Hi all, love the GB stem on the Raleigh but the bars are unusually narrow.

Has anyone got opinions on wider bars but with a 22.2 clamp diameter?

Cheers, Matthew

22.2 stem clamp or 22.2 shifter/brake clamp?

Hi, the centre of the handlebars where it bulges to be clamped by the head stem is 22.2 in diameter. The bars are 360mm approx wide so want to find some bars around 400-420mm that will fit though the GB stem.

If I ream out the head stem to fit standard 25.4 diameter bars it seems a lot to ream it might weaken the stem

If i put wider bars on will that fatigue the stem through the extra leverage, this bike will be a commuter rather than going hard

Is there more options available with steel bars

having said all this I want to keep the GB stem - it's quite distinctive, I realise I could swap the stem for a better design cinelli or ttt which would solve the problem

Didn't know GB made stems with that narrow of a clamp -- the few I've come across have all been 25.4mm.

Sheldon suggests that you're going to be limited to steel / bmx bars -- maybe good terms to start searching. See: Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Handlebar and Stem Dimension Crib Sheet

New one to me. I though most GB stems were 25.4 or the obsolete 23.8.

I'll recommend you just wait - go ride the bike for a few hundred miles first. A few years ago I drank the 'wider bars' Kool-aid and got 42cm bars for my Cannondale. Worked just fine. BUT I then bought my Raleigh Pro and the Nishiki Int'l which both had 36cm bars. I now really like the narrow bars. They are very comfortable and do not constrain my riding since I don't race nor seek max output. Now when I switch back to the wide bars it feels like I'm steering a wheelbarrow for a while - that feeling goes away but the wide bars are not better for me. I even think about swapping them out for narrows (too much trouble right now).

just an alternative......

Note that Sheldon's crib sheet linked to in post 4, 2nd row entry, states that 22.2mm clamp diameter is "Obsolete British size for steel handlebars, common on older 3-speeds.
This size was also used for older British steel drop bars."

Think you're reading that wrong...2nd row is:
[TABLE="class: tgrid, width: 808"]
[TR]
[TH]23.8 mm[/TH]
[TH]15/16"[/TH]
[TH]22.2 mm[/TH]
[TH]7/8"[/TH]
[TD]Obsolete British size for steel handlebars, common on older 3-speeds.
This size was also used for older British steel drop bars.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
The first column is stem-clamp diameter. Third column is grip area size.

Oops. You're right.

22.2 mm clamp handlebars did exist once upon a time, and are still to be found occasionally, though not cheap:

Hilary Stone has a few.
Hilary Stone Classic Corner Handlebars

But you are not likely to find a wider bar than the one you have. Handlebar widths are one of many aspects of bicycle fitment that change with fashions; I'm guessing your bike is from a time when narrow bars were preferred. I strongly suggest you keep the old bar and stem together; if they are not functional for you, just get a new bar and stem (not too new, though!). But keep the old ones so you can return the bike to 'collectible' condition if you wish.

Were it mine, I'd probably just ride it with the narrow bar... get that whole vintage bike experience.

Interesting information, regarding the GB steering stems. I got a small box full. Think I will do some measuring after I finish my Rickard's Red.

Oops, my mistake must be too much inhalation of Silvo, I've just remeasured the bars and the bulge area is 25.4.

Sorry about that!

Cheers, Matthew.

With 25.4 clamp diameter you have all kinds of options.