randyjawa 

Several handlebars that looked to be bent in have come my way, over the years. The bars seemed to be symmetrical, meaning the ends were bent in an even amount. This most recent set came fitted to a completely, though well used, Torpado...


I should add that the Universal brake levers were broke. And I do mean broke. Broken into several pieces, both sides (that Duct tape is there for a reason!). Never seen such brake lever damage before and, funny thing, hardly any lever rash. Pics might follow.

Russ Roth

Measure from the end of the bar to the headtube on each side, its unlikely they would be the same and the bar be bent, if one of closer then the other, they're bent. Can also run a straight edge across the open end and see where it touches the headtube, both sides should hit the mirror opposite location, if one hits further forward or back from the other then also bent.

noobinsf 

I’ve heard that the clamps on Universal levers can be delicate and prone to damage if overtightened. I have no personal experience with them, but it looks like that happened here.

3speedslow

I have a Bergmeister with French bars that look bent but we’re made that way.


I forget the model name, velobase will tell me. During the resto...

3speedslow

Azureen by Ava.

thook

i have had two different sets of cinelli's in the past....one crit' bar and the other a 64 (maybe?). both had that kind of inward bend. never could like them

oneclick 

I think they're bent. I had a pair of bars like that that I knew were bent, because I bent them. It happened slowly over a few years; I wasn't big but I liked hills, they were skinny cheap aluminium ones on a cheap french bike, of the same period and price level as this Torpado. How thick are the walls?

jethin

Bent. I have some nice bars that I’m 95% sure are slightly bent. It drives me crazy that I’ll never be 100% sure.

Classtime 

Some folks say they start drooping from use. I doubt it. I was concerned about the bars on my rescued PX-10 but eventually convinced my self that they were designed like that.

SurferRosa

My old bars almost never measure perfectly c-c. Like, the 38s are 39s, etc.

As long as they look good and feel right, I'm ok with it. One of 'em, I put in a bench vise to make more right.

Spaghetti Legs 

Can’t say for sure but I will say I have a set of Cinelli 64-40’s with one side appearing bent from the end of the center sleeve. I have applied all kinds of torque and beat downs to try bending it back straight and it hasn’t budged. Lesson learned is that, at least for Cinelli, it takes a serious force to bend.

SurferRosa

Try the stem in a bench vise with cheater bar (like a long piece of wrought iron) in the bar-end. Might want to wrap both in something like a rag.

Wildwood

Handle bars are one of the components where I am careful about re-use of old, old, and well used bars. Bends or grooves (beyond superficial) usually inspire me to render them useless for any future bicycling purpose other than 'vintage wall hanger'. I may have erred on one or two handlebars, but given the downsides of a failure = No Regrets.

BFisher 

I'm with Wildwood. Bar failure is catastrophic, and replacement is easy.

The bars in question look bent downward on both sides from the center point out to the first bend.

Sluggo

I have experienced handlebar failure that happened soon after a minor shape adjustment, and they were similar bars (Ava or equivalent). I agree with Wildwood and BFisher -- don't try to correct the shape.

I am not certain that these bars are bent, but that looks really uncomfortable to me. And I can imagine scenarios that would bend them symetrically without marking up the brake levers. Say the bike was on a rack on the back of a car, and the driver backs into something. It would take only a touch from a car driver's perspective.

randyjawa 

This is the third or even fourth set of bars that have showed up looking like this. The others were all on French bikes and all fooled me into thinking that the design was intended. None the less, I will be using the handlebar that came with the Torpado and with no attempt to change the shape. The Universal brake levers - well, that is another story. Toast, to say the least(cracked, broken, corroded and falling apart...


But why are the levers so rash free..?

79pmooney

My rule of thumb is to replace bars and stems before they break. Since I am not in on the info loop, that means as soon as I have any doubts.

SJX426 

The PO turned the bike upside down to fix flats!

thook

and then proceeded to jump on it...lol

maybe it was dropped. or maybe ran into something with it on a roof rack. i've done the latter

randyjawa 

That was my first thought, also. But look at where the levers are placed on the handlebar. Would the brake adjusters even touch the ground, if the bike were turned upside down? If it is possible that the rider was strong enough to bend the handlebar, then it would be possible for him or her (gotta be fair) to crack up the levers also?

Not sure how others feel, but one would have to be pretty strong just to make use of the drive/transmission (52/47 driving a five cog 14-22). Hard for an old guy like me to push these tight gears...


This is not the first cracked Universal lever to come my way. I am guessing, but at least half a dozen, and probably more, have showed up cracked. This is the first set that came my way with adjuster barrels actually broken completely free. Other levers have sported barrels that were not solid, though. Pretty sure that I have a spare set at the lake cottage. Also got a spare little black hoodie also (I hope).

non-fixie 

Pity about the levers. I like those. They are cheap, fit my hands well and replacement hoods are readily available.

Markeologist

Looks like classic bad casting, metal is just rotting away.

T-Mar

They are almost certainly bent. I've never seen handlebars with a bulge formed centre section that wasn't straight. The fact that these start drooping within the span of the bulge, tell me they are bent.

Murray Missile 

Regarding the brake levers, having worked in Quality Assurance for 42 years I would suspect a "flaw" in the chemistry of the aluminum from the supplier leading to age embrittlement. They probably cheapened the alloy up a bit to save a few Francs not anticipating a bunch of eccentrics like us trying to still use them 5 decades in the future. Or not.

randyjawa 

Though I have no proof, I would have to agree with Murry Missle regarding the makeup of the metal. To that add that the design, with the brake adjusting barrel swagged into place on a flat plate all but invites failure. Just a couple more examples of Universal levers in failure mode...