Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Let's see some porteur handlebars.

I am in need of some inspiration for my porteur/city bike fixed gear build. Post up some photos.

Here's a couple

hellavastell's bike

http://velospace.org/files/PostPics002B.jpg

alhalem's bike

http://velospace.org/files/elhalim_iro_01d.jpg

noah scape's bike

http://velospace.org/files/PA140002.JPG

3TTT 'Trial Piana' bars:
http://entirely-adequate.com/pianabars/pianaside.jpg
Jitensha Studio bars by Nitto:
http://entirely-adequate.com/holland/sidefullholland.jpg
On-One Mary Bars:
http://entirely-adequate.com/bomb/bombmk17.jpg

I absolutely love those jitensha bars. I think one of the posters here has them on his IRO.
I couldnt find any sellers online tho. anyone know where I could buy?

Edit: nevermind, they have their own site

http://www.jitensha.com/eng/flatbar05.html

Give Hiroshi or Natsumi a call at 510 540 6240 and I'm sure they can work something out.

those jitensha bars look very close to cinelli priests which are nice in the upwards position. but nitto promenades are the best!

those jitensha bars look very close to cinelli priests which are nice in the upwards position. but nitto promenades are the best!

The only thing better than promenades are reversed LA84s.

Seems to me that a very short-reach stem steers best with these kind of bars. Gotta get them up above the saddle, too!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/2422565283_b10fa3324d.jpg

those jitensha bars look very close to cinelli priests which are nice in the upwards position. but nitto promenades are the best!

The Jitensha bars are copies of an old 3ttt bar. They have no rise at all. Cinelli Priests have rise and are shaped completely differently. They're very close otherwise.

These are Jitensha bars:

http://inlinethumb63.webshots.com/32702/2156126990068014369S425x425Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2156126990068014369Ftorgd)

Seems to me that a very short-reach stem steers best with these kind of bars. Gotta get them up above the saddle, too!
ht tp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/2422565283_b10fa3324d.jpg

Which begs the question, what is the best way to size this? Saddle to bar is the common road bike sizing metric but it is difficult to size when the handlebar grip is BEHIND the stem.

Check the "townies" thread. Plenty of examples there.

re: sizing, that bike i posted above is about 3 cm taller and longer than my ideal size for road, but for an upright bike it feels perfect - and I can still stand over when it's cold out. Go as big as possible. Have fun, look cool, and see for miles.

I have narrowed my choices down to a few but I haven't physically tried any of them so maybe people can chime in:

(1) Velo-Orange/Nitto Montmartre Handlebar

These are classic French porteur bars, relatively narrow at 42cm, center to center.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_1997_12999193

(2) V-O/Nitto Promenade
This one features rise. There are non rise bars available too. 48cm center to center.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_1996_18900696

(3) Velo-Orange Tourist Bar

These are the widest as 54cm center to center. I would be very comfortable but it lacks the narrow profile of the others, which allows me to snake through traffic relatively easily.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_1996_19781179

My favorites, which incidentally were my inspiration:
http://velospace.org/files/1holds.jpg
http://velospace.org/files/DSC07014.JPG
http://velospace.org/files/hires1.jpg
http://velospace.org/files/Mercier_2.jpg
Not all may be considered porteur bars, but I think they capture the idea we're talking about here. I love the lean lines of a road frame with something just a little different for the bars.

Stella, what is your take on width for these bars. They come is all shades... thanks for posting those photos. Good selection of bikes there.

I really like the look of that white bike at the top of stella's post. Looks really fun.

I'll snap some pics of my townie when I get home. I think it may qualify.


re: sizing, that bike i posted above is about 3 cm taller and longer than my ideal size for road, but for an upright bike it feels perfect - and I can still stand over when it's cold out. Go as big as possible. Have fun, look cool, and see for miles.
Funny, mine's built on a frame that's actually a little smaller than I'd choose for a road frame.

noah scape's bike

http://velospace.org/files/PA140002.JPG


what bars are these? this thread has flipped me and i really want some porteur bars, considering the VO/nitto Montmartre but these look sweet as well, i'd rather something in 38 or 40 as i have a pretty small chest and the Montmartre only come in 42, anyone?

I have narrowed my choices down to a few but I haven't physically tried any of them so maybe people can chime in:

(1) Velo-Orange/Nitto Montmartre Handlebar

These are classic French porteur bars, relatively narrow at 42cm, center to center.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_1997_12999193

I have these, and think they are fantastic,


edit:well I guess mine are similar, they are sleeved and engraved, but they are the same shape.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2152/2346457494_e2352b9712.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/2345547493_312b012dd4.jpg?v=1205963834
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/2346461536_d5c5ca3f4c.jpg?v=0

http://velospace.org/files/ela_easton_1.jpg

http://velospace.org/files/ela_easton_2.jpg

http://velospace.org/files/ela_easton_4.jpg

http://velospace.org/files/ela_easton_6.jpg

^ All kinds of ridiculous awesome. What bar?

http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=286515

They are Nitto Flat Promenades with about 3.5" cut off the ends.

