New Bar?

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rperks

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Sep 12, 2011, 8:51:02 AM9/12/11
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Since wild speculation helps to pass the time, Who wants to have some
fun guessing what the "new" handlebar in the works is? Rules? we
don't need no stinkin rules, but we do not want to invoke Grant's $20
penalty either. Thus no pictures of the real thing, and I would guess
bite your tounge if you have seen the real thing too.

My guess? A refined version of the arc bar, example here:
http://flic.kr/p/61q68t
http://flic.kr/p/7wYRXk

Rob in Ventura

Ginz

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Sep 12, 2011, 9:06:27 AM9/12/11
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Good guess, Rob. If that is it, the Arc Bar in my basement is about
to go up in value $$$. I never did like it too much and the curve is
much like the new Bullmoose.

My guess is something like the Nitto Promenade. An Albatross where
the grip section rises. This would eliminate the need for the super
long quill stems and jacked-up head tube on bikes where a laid-back
position is desired or on high-handlebar'd Betty Foys.

Seth Vidal

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Sep 12, 2011, 9:45:09 AM9/12/11
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I think they got a look at Rene's touring bar from nitto on his
atlantis and decided that with a little modification it could be
perfect and started work on it immediately.

That's my guess.

-sv

Mike

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Sep 12, 2011, 11:02:08 AM9/12/11
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I'm thinking some variation of a mustache bar but takes mtn bike brake
levers.

--mike

Leslie

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Sep 12, 2011, 11:15:20 AM9/12/11
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I've not been to RBW, hadn't seen or heard anything about the bar, except Grant's post and discussion here...

But, what I'd like to see is, would really really want, is a wider-splayed dirt-drop version of the Noodle...  I love the Noodle on my Ram, but I'd been eyeing Nitto's two dirt-drop variants; one is Grant's pre-Noodle bar, the other has more angle, splay, but is a 31.8, which kills off quill-use for the most part.  I've even contemplating doing like Cunningham used to do, ordering Cinelli's and bending the ends out to get flare, but doing that by starting w/ a Noodle. 

I'd not seen that arc bar, but to my eye it looks like a non-triangulated bullmoose that uses a separate stem, instead of being built in.   Not a bad idea, but, if I was picking between it and bullmoose, I'd probably go w/ the bullmoose, would think it'd be a bit stronger...  FWIW....


Thomas Lynn Skean

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Sep 12, 2011, 12:11:38 PM9/12/11
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Hmmm... here's what I hope it isn't: a "trekking" bar. Those tend to meet my primary criteria for a bar: height. My cockpits range from about 1" to about 4" above my saddle... those are inches, not centimeters. But every trekking style bar I've seen (including the Nitto) was so fundamentally unattractive that I wouldn't want to use it even if it cost only $30. My opinion, of course. And I realize I may be denying myself the most luxurious mind-blowingly blissful riding experience known to man. But frankly, each handlebar I have has provided a pretty darn good riding experience. I don't lack for them. Except for the one that came on my Trek Hybrid. Ugh.
 
Now, maybe RBW can bring to market a fundamentally attractive-to-me version of a trekking bar. I'm beginning to think that if anybody can, it's them. A startingly high percentage of what they sell appeals to me.
 
Yours,
Thomas Lynn Skean
who, in spite of the final sentence above, still does not find Grid Grey appealing
 

Steve Palincsar

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Sep 12, 2011, 12:17:25 PM9/12/11
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On Mon, 2011-09-12 at 09:11 -0700, Thomas Lynn Skean wrote:
> Hmmm... here's what I hope it isn't: a "trekking" bar. Those tend to
> meet my primary criteria for a bar: height.

I don't understand. The height of the bar has little to do with the bar
itself, much more to do with the stem or the spacer stack and steerer.
There are (to some, rather hideous) photos aplenty of Rivendells with
drop bars easily 4" above the saddle.

> My cockpits range from about 1" to about 4" above my saddle... those
> are inches, not centimeters. But every trekking style bar I've seen
> (including the Nitto) was so fundamentally unattractive that I
> wouldn't want to use it even if it cost only $30. My opinion, of
> course. And I realize I may be denying myself the most luxurious
> mind-blowingly blissful riding experience known to man. But frankly,
> each handlebar I have has provided a pretty darn good riding
> experience. I don't lack for them. Except for the one that came on my
> Trek Hybrid. Ugh.

What makes for an attractive bar, for you?


brian tester

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Sep 12, 2011, 3:56:44 PM9/12/11
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I believe I spotted the new handlebar out of the corner of my eye this
last saturday at Riv HQ.
Only one person in this thread has come close to describing what it is
or will be.

-B.

Joe Bernard

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Sep 12, 2011, 4:09:22 PM9/12/11
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I think it's going to be a purple MTB flatbar, which will look excellent on my neon-green-and-yellow '87 MB-2. Yeahh..
 
Joe "3D Violet" Bernard
Fairfield, CA.

