So I am now the owner of this:

Which I now intend to build up as a sort of novelty road/tow path bimbler, I have ordered (brace yourselves) a SRAM Automatix as a bit of an experiment, so its going to be a single speed that’s not really a single speed. I’m going to have to source some deep drop callipers and I’m getting up to speed on all the 26tpi nonsense and what’s required for converting from a cottered to square BB axle.

I don’t really want another conventional drop barred bike, but I want some sort of “Alt barred” low, backswept set-up, I’m flexible on the type of levers and I have a spare quill to ahead adapter so I can go old or new flavours stem…

Struggling to decide what I really want, hence the inspiration request, so show me pretty pictures of oddball bikes!

Whatcha got?

Velo crazy bar

Please get one of these…as I’m intrigued but want some else to be the guinea pig!

Hmmm, nah. Not quite what I’m after

some kind of north road bar. perfect for such a bike.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebars/nitto-b302aa-north-handlebars-254mm-clamp-silver-490mm/

https://freshtripe.co.uk/nitto-b302aa-north-road-bar/

I feel like a Jones loop bar, while a cliched answer, is the definitive alt bar with good reason.

I’ve had them on a few bikes and I love them.

Yeah the north roads, flipped is maybe the kind of thing I was thinking, I’m not so sure about loops, it’s going to be more of a road bike so a narrower bar with bit more backsweep would suit.

I was sort of hoping for some visual context i.e. pictures of bikes with interesting/unusual bars.

just a idea, but mary bars upside down work really well mate.

and i have a set if you want to try some

Hmmm, the sweep on Mary’s is more like 35-40 degrees? I’m thinking more like 60 degrees plus. Cheers for the offer though.

Velo crazy bar

Please get one of these…as I’m intrigued but want some else to be the guinea pig!

Not quite the same thing, but this is my setup on my commuting/general utility bike:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5EA23fK6noTJp7HN6

I find it gives a good selection of hand positions, and I manage to carry a small laptop (a Surface Pro) slung underneath it when commuting!

SRAM Automatix and North Road Bar? I give you my shopping/commuter bike…

However, I don’t think that’s quite what you are after, with your frame, and while avoiding drop bars, I would still go for something a little lower, ideally flat, which happens to look better, like a Nitto Dove, or Velo Orange Porteur or Milan?

Soma Lauterwasser.

Looks stylish and crazy enough for me. Bonus if used with reversed, bar end levers.

Cheers!
I.

So I’ve ordered this:

“retro alloy town bike handlebars” old bar and stem for £20 isn’t too bad, it’s the kind of shape I had in my head, I’ll flip the bars for a shallow drop…

Bonus if used with reversed, bar end levers.

Yes! Guess what I was googling last night.

I’m not sure whether to put long grips on or tape, and if I opt for tape how far along to wrap it, I can see me wanting to use the curved section so taping quite far in might be my preference, but you can almost guarantee I’ll scuff/tear it within a week…

@Sven how do you find the Automatix hub?
Have you done the shift point adjustment that appears to be a popular choice?

I think I am going to as I’ll be using it as more of a countryside lanes type bike rather than a round town utility type bike, which is more what that hub was designed for I think…

Those bars look to be a great find. I like your project.

Planning something similar with this old Raleigh I was given:

but with either single/fixie/flipflop or Sturmey Archer S2. Probably fixie first just to try something new (to me).

I’ve tried most all sorts of bars on my few ‘country lane cruisers’, and have enjoyed North Rounders (still have a pair in the bike bin), Mary Bar, ‘grandad’ touring bars, flat bars with XL trekking bar-ends and various drop bars.

Look fwd to yr updates OP, and to reading how it rides

I like the hub, not as nice as my Rohloff, but a little cheaper 😂 Bomb-proof(ish) inside, easy to take apart, and yes, I did the adjustment of the shifting point. I am still pretty pleased every time the hub changes gear by itself, automatixally…
I have the version with the coaster brake, hence no cables to the rear of the bike, only one cable to the mechanical disc up front.

Yep I toyed with the coaster version for simplicity’s sake, but decided to go with rim brakes, it leaves me the option to go SS/fixed/5 speed later if I wanted.

I also considered the S2, but reviews on the whole kick shifting thing are a wee bit mixed, I suppose there’s got to be an inherent compromise with a 2 speed shifterless hub either way…

The frame is a little bit smaller than I would normally choose (50cm) but it was only a tenner and I’m thinking with the flipped bars maybe needing me to get a bit lower at the front and the relative slackness of that seat tube it will all shake out about right, I’m adaptable… Dunno could be a disaster, but it’s a fun little exercise anyway.

Yep they look ‘Right’ to me:

Turns out they’re 23.8 so I thought I’d just try these on:

Not quite the look I originally had in mind, but just trying them out on the stand they offer an extra hand position and would actually improve braking from several hand positions including comfortably getting an index finger on the end of each lever from the dropped sections. I’m still toying with reverse bar end brake levers (DC188s).

I thought I’d unearth this thread now as the bike is pretty much done and I took it out for a shakedown ride this morning:

It’s an “interesting” bike, which was what I wanted.

The riding position is quite different to what I am used to, and the useful hand positions are mainly limited to on the (sides of) the hoods an in the curve of the “drop”. That is mainly due to the frame being a bit too small and the rather big (by modern standards) rake on the fork. If I use the full extent of the bars, because it puts my hands behind the steering axis the steering become quite twitchy and even though this is the most upright position, it’s probably the least pleasant to ride in.

Using the hoods is actually quite good for cranking along and put me in a ‘semi-aero'(ish) position, using the curve of the drop feels a bit like having an MTB type bar but with back and downsweep, I can comfortably brake with a single finger from there and have good control.

Seated climbing is ok, but if you need to stand up and grunt, that shorter TT means your knees are coming right up to the bars, you can’t swing the bike side to side much or you’ll be catching the bars…

The Automatix hub is quite funny, you do need to spin a bit on the flat to hit the shift speed (I don’t know if I set the shift point slightly too high perhaps) once the higher ratio engages it’s pretty much ideal for chopping along on the flats, if you have to coast for any reason and then carry on pedaling at that higher speed, you get at least 3/4 of a pedal revolution in the lower ratio while the higher gear engages so you get weird issues like if you carry enough speed into a climb from a descent it lets you start pedaling in low and then hits you with high, which then won’t disengage unless you coast briefly. I also found I was coasting through some corners and just enough speed was washing no off to stick me in low for a good few metres until I’d spun up a bit (slightly annoying). Those minor things aside I found it worked well, you basically get a good SS ratio on the flats and a bailout gear for climbs and setting off from junctions and traffic lights.

Overall with the position and the parts fitted I reckon I’d be ok riding this for 30-40 road miles, much more than that and my neck and shoulders would probably become a bit too painful…

I’m calling this a ‘Retro-Mod’ it’s a ~45 year old frameset with a hodgepodge of more recent parts on it…

Go on then let’s have the STW Critique then…

I love it, looks awesome at least. Dare I ask how big a tyre would go in there?

They’re 700x28c, on rather narrow rims, bags of room at the rear, the front should squeak a guard still so it could maybe take a 30, but 25-28 comfortably.