Source for Cheap Drop Bars
 

Howdy folks,

Is there any particular vendor that sells cheap drop handlebars? I don't need grooves for cables. I picked up an old Schwinn Worldsport (2nd one in a week, score!) the other day, but the previous owner put some crappy MTB bars on it, and the drops were nowhere to be found.

Thanks in advance!

Niagara sells them for $23 + Shipping. On ebay you can get them for $10-15 with shipping sometimes. Best source: cheap donor bikes.

Nashbar usually has something on sale

Ebay. There are several on there starting at 99c plus shipping. Some end up going for 99c, as well.

If you are not picky about what they are, then I might guess that a local LBS has a box of old ones sitting in the back.

jim

These are all sources. Some individuals feel queezy over the thought of used bars given much that's been written of failures. I haven't had them fail but then again the last time I said that a half dozen members posted that they had. This was last week. Stems were the source of the problem, a particular type but still the two are related. So much for that.
If you're going to bother to put the bars on; with the lever, taping.. WHY NOT reach for a set of wider ones, it makes alot of difference. Chances are that donor bikes are cheaper and or older. Older bikes, even as late as the late '80s had 38 to at MOST 40cm bars. I've e-bay and ended up with "used" bars, 44cm & others that had never seen a stem or tape. Virtually brand new. Niag. NB, others seem fine.

Again, if you're investing the time, why not IMPROVE over that which was.
If you wear a size 38" jacket, weigh 135.. OK, stay with a 38cm. If you're an avg. size 21st cent. Amerian male, 38 (for many 40 ) is just plain dinky.

I agree you may even score a pair with brake levers. not fancy ones but you never know. in the early '90s we used to do alot of 'hybrid conversion' and often the customer left the old drop bars behind.

I got some at my local bike co-op for $4.

i just checked out ebay again, guess i didn't search correctly the last time. i see there's a bunch, so thanks for the heads-up. i think i'll check out the local shop and the bike rescue first to see if there's anything cheap (aka no shipping fee).

thanks for all the advice :)

There's always the ISO/WTB sub forum.

I have ~10 hanging in my closet.

LBS has this pile of ITM 42's, and they aren't expensive. See the FS section: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=561810

http://www.jaysmarine.com/ITM_bar_2.jpg

-Kurt

There is a shop called the Recyclery here in town that uses them for hanging used bikes for sale!

+1 Just another good reason to pick up a donor bike. I am always amazed how many parts I have ended up reusing off a $5 or $10 donor. Tires, bars, stems, seat posts, derailleurs, wheels, shifters, brake parts, etc...

I got a set of new aluminum drop bars that are ergo and have two cable grooves on them for a cheap build for my sister. Came from Amazon and were about $10. They're kinda weak and flex if you're really cranking on it, but as a drop barred "cruiser" I can't see them being too absurd...