Is there any reason why the Nitto bars that much more expensive then the pyramid bars? I suppose the material could be different, but I'm sure that cant be a big deal unless Pyramid is using cardboard toilet paper rolls painted silver.

nitto stuff is made in japan, very, very, very well by people earning good wages in a country with all kinds of awesome social perks. the design, fabrication, and finish quality of nitto parts are consistently off any chart. they set the standard. pyramid parts are... good value? from where? it's not meaningful to compare all the products of one company with all the products of another. which specific models are you comparing and what are you using them for?

This North Road

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/HB409B05-Nitto+North+Road+Handlebar.aspx?sc=FRGL

to this North Road

http://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-Touring-North-Bicycle-Handlebar/dp/B0010VZFJO

I doupt Nitto spent thousands of dollars of research and development funds to design this bar, and I'm sure both companies have machines bending tubes. I mean if I want to truly fight capitalism I can just spend a few hours bending up a tube or two using a tube bender.

Is there any reason why the Nitto bars that much more expensive then the pyramid bars? I suppose the material could be different, but I'm sure that cant be a big deal unless Pyramid is using cardboard toilet paper rolls painted silver.

You miss out on the incredible "snob" perks of being duped into buying an over priced bent tube. :)

"north road" is not precisely defined. there is only a hand drawing and no measurements given for the pyramid flavor. i have no experience of the pyramid flavor. i can say that the nitto version(s) are conspicuously stiff for their exceptional width, and their cro-mo steel construction means that the wall thickness is low enough to accommodate bar-end shifters inside, and MTB-diameter stuff outside. this is unique. i have encountered numerous alloy (aluminum) bars resembling "north road" that come with warnings about unsuitability for offroad or other hard use.

i suggest you buy both and report which you like better: apples or oranges?

Nitto bars are generally light and have a very nice surface finish. The pyramid bars are probably heavier and not as shiny. If those aren't factors in your decision, the cheap handlebars will work fine.

http://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2765

Here's a better picture from good old harris. I see bars just like this in a few shops around here, but I do have eight or nine bike shops within five miles. I'd recommend shopping for handlebars in the meatspace if you've got a couple shops around. Might only find steel ones, but I'd at least put your hands on something similar.

I have both of the bars mentioned - the Nitto NorthRoad - aka "Albatross" and the Wald touring bars. In fact I have two bikes with the Nitto Albatross bars and two bikes with the Wald bars.
As you can see - I like upright bars. I also have the Nitto "Dove" bars - aka "Priest" bars.
My opinion - the Nitto Albatross is great - the heat treated alloy bars have an inside bar diameter that allow you to use bar-end shifters .... but the Wald bars being steel (thinner walls) also allow you to use bar end shifters.
The biggest difference is the shape of the bars - the Albatross bars have the grip area of the handlebar coming almost straight back (parallel to top tube) whereas the Wald bars have a handle grip area that has a bit of flair (they don't come all the way back to parallel).
I love the Albatross bars and put them on lighter weight classic bikes - yeah - snob bikes.
I love the Wald bars and tend to use them on converting MTB frames into city bikes or on heavier steel bikes.
Both bars allow me to ride a taller frame with a longer top tube and still get a good comfortable fit.

Bottom line - once you build up the bike, adjust the bars, stem and saddle, then tape up the bars - you generally never notice it the bars are Nitto or Wald.

link to my Surly LHT with Albatross bars set up for touring:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/2374072443_f1d5fbae2b_b.jpg

If you are experimenting - buy the WALD - you will be glad that you did. Nitto bars ARE worth the price - if you want to have a show-bike.

...Bill

I have both of the bars mentioned - the Nitto NorthRoad - aka "Albatross" and the Wald touring bars. In fact I have two bikes with the Nitto Albatross bars and two bikes with the Wald bars.
As you can see - I like upright bars. I also have the Nitto "Dove" bars - aka "Priest" bars.
My opinion - the Nitto Albatross is great - the heat treated alloy bars have an inside bar diameter that allow you to use bar-end shifters .... but the Wald bars being steel (thinner walls) also allow you to use bar end shifters.
The biggest difference is the shape of the bars - the Albatross bars have the grip area of the handlebar coming almost straight back (parallel to top tube) whereas the Wald bars have a handle grip area that has a bit of flair (they don't come all the way back to parallel).
I love the Albatross bars and put them on lighter weight classic bikes - yeah - snob bikes.
I love the Wald bars and tend to use them on converting MTB frames into city bikes or on heavier steel bikes.
Both bars allow me to ride a taller frame with a longer top tube and still get a good comfortable fit.

