# SR Sakae Power Bulge Ti Handlebar



## bikerboy (Jan 13, 2004)

I haven't seen one of these before. It came from a recent thrift store find (a trashed Trek 950). I figured between the 7/8 speed XT thumbies and this handlebar, I got my $20 worth out of the bike even though the frame was broken. (not to mention all of the LX components, wheels, and other stuff which is perfect for a using on random stuff I am fixing.

Anybody have any info on these? I found it listed from 1992 in the Mombat timeline, but can't find anything else in English on the "inter-web." This thing measures only 518 mm wide, but it looks like it is uncut given the notice even finish on each end of the bar.

If I were an urban hipster with skinny jeans, I'd slap this on my ugly fixie with a set of green Oury grips.


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## singletracktourist (Jul 27, 2005)

bikerboy said:


> Anybody have any info on these?
> 
> 
> > They are circa 1992, titanium bars out of Asia with a bulge in the center. 20.5" wide.


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## XR4TI (Sep 6, 2005)

They're in the 93 Suntour catalog on page 17.

http://www.mtb-kataloge.de/Bikekataloge/PDF/SunTour/SunTour93.pdf

I have a stainless ZETTO that weighs a ton.


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## XR4TI (Sep 6, 2005)

Here's an article from Bikepro that mentions them at the bottom.

Commercially Pure Titanium Alloys

As we've said, commercially pure (CP) titanium alloys consist of alpha alloys with extremely low amounts of what are called "interstitial" elements used as alloy elements. "Interstitial elements" are alloy elements (solute) whose atom is small enough to fit in the spaces ("interstices") between the primary or "solvent" metal's atoms. The interstitial atoms must be very small to fit in these spaces, and are generally non-metallic, in the case of alpha titanium alloys they are nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon. The primary difference between the various grades of commercially pure titanium is the content or amount of this interstitial element in the alloy. Alloys that have a higher purity, (less solute or interstitial element alloyed in the titanium), have lower strength, lower hardness and a lower alpha-beta (beta transus) transformation temperature. Commercially pure titanium alpha alloys are referred to by their American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) "grade" designation number. The commonly used CP alloys have oxygen as their primary interstitial element. They are known as "grade 1" which has 18/100ths of 1% oxygen as an interstitial alloy element, "grade 2" which has 25/100ths of 1% oxygen as an interstitial alloy element, "grade 3" which has 15/100ths of 1% oxygen as an interstitial alloy element, and "grade 4" which has 40/100ths of 1% oxygen as an interstitial alloy element. Although the strength of the alpha CP alloy increases as the interstitial element content rises, commercially pure titanium alloys have low to intermediate strength compared with the other alpha-beta and beta type titanium alloys. The CP alloys are commonly used in pipe and tubing form because they have a high ductility (can bend without breaking). You may remember a time when the relatively inexpensive Sakae Ringyo (SR) Powerbulge Titanium ATB was popular because it was made of titanium, it is made from CP tubing.


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## da'HOOV (Jan 3, 2009)

XR4TI said:


> Here's an article from Bikepro that mentions them at the bottom.
> 
> Commercially Pure Titanium Alloys
> 
> As we've said, commercially pure (CP) titanium alloys consist of alpha alloys with extremely low amounts of what are called "interstitial" elements used as alloy elements. "Interstitial elements" are alloy elements (solute) whose atom is small enough to fit in the spaces ("interstices") between the primary or "solvent" metal's atoms. The interstitial atoms must be very small to fit in these spaces, and are generally non-metallic, in the case of alpha titanium alloys they are nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon. The primary difference between the various grades of commercially pure titanium is the content or amount of this interstitial element in the alloy. Alloys that have a higher purity, (less solute or interstitial element alloyed in the titanium), have lower strength, lower hardness and a lower alpha-beta (beta transus) transformation temperature. Commercially pure titanium alpha alloys are referred to by their American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) "grade" designation number. The commonly used CP alloys have oxygen as their primary interstitial element. They are known as "grade 1" which has 18/100ths of 1% oxygen as an interstitial alloy element, "grade 2" which has 25/100ths of 1% oxygen as an interstitial alloy element, "grade 3" which has 15/100ths of 1% oxygen as an interstitial alloy element, and "grade 4" which has 40/100ths of 1% oxygen as an interstitial alloy element. Although the strength of the alpha CP alloy increases as the interstitial element content rises, commercially pure titanium alloys have low to intermediate strength compared with the other alpha-beta and beta type titanium alloys. The CP alloys are commonly used in pipe and tubing form because they have a high ductility (can bend without breaking). You may remember a time when the relatively inexpensive Sakae Ringyo (SR) Powerbulge Titanium ATB was popular because it was made of titanium, it is made from CP tubing.


Yeah, thats what I was thinkin too.....whaaaaat?


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## XR4TI (Sep 6, 2005)

da'HOOV said:


> Yeah, thats what I was thinkin too.....whaaaaat?


It made perfect sense to me Stan. You didn't understand that?


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

Basically CP Grade 4 titanium (what the powerbulge Ti uses) is around 90ksi in tensile strength, so on par with plain old 4130 CrMo. But at roughly 2/3 the density. This explains why the powerbulge is actually so heavy for a Ti bar. It was drawn to the exact same dimensions of a SR Powerbulge 4130 bar. In CrMo the bar is about 270g, and the Ti one is 180g. I have one in the basement i could weigh if someone is curious about the exact fgure.


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## bikerboy (Jan 13, 2004)

DeeEight said:


> Basically CP Grade 4 titanium (what the powerbulge Ti uses) is around 90ksi in tensile strength, so on par with plain old 4130 CrMo. But at roughly 2/3 the density. This explains why the powerbulge is actually so heavy for a Ti bar. It was drawn to the exact same dimensions of a SR Powerbulge 4130 bar. In CrMo the bar is about 270g, and the Ti one is 180g. I have one in the basement i could weigh if someone is curious about the exact fgure.


Interesting stuff. I was thinking this bar felt quite heavy for such a handlebar, but had not weighed it.


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## Inigo Montoya (Dec 25, 2007)

i have some of these bars in NOS condition. i can confirm that they are VERY heavy (~220g) for ti bars. original length of mine is 56cm.
someone on ebay.fr sold these quite cheap a while ago so i filled up my stock. cannot find his auction though...


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