it. Commuting season is just getting ready to begin as the bike path, which is a nordic ski trail in wintertime, is now clear.

Your pic link is broken. I am interested in seeing the bar you mention. Maybe I would want to try it out for grins!


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

I don't know how I've never posted this in this thread before:

Alternative or "Alt" Mountain Bike Handlebar Round UpOld Glory MTB ? Mountain Biking Made In America

It's a very good list (including the surly and origin8 and on-one mentioned here), although some of them are discontinued now.


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## AlexCuse (Nov 27, 2011)

hmm lets try this









They have a slight rise and generous sweep without bringing the hand position too far back. I'll see if I can dig up the actual set in the next day or two.

Those rims aren't too wide I bet you could run 28's on them no problem. Its very rare indeed that I want to run anything smaller than that, though the roads around me are kinda crap.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

Ok, now it the pic is showing up. Might be worth a try! Let me know if you find it and what you think shipping might be. And, Yes, those wheels roll well, and frankly, the Clements I have on them roll well too. But I have a rear Mavic which is spaced correctly and just need a front, and I could have a second set of wheels with narrower tires so I could fit fenders in if I wanted. My commute is on paved bike path that is just being re-done, and other than the frost heaves that are getting taken out, will be completely smooth. South section of the 12 mile trip is done. the remainder will be fixed this year. 

Was thinking maybe the Gravel King in a 28, or even just the Pasela. Then I can just swap wheels in and out. But for that matter, I could just keep riding the Clement USH on your wheels and would be just fine. Just no fenders if it got rainy. And I would wear out my USH's faster.


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

Found this thread too, that lists a lot of bars.

http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/swept-handlebar-sweep-angle-list-thread-848299.html


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## sunvalleylaw (Jun 21, 2010)

newfangled said:


> I don't know how I've never posted this in this thread before:
> 
> Alternative or "Alt" Mountain Bike Handlebar Round UpOld Glory MTB ? Mountain Biking Made In America
> 
> It's a very good list (including the surly and origin8 and on-one mentioned here), although some of them are discontinued now.


That is a good list. I have seen it before but it is a good reference.


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