Bottom line - once you build up the bike, adjust the bars, stem and saddle, then tape up the bars - you generally never notice it the bars are Nitto or Wald.

link to my Surly LHT with Albatross bars set up for touring:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/2374072443_f1d5fbae2b_b.jpg

If you are experimenting - buy the WALD - you will be glad that you did. Nitto bars ARE worth the price - if you want to have a show-bike.

...Bill

One point not mentioned here is weight.....if that's important to you.

Is there any reason why the Nitto bars that much more expensive then the pyramid bars? I suppose the material could be different, but I'm sure that cant be a big deal unless Pyramid is using cardboard toilet paper rolls painted silver.
If you have fallen in absolute love with some of the Nitto or other high-end bars you've seen in real life, then it's worth mentioning that the Pyramid (or Wald) bars are close but never quite the exact same shape.

Beyond that--the cheaper bars are not finished as nice as the expensive ones and there may be a strength and weight difference, but it may never be significant in utility/road use.

Also the cheaper ones may be steel where the expensive ones might be aluminum, which could be an issue depending on the stem you want to use.
~

This North Road

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/HB409B05-Nitto+North+Road+Handlebar.aspx?sc=FRGL

to this North Road

http://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-Touring-North-Bicycle-Handlebar/dp/B0010VZFJO


I can't tell if the linked Nitto bar is an albatross bar or a North Road bar (link says North Road, but they look alot like Albatross bar). However, I bought one of the pyramid North Road bars, and I can tell you that the straight portion (where the grips and controls go) is much shorter (too short) on the pyramid version than the Wald version.

I have the Wald North Road bars on two bikes and like them a lot. I have a set of Nitto Albatross bars on my workbench for a future install.

On the two bars listed, the Nitto is heat-treated steel, the Pyramid is "alloy". I would think that means an aluminum alloy, but not sure- in any event, there are cheap steel bars as well.

Why spend $50 you don't have to on bars? the cheap ones steer just as well, and you would have an extra $50 to spend on some other cool bike accessory., like a wireless cycle computer

If you're fussy about how bike parts feel, you're probably fussy about handlebar shape. It takes at least two bar changes for me to get a new bike set up to really perform.

Cruiser bikes though? For me, whatever is available and mellow will do!

I bought one of the pyramid North Road bars, and I can tell you that the straight portion (where the grips and controls go) is much shorter (too short) on the pyramid version than the Wald version.Brother, you ain't kidding! I got my Pyramid alloy "North Road" bar in today and had to cut down grips an inch to fit with the brakes as far as I could get them without being on the curved part. The levers hang off a half inch or so and I can't get as good grip on them as before. Still, beats the heck out of the flat mountain bike bar I replaced. They were much narrower than I expected too - which is a plus for me. Anyways I'd have been better off going with the steel Wald bars for my application - probably weight 3x the alloy Pyramid though. Maybe there are smaller brake levers that would fit better - mine are 15 y.o. GS-100 plastic MTB?

Brother, you ain't kidding! I got my Pyramid alloy "North Road" bar in today and had to cut down grips an inch to fit with the brakes as far as I could get them without being on the curved part. The levers hang off a half inch or so and I can't get as good grip on them as before. Still, beats the heck out of the flat mountain bike bar I replaced. They were much narrower than I expected too - which is a plus for me. Anyways I'd have been better off going with the steel Wald bars for my application - probably weight 3x the alloy Pyramid though. Maybe there are smaller brake levers that would fit better - mine are 15 y.o. GS-100 plastic MTB?

I'd recommend giving the Wald bars a try. They're about $16 including shipping (<4 gallons of gas!) - hard to go wrong. I'm not an ounce counter, so I'm probably not very sensitive, but they don't seem overly heavy to me.

I'd recommend giving the Wald bars a try. They're about $16 including shipping (<4 gallons of gas!) - hard to go wrong. I'm not an ounce counter, so I'm probably not very sensitive, but they don't seem overly heavy to me.
The Pyramid alloy bar only cost me $22 ordered thru my LBS. I'm certainly not a "weight weenie" but will generally pay 50% more for alloy vs. steel as the plan was to reuse the "new" parts when I junk this old steel department store bike to build up something better some day.
:D

But - now that I've got it mostly finished it ain't all that bad a bike so probably won't ever be "parted" up.
:love:

http://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2765 Here's a better picture from good old harris.Warning! Harris !@#$ed up here and just copied the description and photos from the Nitto bar. The Pyramid does NOT have the 140mm ends - looks like the Nitto doesn't have quite the "short ends" problem that the Pyramid does. The ends of the Pyramid are only 130 mm! With my controls I really needed about 180mm ends :( . I have a lathe so I do have the option of turning some end extentions to hammer in ;) .