Thomas Lynn Skean

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Sep 12, 2011, 4:37:49 PM9/12/11
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On Monday, September 12, 2011 11:17:25 AM UTC-5, Steve Palincsar wrote:
On Mon, 2011-09-12 at 09:11 -0700, Thomas Lynn Skean wrote:
> Hmmm... here's what I hope it isn't: a "trekking" bar. Those tend to
> meet my primary criteria for a bar: height.

I don't understand.  The height of the bar has little to do with the bar
itself, much more to do with the stem or the spacer stack and steerer.
There are (to some, rather hideous) photos aplenty of Rivendells with
drop bars easily 4" above the saddle.  

 
If you have already chosen a steerer and are using a maxed-out Dirt Drop 100 and don't want a steerer extender, then yep... the bar makes the difference. Now, in fact I'm less concerned about bar-height than I used to be. But a bar with 75cm rise generally more interesting to me than one with no rise. I might be free to use something other than a Dirt Drop 100 with something with sufficient rise. (Currently have an Albatross/maxed-out-Tallux that I like.)
 

> My cockpits range from about 1" to about 4" above my saddle... those
> are inches, not centimeters. But every trekking style bar I've seen
> (including the Nitto) was so fundamentally unattractive that I
> wouldn't want to use it even if it cost only $30. My opinion, of
> course. And I realize I may be denying myself the most luxurious
> mind-blowingly blissful riding experience known to man. But frankly,
> each handlebar I have has provided a pretty darn good riding
> experience. I don't lack for them. Except for the one that came on my
> Trek Hybrid. Ugh.

What makes for an attractive bar, for you?


 

 
Silver. Big sweeping curves. Wide. There are limits of course; I like the Bullmoose but don't care for the looks of the Noah's Arc so much. The Bullmoose's busy-ness is better there; the Arc looks empty. Some good-looking-to-me bars (like the Soma Lauterwasser (sp?)) don't look like I would be comfortable because, even with a maxed-out Dirt Drop, the only place I'd be comfortable looks like it would be too low. The Moustache is fine. I'd probably try the Lauterwasser, though, if I didn't know about the Moustache.
 
Counter-example: My hybrid's original bar was black and had a tight twisty sort of compound curve between the clamp area and each hand grip. Though it is symmetrical, it almost looks crooked. It's not hideous in an outrageous grotesque sort of way (like some-not-me might find my on-up-there bars!). There's just nothing good-looking about it.
 
Yours,
Thomas Lynn Skean
 

Philip Williamson

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Sep 12, 2011, 4:44:51 PM9/12/11
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My own expectation is that the HS is a citified bike, so an Arc bar
seems more likely to me.

I would LOVE a "Cunningham" bar from Rivendell, but my understanding
is that Grant hates 'em. I wouldn't bend my own aluminum bars, though,
out of fear; Charlie Cunningham has a heat-treating oven, and lots of
cool tools.

In other news, I saw a beautiful gray and maroon Hunqapillar in
McMinnville, OR (pop. 30k) today!

Philip

Mike

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Sep 12, 2011, 6:09:02 PM9/12/11
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On Sep 12, 12:56 pm, brian tester <brian.tes...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I believe I spotted the new handlebar out of the corner of my eye this
> last saturday at Riv HQ.
> Only one person in this thread has come close to describing what it is
> or will be.
>
> -B.
It me, right?

I kinda think it's gonna be a variation on the mustache bar and use mt
bike levers because it'll offer multiple hand positions and an upright
position on the bike while being a good bar for climbing but easier
access to the brakes than a tradition mustache bar. Perhaps it's wrong
to say it'll be a variation of a mustache, maybe it'll be more like a
sportier albatross bar. I have no inside information on this. I just
base my guess on Jay and Grant's use of the Albatross bar on their
Hillborne and Atlantis respectively. I can't help but wonder if they
wouldn't maybe want something a little more aggressive or sporty for
off road riding. Don't know if that makes sense, but that's my hope.

--mike


Brian Hanson

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Sep 12, 2011, 7:51:34 PM9/12/11
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I'd like the resurrection of a Riv'd Nitto Dirt Drop bar...  One that is sort of a compact version of a swept out Noodle bar. 

Brian



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rperks

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Sep 12, 2011, 11:34:34 PM9/12/11
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Michael_S

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Sep 13, 2011, 12:44:38 AM9/13/11
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There is also the RM-014 available which has a wider flare.
 Looks a little too narrow at the top for me. So I'm considering the RM-013's for my next build.
 
 
....but my guess is that Grant will have something more upright. He seems to be leaning more that way recently.
 
