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...ullholland.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!

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/...b10fa3324d.jpg

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/32...425x425Q85.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.c..._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.c..._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.c..._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.

Funny, mine's built on a frame that's actually a little smaller than I'd choose for a road frame.

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 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/...2b9712.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/...g?v=1205963834
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/...ca3f4c.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?

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

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/g...g?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.