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What's the most and least aesthetically pleasing handlebar style to you?

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What's the most and least aesthetically pleasing handlebar style to you?

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Old 06-30-11, 06:46 PM
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Brittain
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What's the most and least aesthetically pleasing handlebar style to you?

I know each style of handlebar has its specific function that it is designed for, but ignore their actual utilitarian purpose for now. What are your favorite and least favorite handlebars to see on a bike?

My favorite: drop bars (classic, sleek, makes even a crappy bike look nice)
Least favorite: North Roads/cruiser bars (every time I see them I just cringe)
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Old 06-30-11, 07:30 PM
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Favorite: drop bars
Least favorite? Hard to say, but I'm gonna go with:
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Old 06-30-11, 07:33 PM
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Depends on the bike, a Northroads looks fine on an old Raleigh or similar bike. I prefer the older Maes or Lauterwauser bend bars to the more modern ones with the sharper bends.

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Old 06-30-11, 10:35 PM
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Those bars are hilarious, degnaw. Not sure I dislike them more than North Roads, but they are pretty awful. You think someone was actually using that track bike as a commuter?
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Old 06-30-11, 10:38 PM
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This wins ... for both

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Old 07-01-11, 12:06 AM
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Originally Posted by FlatSix911
This wins ... for both

Cute! There should be more creative and artistic designs of handlebars. A thief will hesitate to steal this one.
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Old 07-01-11, 12:13 AM
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Originally Posted by vol
Cute! There should be more creative and artistic designs of handlebars. A thief will hesitate to steal this one.
I don't know about that...
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Old 07-01-11, 12:16 AM
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Favorite: drop bars.
Least favorite: old man bars
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Old 07-01-11, 04:54 AM
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Drop bars look good on most bicycles, and I personally think proper north road bars look great on the right bike- though of course they're mainly chosen for comfort and practicality than aesthetics. Dead straight bars, particularly cut down ones, just look awful imho
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Old 07-01-11, 10:02 AM
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My least-favorite are upside-down drop bars. They usually don't have bar tape on them either.
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Old 07-01-11, 10:58 AM
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Favorites: Drop bars.
Not so much: Trekking bars. They give me flashbacks of gym torture devices.
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Old 07-01-11, 12:54 PM
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I think bullhorns look the best, while those wierd triathlon setups look a few shades more than ridiculous (almost inhuman).
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Old 07-01-11, 01:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Brittain
Those bars are hilarious, degnaw. Not sure I dislike them more than North Roads, but they are pretty awful. You think someone was actually using that track bike as a commuter?
It's not a track bike, it's an old road frame that's been converted into a fixed gear bike. They cut the handlebars short like that to supposedly make it easier to go though narrow gaps in traffic.

Does look pretty stupid, though. I see a lot of those bike leaning up against things in front of the local coffee houses, but seldom actually see them on the road. I'm in the 'burbs, though.... and there are a lot of poseurs around.
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Old 07-01-11, 02:15 PM
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I think it's a coaster brake bike, not a fixed gear.
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Old 07-01-11, 02:51 PM
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I can't answer that question without seeing the whole bike. I like dropped bars but really only on road bikes. I don't like most riser bars because they tend to be too wide and sweep back more than I like.

I really like the air brushed "tiger" handlebar but I think it would look stupid on a race bike. It did make me think about how to do that for one of my project bikes.
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Old 07-01-11, 05:02 PM
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Originally Posted by degnaw
Favorite: drop bars
Least favorite? Hard to say, but I'm gonna go with:
OMG!!!! when I saw those stubby bars I spit my coffee all over the computer screen!!

These are the bars I use on my Cruiser so I can sit upright taking pressure off my back. For my use they are the BOMB!!

https://www.amazon.com/Nirve-Cruiser-...561419&sr=8-16
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Old 07-01-11, 05:30 PM
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Handlebar aesthetics depend on the style of bike. Having said that, I generally prefer upright bars. To me the speak of bicycling being fun and relaxing whereas drop bars speak of racing and to much effort.
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Old 07-01-11, 05:36 PM
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H-bars for the ugliest.



Although those penis shaped clip-on aero bars are pretty hideous too, dunno if we're counting clip-ons.



Most attractive = old school drops.

Cinelli 66 for instance:

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Old 07-01-11, 05:44 PM
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I think cruiser bars and North Roads bars are sexy. One of my rides set up for cruising:

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Old 07-01-11, 06:08 PM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
H-bars for the ugliest.



Please....What the heck is that "bar" thing right behind the stem?

I've not seen anything like that before
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