SunnyFlorida

I have an old 6 speed Broadwalk given to me for free by a friend that I'm getting quite fond of.

Five out of the six gears still work. Rear brake works. I just had to change the brake pads. The tires are fine (front tire just needed an inner tube). The hinge and handlepost latches still function but need to be tightened and/or secured in some way.

So what's not to love? It's the handlebar. Can't stand those flat bars.

I'd like to switch out the handlebar except that it seems to be pretty attached to the non adjustable handlepost (see pic #2 above). There's no way I can expand it to take out the handlebar from the front.

Any suggestions on removing the handlebar any other way? Can it be done or am I wasting my time.

Assuming it can be done, can I fit an Aber Hallo in the hole where the handlebar would normally slip through?

Although I had an Aber Hallo on my new folder, it was already installed by the time I received my folder. Therefore, I don't know if it came in two or three pieces or if it came in one piece.

If it came in one piece, then the answer to whether or not I can use an Aber Hallo to change out the handlebar is a loud "no way".

There's no way I would be able to slip it through the front since it doesn't expand.

Hoping for a quick response since I'm going to have to decide soon whether to salvage this folder for myself to use it as a beater or give it to my nephew, who seems to have contracted folderitis from me.

SunnyFlorida

Okay, I edited my post. Just asking advice on the handlebar only.

BruceMetras

Did you try opening the quick release lever on top of the handlebar? Your picture shows it locked down.. It also looks like the part you would grab is broken (but maybe just a bad pic) .. if so, you would need to wedge it up with some flat object like a screw driver.. that should release the handlebar and it will remove once you take the grips and stuff off..

SunnyFlorida

I just closed the QR for the pic. Even with the QR totally out, that openning in the front where you would normally ease the handlebar out, does not expand much at all. It's welded in pretty much.

At best, with the QR totally open, I can wiggle the handlebar around. I can try twisting it out by forcing the front openning a little. Then maybe I can ease it out from one end but this just solves half my problem.

The next problem is whether or not an Aber Hallo can be slipped in, via the sides and not the front.

Dave1899

The answer is YES you can remove the bars and replace with a Aber Hallo. You have to remove the QR bolt and twist the handlebars until the little stop pin in the handle bar can slide through the QR gap. There is a shim around the handle bar that will come out as well and needs to be put around the Aber Hallow when you put it back in the stem. Your Aber Hallow is a 3 piece item. If needed I can take some pics for you. It's really so easy a Caveman can do it...

SunnyFlorida

Bruce & Dave - Thanks for the feedback on this one.

Frankly, I think only a caveman CAN do this. They definitely would have had the upper body strength to force the handlebar through the gap. As I mentioned before, the gap where the handlebar would normally go through does not expand. it seems to be welded to a set diameter. The QR just enables the handlebar to be rolled just enough to adjust the reach of the brake levers. It's not adjustable at all.

This Broadwalk must be at least 7-8 years old if not older and so it doesn't have the Radius V type handlepost, which would have made it "caveman simple" to take out the handlebar.

Whatever the case, I gave it to my nephew who doesn't mind the flat bar and seems to be longing for his own folder now. He also has enough spare parts from his other bikes and the savvy to make the folder fit for the road.

Russcoles11

Looks similar to my Fold-it. I had to use an old screwdriver in the gap where the QR is and open it up with some leverage. Then its simple to bend it back when you've swapped out the handlebars.

Dave1899

I'm sure your nephew will have a blast fixing it up and will be so excited to show you everything he did to make it "his" bike. If he enjoys working on bikes you might introduce him to the www.Raleightwenty.webs.com forum. If he finds one of those "R20's" at a good price he'd have fun making it into what ever he wanted.

SunnyFlorida

Russ - I'm afraid of prying open the opening. If I did that, it would surely compromise the strength of that piece. I'll eventually end up with a stem that may crack open and go postal on me since it's been stressed out Hhmmmm sounds like I'm talking about people.

Dave - Heheheheheheheh. My nephew is helping me revive an R20 I spotted in a thrift store a few months back. Together we've painted it and put the basic parts together, so far.

He has had a lot of input into the bike which includes on insisting that we use white housing instead of black because it looks aesthetically more pleasing, against the new blue frame, than white. As a result, I'm waiting for white housing since most of the bike shops around here just carry black.

This week we're put in the shifter, which came in white housing. Next week my order will be here and so we can finally finish the R20 by putting in the brakes.

This bike has been a learning experience for me, which means that my nephew has become my personal bike consultant. This means he points out what I need to do and I do it.

I'm learning a lot about bike mechanics this way. As for him, he gets a free lunch and bonding time with auntie.

Unfortunately, as the result of all this togetherness over tacos and bike grease of late, he has contracted folderitis. Needless to say, he was tickled pink when I told him he can have the Broadwalk. This is his blank canvass.

vik 

Reading Dave1899's advice I don't think he is suggesting you try and pry apart the QR gap and pull the bar out through it. I think he is suggesting you need to rotate the bars until a stop pin is in the QR gap which should let you slide the bars out sideways along the long axis of the bars. You'll have to remove the grips and brake lever/shifter on one side to do this.

Back before we had stems that opened up fully this was standard procedure.

Dave1899

Yup, that's the way to skin that cat.

Russcoles11

Oh they're straight bars? yeah ignore my advice then. Had to open the gap on my bike due to using cruiser bars and the need to get the bends through.

SunnyFlorida

Actually I was pushing out the handlebars in this way. I took off the grips, brake levers on one side to do this but it was slow going.

However, my nephew came by last night, sat on a kitchen stool and just made with the "sad eyes" as I worked on freeing the handlebars.

And yeah I "caved in" and gave him the bike. Anywho, I have three bikes now (two are folders). He only has one that he plans to give to his teen age son. His son, in turn, gives his bike to his younger brother. So in the end, it worked out.