Happy Feet

You're welcome.

https://www.amazon.com/Nitto-B2500-S...758285&sr=8-11

djb

I have a straight , cheap and heavy steel bar in my pile of old bars taken off bikes, I’d give it away gladly.
any used bike shop or coop will have cheap,heavy steel bars at the bottom of a cardboard box with old bars in it, guaranteed.

Happy Feet

Here's a bike I picked up from the side of the road because I want to use the saddle for a recovering project. I'll pull the bars, saddle, brakes and rack for my parts bin and scrap the rest. The entry level steel bars, while a little ugly, are still probably stronger than most modern Al or CF ones. They just don't fail that way.

HopHornbeam

Please don't get into an argument about interpretations because I started asking about steel bars. I understood what you all meant, and I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. We may have different ideas about what should be on a bike, and that's OK.


It just so happens that I do have easy and low cost access to lots of good basic steel bars: think 1980s or '90s steel Diamondback mountain bike bars for a couple of dollars at the local bike collective.

Happy Feet

It's ok. Often threads take on tangents after the initial question has been discussed

Wilfred Laurier

Complete BS. Those bars are exactly the ones that will bend and give any bike ‘Sad Bar Syndrome’, if actually ridden. A terrible suggestion for the OP asking for bars with increased strength.

Also, I noticed the ‘basic cheap steel bars from a mom and pop LBS’ you linked was a $35 set off Amazon. #fail

Happy Feet

And yet, there they are not bent. We'll assume that bike wasn't ridden. Sheesh, how can someone indicate an example that so clearly disproves the point they are making.

Something tells me most people would consider $35 for a set of bars to be cheap but I could waste my time and do what you seem so incapable of and scour the net for... minutes to find a cheaper set, or even go down to the LBS and take a picture - but it's clear you would still find something else to argue about. You have some strange bee in your bonnet and seem to want to vent your spleen towards me but that's your problem, not mine.

I'll continue to try to be helpful.

Leebo

Try some Surly ones or Salsa.

Happy Feet

The Surly cheater bar is chromo steel and a modern 31.8 diameter. $80 at JensonUSA: https://www.jensonusa.com/Surly-Cheater-Handlebar

veganbikes

Please make sure to properly torque all components, tightening to the point of stripping is not proper torque and can lead to issues. Also use the proper grease, anti seize or thread locking compounds when needed. Go back and check things once and while too just in case.

Surly Moloko bars are really nice for touring and are steel. Granted I don't think it is material that is causing issues but the Moloko bars are excellent regardless. You could also try TiCycles and get some titanium bars in a thicker construction and he can do all sorts of custom work as well if there is a particular style you are going for.

djb

hophom,
Would you be willing to take 10 mins and remove one of your bikes stems and stem plates, check bolts, grease them with some thick anti seize grease, and retorque, listening for funny sounds while torquing to proper levels, and then seeing if you still have the sounds you are referring to?

also, heck I might as well ask, a bb chance these bikes, bars, have had crashes, ie damage?

HopHornbeam

No. It's not that important. I'm just looking for options for new builds. I'll get to it eventually, but not any time in the near future.

djb

Sure, for future stuff, car anti seize thick grease that comes in a bottle with a brush on the cap, is a bit messy, but being really thick (think they put zinc or something in it) it really helps stopping rack bolts from coming loose.
Downside it makes your fingers dirty, but great long lasting stuff if you don't remove things often, pedals, racks.

I've seen mechanics use wax for filling in bolt threads for fenders and racks, must be cleaner to use. They have a big block of wax and rub bolt threads in it before screwing then in.

all the best with getting a quieter bar setup in future.

saddlesores

don't think the question came up..........would this be an older bike with a quill stem?

skidder

The handlebars on old Schwinn bicycles (1970s and early-1980s) were steel. The only limitation on them is most were somewhat narrow (40cm-42cm) if that a concern for you. I've got a few drop-style ones hanging up in my garage, I use them to store extension cords. As for the creaking, I'd suggest looking at the stem/handlebar interface; since you mention you torqued the bolts on the stem pretty good, there's a good chance it might be overstressed and possibly cracking at that point (especially if its an aluminum stem). One of these days you could be cycling down the road you're handlebars will just come off the bike!.

HopHornbeam

One is a quill stem, the other is a threadless with a two bolt faceplate. Both are aluminum. The quill has bullhorns and is my current commuter, the faceplate has MTB flat bars.

Also, I do a lot of mountain biking, and technical dismounts (“crashing,” while letting the bike fall and sticking a landing) has become pretty intuitive, so I really don’t connect front end failure with being injured. Once you know how to fall, you don’t have to worry so much. Goes for a lot of disciplines.

