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Looking for old Brahma Bars

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Old 09-11-12 | 05:52 PM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

Looking for old Brahma Bars

HI!

I bought this old Univega (circa 1990) for cheap. I thought the handlebars looked weird and clunky and figured I would change them out. But then I rode the bike a bit and they are the best bars I've ever used (love the bike, too). That bike stays at my parents' house in New York and I live in Berkeley, CA...so now I need another set of these wacky handlebars. Does anyone know where to find them? I've found Zoom Brahma bars at BikePro, but they don't have the second curl at the top. Most Brahma bars are made for fixies and are only 42cm wide. I need 'em much wider, like 56cm...

Thanks!
Tina
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Last edited by Foxfire; 09-11-12 at 05:53 PM. Reason: added a line
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Old 09-11-12 | 05:58 PM
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Can't help you with the bars but I remember them being out there for a couple years.

Wow...look at that stem. You are freaking me out Tina. As long as it fits!
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Old 09-11-12 | 06:23 PM
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How about these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Aluminum-all...item2c67a9f3f2

Or these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scott-AT-2-L...item4607af8705

Or these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Scott-AT...item4607a75021

I had a set of the Scott AT-2 LF bars. I loved them, but they were a little too flexy for my taste, and the reach was too far, even with a short stem, so I sold them. They were incredibly light and very comfortable.
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Old 09-11-12 | 06:29 PM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

Yeah, I reversed the stem...bike was way too stretched out for a girl with long legs and short upper body. The bike shop guys said, ooooooh, that's dangerous, but hey, every motorcycle in the world has a 'reversed' stem and bars that are set behind the plane of the front axle, why shouldn't a bike be set up that way. It steers fine and the bike fits better than any bike I ever had, finally I'm not stretched out and uncomfortable all the time!

Last edited by Foxfire; 09-11-12 at 06:29 PM. Reason: added a phrase
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Old 09-11-12 | 06:34 PM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

Ok, wow, you guys are good! Thanks so much!
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Old 09-12-12 | 03:45 AM
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I run across those handlebars from time to time and I would bet my bottom dollar that there is a set, or two, or three... at the Bicycles for Humanity workshop. The trick is getting at them.
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Old 09-12-12 | 06:41 AM
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I have a set, called Delta Ergo. I liked them. You want them? Other than the clamp area which I think is 25.4mm, it has a weird 19mm diameter.
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Old 09-12-12 | 10:44 AM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

Ah, thanks for the nod to Bicycles for Humanity...very fine organization...will look them up in the Bay Area!
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Old 09-12-12 | 10:44 AM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

Originally Posted by noglider
I have a set, called Delta Ergo. I liked them. You want them? Other than the clamp area which I think is 25.4mm, it has a weird 19mm diameter.
Would LOVE them! How wide are they and how much would you want for them?
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Old 09-12-12 | 10:46 AM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

Originally Posted by noglider
I have a set, called Delta Ergo. I liked them. You want them? Other than the clamp area which I think is 25.4mm, it has a weird 19mm diameter.
While checking out the Delta Ergo's I found a link to a Scott Handlebar AT2, AT3, AT4 - each with increasing degrees of wraparound. Of course, they are no longer made either!
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Old 09-12-12 | 01:10 PM
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Bikes: 1995 Trek 520 is the current primary bike.

I've got a set in the garage, but since you said they were the best ever I'm going to have to try them now. I'll try to remember to measure them tonight. Do you have a better pic showing how you have your brake levers mounted on them?
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Old 09-12-12 | 04:03 PM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

Originally Posted by treebound
I've got a set in the garage, but since you said they were the best ever I'm going to have to try them now. I'll try to remember to measure them tonight. Do you have a better pic showing how you have your brake levers mounted on them?
OMG, you do?? The same bars? So the thing about why they are the best ever for me is kinda weird. I'm not sure anyone else rides with the set up that I like best. You can see in the first picture that I have the stem turned around. And then I angled the Brahma bar at a much steeper angle than they are intended so that I can actually grip the bars on the 'upside' and pull back while pedaling and get tremendous power using my back and arms as well as my legs for strength. It's almost like the power you get standing up on the pedals, but I can get that power seated...and not bent way over in a racing tuck. And then I can also use the very top of the bars, sitting up pretty straight on the bike and give my hands a little break from the other positions.

So here's a better picture of how the brake lever/shifters are mounted...

ps. I have since cleaned the 'goo' off of the stem!
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Last edited by Foxfire; 09-12-12 at 04:12 PM. Reason: I embedded same picture twice...cant figure out how to delete
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Old 09-12-12 | 08:25 PM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

My position with the Brahma bars

So I thought to include a couple of pictures of my position with the bike set up really short and with the bars tilted so that I can actually pull BACK on the bars as I pedal instead of leaning forward on them. I know it's totally strange, but it feels fantastic to me....check it out.
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Old 09-12-12 | 08:32 PM
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I have some GTs. They only curve back inward a couple of inches. Width is 54.6"

Best pic I have of them, I'll see if I can't snap a rider's POV pic tomorrow.


2011-10-18_16-33-13_808.jpg by Lester Of Puppets, on Flickr
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Old 09-12-12 | 08:56 PM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

I had a set of the Scott AT-2 LF bars. I loved them, but they were a little too flexy for my taste, and the reach was too far, even with a short stem, so I sold them. They were incredibly light and very comfortable.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that's why I reversed my stem! I'll check out the Scots, they look great, thanks much!
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Old 09-12-12 | 09:00 PM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
I have some GTs. They only curve back inward a couple of inches. Width is 54.6"

Best pic I have of them, I'll see if I can't snap a rider's POV pic tomorrow.


2011-10-18_16-33-13_808.jpg by Lester Of Puppets, on Flickr
Those look great! Do you know what GT called them?
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Old 09-13-12 | 06:51 AM
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From: between Milwaukee and Sheboygan in Wisconsin

Bikes: 1995 Trek 520 is the current primary bike.

I remember now where I got the Brahma style bars, they came off of an old exercise bike that I was junking out.

In the picture is an aluminum bar with up-turned ends that I'm planning on using one day. I think the ends are bent to accept barend/barcon shifters. I just haven't found the right bike to use them on yet. Showing you to give some possible ideas to consider.

The Brahma style bar is steel and measures about 52-54cm at the center of the bar in the middle of the bends.

The final one is a Soma Urban Pursuit and measures around 42-45 wide. You might look at what Soma offers since the riding position of the pursuit bars might replicate what you are getting with the Brahma's on your bike now.
https://www.somafab.com/parts/handlebar
https://www.somafab.com/archives/prod...suit-handlebar

You might also check into the funky looking but functional Butterfly style trekking bars that some folks really like.
https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/handlebars/index.html
https://www.commutebybike.com/2011/05...ther-comforts/
https://www.wallbike.com/kalloy/handl...fly-handlebars

Hope this helps some.

Mike
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Old 09-13-12 | 04:17 PM
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Bikes: my favorite is the 1993 Specialized Rockhopper I picked up for $50 last year and the 199ish Univega Altima 5.1.

Hello treebound Mike,

Thanks so much! Those Soma Fab Urban Pursuit bars are a great idea. I like your aluminum bar best!
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