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg128/steppinthefunk/ela_easton_5.jpg?t=1209069941

The wider the bar, the more fun it is.. up to a point.

I got the Nitto B-617 Promenade from Ben's Cycle Will post pix when complete.

http://www.bikecult.com/works/parts/nittoB617a.jpg

The Montmartre bars from Velo Orange orange are the same outside diameter as road bars, so grips and normal 7/8" brake levers for upright bars won't fit. You can use inverse levers as shown, and wrap the bars or use the Velo Orange leather covers. I think I'm going to get them for the fixed Peugeot I'm building for my daughter. She's going to have at least one brake. I've got a lot of money invested in those teeth.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_1997_12999193
These I like, but that brake placement looks funky..looks uncomfortable to use?

you'd have to shoot me before you could make me put bar-end levers in the ends of rear-facing bars.

you'd have to shoot me before you could make me put bar-end levers in the ends of rear-facing bars.

That's how they have been used for the past 90 years.

That's how they have been used for the past 90 years.

Everybody thought Pluto was a planet for much longer than that.

Inverse levers were used only used on city bikes until Lance Armstrong put some cheap Dia Compes on his TT bike and won the TdF.

They work well in the inverse position because they give the most leverage to your strongest fingers.

I've got inverse levers on my 3TTT city bars, and I love 'em.

Everybody thought Pluto was a planet for much longer than that.
First: Pluto was discovered in 1930.

Second: The word "planet" wasn't defined by the International Astronomical Union until 2006. One could argue it was never a planet in the first place.

Third: I need some porteur bars now. All these bikes are ridiculous awesome.

Question for the technically inclined:

I got the Nitto Promenades in from Benscycle today but the inverse levers that I bought don't fit into the end. What levers will work? Diacompe?

In the interim, I will use cross levers.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_1997_12999193
These I like, but that brake placement looks funky..looks uncomfortable to use?

+uber1 for the brake placement
it seems like it would be awk whether u used those bars as porteurs or bullhorns

Stella, what is your take on width for these bars. They come is all shades... thanks for posting those photos. Good selection of bikes there.


I was hesitant about wide bars for city commuting, but the 50cm Nitto bars I have do not give me any problems. I still can squeeze almost everywhere. I highly recommend these:
http://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=411

Hey, I saw your bike today outside the social work building at UT. Good lookin' ride.


Seems to me that a very short-reach stem steers best with these kind of bars. Gotta get them up above the saddle, too!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/2422565283_b10fa3324d.jpg

Seems to me that a very short-reach stem steers best with these kind of bars. Gotta get them up above the saddle, too!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/2422565283_b10fa3324d.jpg
What kind of saddlebags are those? They are fiiiine.

Much love to the people posting pics of the jitenhsa bars from angles that don't show how the bar actually the bends. Thanks a lot...

nitto promenade. its took 3 hours to tape with cloth and then double-stitch sew. note the top tube protector. it's a labor of love.


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/gbae007/fillmorestich.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/gbae007/fillmorenitto.jpg

Finally someone has used a mutant stem and it doesn't make me want to puke. Nicely done MIN.

thanks, Kobe. Hook 'um!
I found those bags at Goodwill for $7. Good deal but they attract a lot of birdpoop. Here's a closeup - notice the banner is blank
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/2423387726_62ffb3c104_m.jpg
...suggestions?

MIN, might I ask what the tt protector serves for you? it doesn't look as if the bars hit it... so maybe a shoulder pad?

also, very nice build.

MIN, might I ask what the tt protector serves for you? it doesn't look as if the bars hit it... so maybe a shoulder pad?

also, very nice build.

The bar is tilted down for a wrist angle that agrees with me - consequently, the bar end swings down to hit the TT dead-on due to the angle of the head tube.

BUMP!

I'm wondering how everyone feels about the steering with porteur bars on bikes that aren't meant for them.

I'd assumed that a longer stem would make it better, but someone above said shorter is better.

Also, I'm planning on putting a basket on my bike, will a front load make the steering way worse?


my bike is a fairly typical early 80's entry level univega viva sport.

I have some of the velo orange montmartre bars on my iro mark v pro. the bike is a little small for me, its geometry is pretty lax, I have a longish 110 stem on it, and it rides perfectly. I am really happy with the way it turned out, its a blast to ride, really smooth and comfortable.

I have a Cetma rack on the front, which makes the front pretty heavy, but it only takes a second to get used to. I did carry a fairly large box with a pc computer case on it, and only noticed it while turning very sharply at a slower speed.

The position that your hands are in by being further back from the steerer as opposed to in front of it as you would be with flat bars or even risers makes it very easier to steer, IMHO. Also, your sitting up a little more, my dad rode that bike with my brother on his concept and me on my bareknuckle, and he had no problems riding it, he actually liked it.

The fact that its more of a track bike than a road/comfort/mtb/cruiser makes it a little interesting to ride, as I have a little toe overlap, and taking tight corners at slower speeds, but even going pretty fast like downhill (I have a front brake) is very stable and maneuverable, fun fun fun, I highly recommend having at least one bike, fixed or not, with porteur style bars!