~mke
 
 

numbnuts

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Sep 12, 2011, 11:12:33 AM9/12/11
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My guess is a dirt drop like bar.
Regards,
Chris
Redding, Ca.

nathan spindel

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Sep 13, 2011, 1:37:58 AM9/13/11
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Interesting comparison photos of RM-013, -014, and Noodle here: http://biketouringnews.com/bike-stuff/touring-bike-handlebars/nitto-dirt-drop-handlebars/

-nathan
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Leslie

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Sep 13, 2011, 10:45:01 PM9/13/11
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New news post on rivbike has a bit related to the new bar:

" I don't like bars with too much going on visually. Those trekking bars are kind of neat functionally, but they look like they were designed by a dentist who wishes he were an engineer, and fancies himself a great thinker. This bar won't be like that. It will be deceptively normal looking. It will also work on normal bikes, not just the secret model.
The more I ride the second sample, the more convinced I am that I don't want to get ANY cues from the outside world, which would bash this bar to death. It works so well, but like so many other things that do, it wouldn't be accepted, at least not right off the bat.
"

So, a non-trekking-bar-looking, normal-looking-bar...  does that imply it will be a trekking bar? (I might be overstepping that implication).   I'm still keen on the idea of a splayed-Noodle, think that would be a good trekking/off-road/and also usable as a roadbike- bar.

Hmmm......

Joe Bernard

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Sep 13, 2011, 11:28:56 PM9/13/11
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If the new bike will be unlike current models, I don't see a bar designed for it being drops. I think bike & bar are going to be upright/urban/city-ish. Not a "dutch bike", per se, but geared towards folks who like them. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking. I love dutch bikes.
 
Joe Bernard
Fairfield, CA.

Allan in Portland

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Sep 14, 2011, 1:20:42 AM9/14/11
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Hmm, I thought the $20 price increase bit was Grant's way of asking for a little margin help from his friends?

I'm more surprised nobody's posted it yet. Well, somebody's gotta be first...

Joe Bernard

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Sep 14, 2011, 1:27:21 AM9/14/11
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I knew it! Bars above the saddle!

Thomas Lynn Skean

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Sep 14, 2011, 5:12:03 AM9/14/11
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Now that's silly! It's not going to double-layered!

It's going to be bullhorns!

:)

Yours,
Thomas Lynn Skean

jimD

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Sep 14, 2011, 9:48:46 AM9/14/11
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Excellent. 

Another multi-purpose Riv design. 

Does double duty as handlebar and chin rest.

-JimD

Takes 'get da bar up' to new heights


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EricP

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Sep 14, 2011, 11:23:21 AM9/14/11
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Actually, I was envisioning something along the lines of a drop with
ends that loop back up and around at least one more time. A bighorn
sheep style. Lots of extra hand positions and can store a bike polo
stick easily. One can worry about bar ends and brake levers if one
wants, but the versatility more than make up for the tiny
inconvenience.

Eric Platt
St. Paul, MN

On Sep 14, 8:48 am, jimD <rasterd...@comcast.net> wrote:
> Excellent.
>
> Another multi-purpose Riv design.
>
> Does double duty as handlebar and chin rest.
>
> -JimD
>
> Takes 'get da bar up' to new heights
>
> On Sep 13, 2011, at 10:20 PM, Allan in Portland wrote:
>
>
>
> > Hmm, I thought the $20 price increase bit was Grant's way of asking for a little margin help from his friends?
>
> > I'm more surprised nobody's posted it yet. Well, somebody's gotta be first...
> >http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wb8bAl1P-N0/TMgaqEjkiCI/AAAAAAAARdw/mac_d3D...
>
> > Regards,
> > -Allan
>
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erik jensen

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Sep 14, 2011, 12:01:43 PM9/14/11
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my hope: a steel nitto noodle.
--
oakland, ca
bikenoir.blogspot.com

Allan in Portland

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Sep 14, 2011, 2:31:10 PM9/14/11
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On Wednesday, September 14, 2011 8:23:21 AM UTC-7, EricP wrote:
Actually, I was envisioning something along the lines of a drop with
ends that loop back up and around at least one more time.  

Joe Bunik

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Sep 14, 2011, 3:07:50 PM9/14/11
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It wouldn't be without historic precedent:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/collectvelo/6128025930/

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Stuart Fletcher

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Sep 14, 2011, 3:19:52 PM9/14/11
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On Wed, Sep 14, 2011 at 12:07, Joe Bunik <jbu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> It wouldn't be without historic precedent:
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/collectvelo/6128025930/
>

Moots used to make a stem to facilitate that kind of double bar set
up! There's would've been stacked vertically. That was the old
Moots, however (they were also huge proponents of fenders... how times
change).

Couldn't track anything down on the internet about the stem, it was
from the 1980s. Anyone remember those? (sorry for the topic drift)

Stuart Fletcher
Seattle, WA

Steve Palincsar

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Sep 14, 2011, 5:05:36 PM9/14/11
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All this proves there simply is no limit to depravity.

EricP

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Sep 14, 2011, 7:58:50 PM9/14/11
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Yes, I think it was in an early catalog. Don't remember seeing one in
person, though. Wasn't it for drops below and flat bars up top?

Used to actually use the Moots fenders on my old Stumpjumper back in
college days. Woefully short fenders, but really wide. Black,
flexible plastic that was held onto the fork and seatstays with zip
ties. Seemed to be more suitable to powder snow of Colorado rather
than slushy mix here in MN. Ended up using either Blumels or Mt.
Zefal fenders as both were reliable.

Eric Platt
St. Paul, MN

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