Bar help

[javajuiced]

Evening folks.... I need some help ....bought an old junker claud butler on e bay a while back to try and rekindle my forgotton love of old road bikes .... whilst i'm enjoying the bike and i've put on a couple of hundred miles on it already I just cant cope with the handle bar set up....

The bars are far too narrow and have a weird bend in them which makes them uncomfortable

The question is what should I go for and is there any way of checking to see what diameter i'm going to need, shifting/braking set up will remain the same as the pic below.

Also if anyone could throw some light as to why my bars are bent like this I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance

 

[pistol13]

Your stem looks like a sakae or an sr so you will have no compatability problems with 25.4 bars. Make sure you do not get any old cinelli gear because it is a larger size 26.4 unless you get a bar stem combo. The bend on your bars i can only guess at are a specific touring shape and gotta agree look awfully skinny. Levers and bar end shifter will fit nearly everything so you will be ok. Let us know how you get on

 

[javajuiced]

thanks for that i'll have a hunt for some 26.0 dia bars with some decent width

 

[pistol13]

Hey dude, i gave you wrong info there and have edited my post. You need some 25.4 bars. 26.0 is the modern standard without going oversize. Apologies for that! Tip: Dont drink alcohol and post technical help

 

[pistol13]

Having said that i run some 26.0 bars in an older stem. Works well but is a tight fit. Don't know what others opinions on that are?

 

[javajuiced]

No worries dude.... i guess i would have more choice if I changed the stem ?? are quill stems still available ??

 

[Jamiedyer]

Road bars

A general rule of thumb is to measure your shoulders from end to end and that will be a good place to start for your bar width. That way whether your on the tops or the drop your hands will be in a natural position width wise. How we always do it back home.
Jamie

 

[Cab]

That's called a 'Randonneur' bend, it's French for rambler or tourist.
Tourists spent more time on the tops & thought it gave more comfortable hand posistions. There's plenty of 25.4mm bars & quill stems about. Not sure about new but they're always at jumbles, Ebay etc. (& my shed!)

 

[javajuiced]

thanks for that cab , if you happen to want to sell me a set of 25.4 bars i'd be up for it i'm only down the road in WSM and work in Clifton

 

[Cab]

PM'd you. Is it really a junker? looks good from that angle. What tube set is it?