HopHornbeam

Also, how do you quote somebody’s post?

saddlesores

pretty pointless thread, then.

you're not interested in the advice you're getting that would solve your problem,
and you could have easily found steel bars yourself on ebay or your lbs.

sure, you can put on some steel bars if you like, but you're still prolly gonna have squeeky dry joints.

veganbikes

You click "Quote" at the bottom of their post. It will bring you to this screen and you can type your response as I have done here.

Vintage Schwinn

If you are seeking Steel Tourist Style (upright riding) chrome plated handlebars in a shape similar to the shape that (gorillimo 02-24-24 post #24 ) is pictured there.

The SCHWINN 7881 handlebar is great. (the old standard 25.4mm clamp, 7/8" (22.2mm) outer tube diameter)
Easily found in near perfect condition at all times on ebay in the $22 to $25 total cost range (shipping included).
Most common in the 1967 to 1977 era on things like Schwinn Breeze, Schwinn Collegiate, Schwinn Suburban, Schwinn Speedster, etc.....
You'll notice that these bars will have the year they were made stamped on the portion which is not visible under the stem's clamp when mounted.
SCHWINN 7881-67 is from 1967 bicycle............SCHWINN 7881-71 is from 1971.............SCHWINN 7881-75 is from 1975......you get the picture....
Like I said, you'll find these all the time on the bay in near perfect shape ( with no chrome pitting, no rust, and shiny near perfect chrome..) for
something like $13 and $11.75 shipping or $9 and $16 shipping.....you get the picture...............There is no need to pay more than $25 total cost
as there were millions of these old Schwinns made and most of these old bikes bring more money when parted out so there are a great many folks who
have a sideline business of selling these. These old bars have a high quality chrome plating, something that no one else could match after the fifties.
If you don't see "PERFECT" examples of these old bars in the $22 to $25 total cost range, keep looking on the bay for a few days.

There are other Schwinn handlebars. The 7881 bars are my favorite.
I always use the Weinmann brake levers from old Schwinn bikes too.........Red Dot eyepokers, Red Dot, Gold Dot..........whatever as long as they appear to be in great shape and cosmetically nice. As you know, the old Weinmann's have stamped on their clamp attachment portion(22.2) for fittment on to a 7/8" (22.2mm) outer diameter bar tubing. In my opinion these Weinmann's are superior to many of the other levers that were found on some other brands' bikes including Raleigh among others.

Some useful Schwinn handlebar details:
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/19...lebars.154047/

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/wh...ampted.126034/
(you'll notice that the above has an APRIL 1962 Schwinn chart which does not have the 7881, as the 7819 came before it.)

https://bikehistory.org/parts/handlebars.html


Anyone seeking a decent set of chrome plated steel tourist handlebars to fit a 25.4mm clamp, should consider the old SCHWINN 7881 handlebar.
These work well on most any CRUISER, vintage 3 speed, or bike boom era 10 speed that you wish to remove the drop bars for tourist-upright riding.
Heck, I have placed these on everything you can imagine, including brand new Hyper, Huffy Cranbrook, Pacific Cycle-schwinn Wayfarer, and the Jimmy Buffet
and Nel Lusso bikes that some of my neighbors at my Hilton Head beach house own. Those old 7881 bars have a more comfortable shape than what currently
comes on those new $150 Wal-mart bikes. The fifty year old 7881 bars look like new as the chrome shines. The ancient 7881 bars also are more weather resistant
than the bars on those new bikes today. I've even installed these ancient 7881 Schwinn chromed steel bars on other bicycles where we changed the stem also so that the bikes get a chrome plated stem instead of the black one the cheap new Walmart-Target bike came with.
Yes, as mentioned earlier by someone else, WALD still makes an assortment of several handlebar styles. The current WALD bars are decent but they do not come close to the quality of a used 45 year old to 60 year old SCHWINN handlebar in very good to excellent condition. Place any manufacturer's current new bar offerings, including WALD, side by side with any 50 year old SCHWINN bar that is in just average condition, and the average condition SCHWINN bar from the year 1970 will look better even if it has a concrete scrape. An average condition 50 year old bar will look better and have better chrome than the new handlebar from the year 2020.
Find a near perfect, ancient SCHWINN handlebar in very good to excellent shape and it will have five times better of an appearance than any brand new, current day (2020) chrome plated steel handlebar. You'll also be happy to know that the ancient SCHWINN chrome plating cleans up really well, if you take one of those copper pot scrubbers, "scourers" and Comet or Ajax and water. Some folks say that the chrome plating on SCHWINN bars is the better between about 1973 and 1963 but most everything between about 1957 and 1978 is outstanding.