Damn it's hard to find the "perfect" handlebars!

I have been looking for weeks to find the "right" handle bars for a older (1930's) racing style bike without much luck. I want steel, drop bars with that graceful continuous curve down from the centre (as seen from the front).

Does anyone know a place that sells them?

Looking at so many handle bars reminds me of working on old wooden boats... the old boat builders are always talking about a "fair line" but they struggle to define it. It's a line that you know when you see it as just being "right" from all angles.... I see that same thing with those old drop bars I see on some old racing bikes.

Ok so I am rambling a little now....

The nearest I can get to the image I have in my head are on the attached bike... (not my bike!)
Anyone got a set like these??

Regards
Gavin

Check out the handle bars on the Crown bike I am parting out. The handle bars and neck $100 shipped with the grips also. Thanks, Kirk

GAVIN ... made these for my 20''-wheel, Davis racer.

Got the saddle from a fellow CABEr (Dean).

The tiny grips are NOS .. with great character.

Vise-up a usable bar. MAPP-Gas Torch your bar in the area
adjacent to the ferrule to a red-orange color.

SLOWLY begin the bend. SLOWLY.

When you have finished one side - trace a paper pattern of
the new bend.

Convert the paper pattern to a sheet of aluminum that you
have removed from the sidewall of a pop-can.

Now, do the other side of the bar.

When you are satisfied with the uniformity of both bends ...
place the bottoms of the pull-back areas of the bar on a dead-
flat surface to see if they are dwelling in the same plane.

If not .. make an adjustment to one side ONLY - 'til they
align. This adjustment can be made at the ferrule area
that you heated, earlier.

Allow for cooling of the bar between steps.

You may have to make several adjustments.

Final tweaking is done with a stem placed upward on the
ferrule.

Place the bar back on the flat surface -- the stem needs
to appear at right angles with that flat surface -- when viewed
from the front.

BEFORE YOU PROCEED - Practice on a junk bar or three.

The 5/8'' mini drop bar i fashioned has multiple bends thru-out.
But i practiced on standard 7/8'' bars.


......... patric

kirk thomas said:

Check out the handle bars on the Crown bike I am parting out. The handle bars and neck $100 shipped with the grips also. Thanks, Kirk

Click to expand...

They looked PERFECT Kirk, but it seems the bike has sold according the the other thread...??
Did the person buying it want to sell the bare bars?
Regards
Gavin

these are the bars on Kirks bike... NIIICE!

Gavin,

Is that bike a Laclede?

I'm in search of a headbadge for one.

Check out the handle bars on the Crown bike I am parting out.
คาสิโน1688

Handlebars are pretty personal.SOMA makes some that work with 1920s and later bikes.
http://www.somafab.com/parts/handlebar
I made a block of wood as described here:
https://books.google.com/books?id=-...CymE2GFya832nBi8pQ&ci=172,146,749,1270&edge=0
and have used it to straighten bars, butnot really re-shape them.

bombollis said:

Gavin,

Is that bike a Laclede?

I'm in search of a headbadge for one.

Click to expand...

Sorry I have no idea! Oh I think it's a CROWN.... I just liked the bars...

These look real close but can't tell if the spread is the same.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-tra...ylor-eroica-/221905677576?hash=item33aa9bed08