Lots of bikes that I've seen here in Sweden have handlebars that are very similar to the Wald ones you used. I suppose the popularity is why Wald has made them for so long, even with such high manufacturing labor costs as you find in the USA.

I suppose the last modification barely took one bottle each of vodka and Jägermeister?

I know I should just let you be-

I see bars set up like that, and I think "hobo." I don't care if they're configured minutely differently. I wouldn't give them a second look. Hobo. Bum. DWI. You, yourself referred to them as "bum bars." I live down the street from a liquor store. I see these bikes laying on the sidewalk in front of the liquor store. I do not see these bikes out and about on recreational rides.

As to who cares... I do. I work hard for my stuff- I deserve to have stuff that I'm proud of because I've earned it. It seems that you're proud of your bike. Cool. It's a cool bike to be proud of, and it's in great shape and it's an immensely practical machine with the baskets you have set up. You were proud enough of it to post pictures on the internet and ask strangers what they thought. That's awesome. I think you have a really cool machine that's worthy to be proud of. I would like it to look nice for you. You've gotten more than 4 people in this thread that have made mention of the DWI-ness of the bike. It would be really nice if no-one made any comments about "bum bars" or "hobo" or "DWI" or "assload of beers" or 'less than a bottle of vodka and Jaegermeister.' I would be most happy if people saw your machine and ONLY thought that it was a cool bike with a variety of purpose.

I wish you the best, and I sincerely hope you enjoy your bike and riding your bike.

The bum-bars thing made me laugh, just yesterday a guy from the local labor-pool stopped by for me to true up his S/A hub wheel, and was telling me he wanted some old "racing bars" so he could flip them around the other way, I gave him an old set, and he was stoked. First thing he does when he gets off work is to grab a 4-pack and I see him come by most days, with only 2 left in his handle-bar basket by the time he gets by my place 2 miles from the store...

I had an '86 Traveler in pristine shape I sold in 2 hours on C/L a couple months ago. They're good bikes.

A few guys here have posted good results using those paint pens they sell at craft & hobby stores.

I've had a few with the detailed lugs, and on yours I would continue with the yellow/white graphic scheme. Like on the headtube, I'd put white around the top lug and yellow around the bottom. Same with the seat tube and down tube, etc, you get the picture. It would be unique, since no one ever does it that way.

Still following your thread, loving the progress. Keep it up.

Check your rim width with tire compatibility and see if it could even work would be step 1 IMO with the current problem.
The charts on this page down at "Width Considerations" http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

It's looking great. I'm glad you changed the bars. Those bars look like they belong. I never associated the flipped drop bars the same as everyone else, but I never thought it looked right. Everything you've done looks good. Nice bike.

I don't know....I think maybe I would have gone with this sort of handlebar setup, for that really unique/unusual look.....

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=365107

(I am kidding, of course) :p

I think your bike in it's current configuration looks really nice......has that classy, utilitarian look....I really like it a lot. I had an '86 Schwinn Traveler a few years back, and they're really nice riding bikes. :thumb:

While the inverted drop bars didn't look horrible, and I certainly don't think DUI when I see them.....more like 'I either can't afford or don't want to take the time to put the right kind of handlebars on this thing, so there' kind of look. Also, I picked up a super course a couple months back that had the inverted drop bars, and man, did it ever seem twitchy in the handling with the bars like that(it seemed to handle a ton better when the drop bars were put back to normal)......so it might actually handle better with those nice bars you now have on it.

Again, it's your bike, so go with what pleases you.

But I like the Traveler's current look......just looks really sweet, imo.

For $11 it might be worth it to just buy another tire to solve that seating problem. I had a similar issue seating some 27x1-3/8" Club Roost Cross Terra tires on 27x1-1/4" (non-hook) rims, so I ran them at 50psi for awhile and they straightened out.

I have a plethora of old Raleighs with 27X1 1/4 tires and find that sometimes the tube is actually under the tire and trying to push it out. Let all the air out and try to work the tube to the center of the rim. It generally solves the problem.
Good luck.
Some of my gum wall 27's.
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...1&d=1390856457