DavidARayJaxNC

What are these bars called?

cudak888 

"North-Road". Unquestionably the most comfortable upright handlebar ever concieved, and my only bar of choice for upright-bar machines (flat bars belong on MTBs that are used offroad, and nowhere else, thank you!)

-Kurt

seely

One of the most comfortable, versatile bars out there. I love the steel Nitto Northroad version.

DavidARayJaxNC

I was thinking about using these bars on my touring bike. I have 3 sets, if anyone else wants a set. How all canyou set them up, you say versitile, does that mean it has many hand positions that work well?

jcm

Hi David,
We've been e-mailing back and forth. The versatility question is one best directed at drops or certain other types in my opinion. North Road bars are, like Cudak888 says, extremely comfortable just the way they are. I alluded to this in my last e-mail to you. The thing about this type of arrangement is this: If you dial-in the saddle height (using the proper model saddle)with the grip height and angle, you get the benefit of avoiding the 'happy hands' thing that afflicts so many riders using other types. With drop bars, you need multiple positions because none of them is completely natural for very long. With North Roads, you may find that you're in the sweet spot from the get-go.

Go ahead and try them on a touring bike. The pics I sent you show my Trek520 with those installed. Also that MTB. Note that the grips are just a tad higher than the saddle. Start there. Tilt the saddle up and move it forward until you have minimal pressure on your hands but no so far that you get uncomfortable on the saddle. My rule of thumb is: Spine aligned with seat stays when using North Roads.

I've done several centuries on both bikes with this set-up with no problems except some headwind on occasion. If you absolutely must have maximum aero efficiency, these ain't for you. Remember that you create your own headwind over 13mph, so you won't be as zippy in most cases as the guys on the race bikes. These are utilitarian, all purpose handlebars, and are by far the most ergo-correct there is.

Set them up with ordinary MTB brake levers. You can use thumb shifters or bar-ends off the tour bike. The grip sleeves will secure the shifter cables with the bar-ends. Your stem clamp will need to accept the 25.4mm clamp area of the bars.

jcm

Seely: those are very pretty but they don't look like NorthRoads. Are they Albatross upside down? Nice bike.

These are North Roads upside down for comparison:

MnHPVA Guy

I beg to differ. I've North Roads on the majority of my bikes. In fact NRs are perfect on recumbents. But on 3 bikes I care more about long distance comfort than the classic look. Here's my "day long ride" setup.



JCM: The bars on your grey bike are what I think of when I hear "North Road bend". But I've seen bars with everything from 30 degree to 70 degree bends and anywhere from 1" to 4" rise sold as "North Road". Seely's bars certainly look like Nitto NRs to me.

Grand Bois

Where can I get some steel Northroads?

DavidARayJaxNC

Yea, I am planning on throwing those on today, I have stem shifter so all I have to do is pop the brake cable on the new bars. Is wald like an old TD One? Maker of old low end parts? Never heard of them before these bars.

barba

Harris Cyclery has Nitto Northroad bars for $30.

DavidARayJaxNC

I have 3 or 4 sets, I need one. If anyone wants to trade. They are all New Old Stock bars from the early 70's I am pretty sure.
I need a good set of bar end shifters or a set of candy c pedals.

DavidARayJaxNC

Do you think a good set of aero bars would be a good idea?

Grand Bois

Harris sells Nitto aluminum Northroads. Bar end shifters won't fit. You can only put Bar end shifters on 7/8" diameter bars if they're steel or heat treated aluminum. The wall thickness is too great on a standard 7/8" diameter aluminum bar. That's why I'm looking for steel.

DavidARayJaxNC

I have steel ones Those should work. Right?

seely

Thanks, and ditto to your bikes, but believe it or not, they are actual Nitto Northroads, flipped and chopped a bit.

DavidARayJaxNC

[QUOTE=MnHPVA Guy]I beg to differ. I've North Roads on the majority of my bikes. In fact NRs are perfect on recumbents. But on 3 bikes I care more about long distance comfort than the classic look. Here's my "day long ride" setup.



Can you tell me where I can get brake levers like that?

cyclotoine

are you sure? The REALLY look like moustache (sp?) bars.

Sheldon Brown

I think jcm is correct there. Those bars don't have as much rise or reach as North Road bars.

I don't think so...those look like MTB "riser" bars upside down.

North Road bars have the grip region more swept back. The bars in the photos appear to have the grips at about a 45 degree angle to the top tube, though it's tough to tell from the angle the photo was made from. They also appear to have less reach than true North Road bars.

Most English made 3-speeds that were sold in the U.S. have North Road bars (Though in England, the straighter "all rounder" style is more common.)

See also: https://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_n-o.html#northroad

Sheldon "North Road" Brown

raverson

Bike Parts USA has steel Northroads. Both Wald #8095 and also a Pyramid brand. They also are one of the few places that I found to carry Kenda 1 3/8 S-6 Schwinn style tires in a gumwall.

https://www.bikepartsusa.com/product_...&p=01%2D109944

MnHPVA Guy

Nope. They're Delta Ergo levers which went out of production about 10 years ago. I bought 10 sets at close out. I'm down to 3 sets left and they aren't for sale.

MnHPVA Guy

Do you have a drill press, capable of drilling 7/8" holes in 3/4" thich aluminum, and 3/4" & 7/8" drill bits? If so, I can tell you how to make a simple fixture that will allow you to reliably and accurately drill out the ends of the bars to fit bar end shifters.

seely

Well, I ordered North Road bars from QBP, and got those bars in a sleeve with a sticker on it that said "Nitto North Road". This is interesting. I did chop them quite a bit, perhaps thats part of the issue? I suppose its possible QBP has their bars mislabeled?


This is the bar I have: https://www.webcyclery.com/product.ph...cat=455&page=1

From another angle:

cyclotoine

I begin to see it now, that is a very nice international BTW.

Grand Bois

I've got the drill press, but not the bits. I think they'd cost me more than the bars. Thanks anyway. I think I found some steel ones.

Wouldn't it be easier to modify the shifters?

MnHPVA Guy

I wouldn't know where to begin.

Took about 20 minutes to make the fixture and drill the 1st set of bars. I've done about 10 sets since and each takes about 10 minutes, including set-up time.