MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Evening all.
I bought an old Carlton Pro AM 80’s racer off a guy I was doing some work for a few years back. Slowly dismantled it, good clean, re-greasing, new tires etc etc. So last weekend and maiden voyage. And well, I love it. Feels light and fast. But I can’t get on with those weird 80’s low and narrow dropbars. It’s a shame because I wanted to keep it as original as possible and it looks great. It just feels unsafe as I’ll rarely be down in the drops darth-vadering around the Peak District. More like Sustrans/towpath/pub duties.
So I’m usually leaning on the top bar, so if something unforeseen happens there’s no way I’ll have time to get down to operate the brakes. So what are my options? New, modern wider bar? What about those old ‘suicide bar’ levers? Can they be retrofitted? Is the name justified? 😕. Or maybe tweak the brakes so there’s not so much travel in the lever as I can get a finger onto them if I ride on the hoods…
Or do you just get used to it? Never had a racer before. Went from trike/grifter/bmx/mtb.
Ta x
The suicide levers attached to the hoods are utterly useless, don't even bother.
Get some in line levers, they'll work better, tektro RL720 as a starter to give you an idea.
And then Cinelli 64s for bars, or 63's if you can find them.
SJS Cycles probably have a modern shaped bar in polished aluminium that'll match.
Brilliant. Thanks 🙏
Most brakes of that era were pretty rubbish in comparison to modern ones - skinny callipers that visibly flex and rock hard rubber blocks with no bite. Fit some modern polished alloy callipers with some matching levers with comfortable hoods - not as gash looking as fitting in-line levers which won’t hide the fact the brakes are still rubbish.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/deda-speciale-26-handlebar?
Not expensive, nice silver shallow and compact bars with a great round bend shape. Got a set on my (lugged steel) audax bike, they look the part and I prefer the older bend shape generally.
I f you don't like drops how about some " north road bars"? They would look appropriate on that sort of bike IMO especially inverted as people often rode them
Most brakes of that era were pretty rubbish in comparison to modern ones – skinny callipers that visibly flex and rock hard rubber blocks with no bite.
Yeah, if its got the stamped steel rubbish or cheapy cast ally ones, replacing them might be best.
The 80's are awkward though, some brakes were actually starting to get better, or good for single pivots. You had Campag GS and various copies/clones, decent pads in those and they weren't *bad*. Modolo were ok, as were the various shimano offerings.
Never going to be as good as a current model Dura-Ace caliper on modern rims though.
Think the silver bits are Suntour and Weinmann from memory. Centre pull aluminium I think.
The new bars recommended look the same as what’s already on at first glance, or are they wider? That would help with stability, and am assuming ‘inline’ levers work in tandem with the drop levers? This solution sounds ideal. Cheers.
Tj, I think my next project will be a tourer. Maybe with butterfly bars.
Photo of said bike:
You may need to look at late 80's Shimano single pivots - they are very good, but wouldn't be quite correct for the bike. I've got DA and 600 single pivots on my early 90's bikes and they stop well, and from the hoods, but they are short drop - i.e. race clearance. I rarely use the drops these days, and find riding on the tops/hoods more comfy.
As has been suggested, the in-line brakes will be a good alternative - the calipers will still be rubbish.
The new bars recommended look the same as what’s already on at first glance, or are they wider? That would help with stability,
The front end geometry, weight distribution and speed give stability, not the width of the bars. You don't even need wide bars for leverage. Trackies are using 34/35/36 cm bars to do sprints and starts in the 1-2+ kW range... CX riders are also moving to 36/38 cm bars as well.
and am assuming ‘inline’ levers work in tandem with the drop levers? This solution sounds ideal. Cheers.
Yes, they replace a section of the outer cable and effectively increase the length of the outer when you pull the lever.