Searching comfortable 3t handlebar mid eighties
 

I'm restoring my first owned road bike, it's a 1988 Pinarello Treviso Columbus SL, I want to swap the handlebar for a more comfortable one, for a more level hood position , the current one is a 3t competizione Gimondi. Would have to be for internal cable routing. In extremis I would have to drill the holes myself.
Any ideas welcome.
​​​​​As the stem is a 3t I will stick to 3t.

Thanks in advance.

Internal routed 3t bars from the 80s with a bend that allows for more level hoods?
I dont think thats a thing. At least not anything Ive ever seen.

If many/most bars from the 80s had level hood positioning(and normal drop positioning at the same time), then Soma Hwy1 bars wouldnt be so popular around here.

Priority is that ir's confirtable, will drill the holes myself.

I'm with mstateglfr, I don't think that's a thing either. Are you using modern STI/Ergo levers? If so, the Soma Hwy1 is probably your best bet.

Can confirm Soma Hwy1 bars look awesome on vintage bikes and are comfy as hell and give you the positions you seek.
Like others have said, handlebars from that time period were not of that shape contour - nor had internal routing as far as I know.

Soma bars on my bikes:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9b1ecb9fb.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1cb0b6ce7.jpeg

Thanks for replies so far, I want to keep it in the mid eighties range and 3ttt brand, but it's very difficult to find the various 3ttt handlebars from the eighties and compare the shape.
THere is a Roubaix model where u drill the holes, in my case its for the aero set-up of Campagnolo C Record brake levers but in combination with super record brakes ( no the deltas from c- record).

I agree with the others that there is no such 3T bar for which you seek. The shape of bars from that era is just wrong for modern brifters though some are better than others.

Soma Highway One's are comfortable & look the part. Mine are 31.8 & undrilled. I don't know that I'd be inclined to drill holes in a handlebar; An awful lot rides on them.

What's wrong with running the cables under the bar tape? I'm afraid I don't understand your motivations.

C-record brake levers are no brifters, my set-up that I'm restoring was aero cabling through handlebar.
I will try to do it that way with a more comfortable bar, was thinking of the Merckx style bend.
The set up is with down tube shifters.

3ttt, labeled "Mod. Competizione":

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e70e8d73e4.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5605d48fbd.jpg

@elcondor - it is ill advised to drill your handlebars. A hole will create a stress riser that, over time, can cause failure. There is a reason no one has responsded to your repeated statement of drilling a hole. If it worked, HBs would be readily available with holes.

3TTT Forma: Level tops, ergo drops.

Comfortable in the drops if your hands are the right size.

No internal routing, BUT:
They do come non-grooved, single grooved (front), or double grooved (front and rear).
3TTT also made rubber "fillers" for the grooves if you are not using them for cable runs.
This is one. I have another you are more than welcome to have. Single groove (front).

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ea540c521.jpeg

DO NOT drill the bars, if the factory didn't do it, you shouldn't do it, especially this far down the road, if yours are drilled and they are classic Giamondi's, plain, silver, etc, they were drilled after the fact and should not have been even if it was Pinerello. It may have been done for racing but would likely not have been done for long term. :twitchy:

Not sure what "more level position" means. Any bars can give a level position if you tilt them upwards enough (see posts 5 and 11). I like the look of non-fixie's bars (#9) -- reasonably level tops and drops.
I'm with everyone here who says don't drill the bars! They weren't designed for it.

Just for reference. Alf Engers' bars. :)

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8fe625ffa9.jpg

More on Alf "The King" Engers:

It sounds like you want really contradictory things. On the one hand, staying with late 1980s 3ttt but wanting a hand position that was simply not how bikes were set up/riden then. These are optimized for the drops.

You can restore authentically or have a modern hand position. Both are fine, it's up to you, but you can't really have both. And it's not just about maintaining "authenticity" whatever that means. Bikes were just designed and fitted differently then. Keep in mind the whole bike as a system... Is your frame sized properly for the era? If you are showing too much seat post, then no it's not, and this is going to mean you cannot get your bars high enough to make the kind of riding position the bike was designed for comfortable.

Take a look at this, if you haven't seen it. He has bikes from earlier eras than yours in there too, but the point is basically--the height difference on a modern bike from saddle to hoods is far more extreme than the drop in the 1980s from the saddle to the drops themselves. Racers today hang out on the hoods, racers back then hung out in the drops.

https://bikeretrogrouch.blogspot.com...tions.html?m=1

I would say, get something like a Nitto Noodle bar. It also comes in 26.0mm clamp diameter, which is probably also a consideration for your stem. It can be set up with flatter extension but still looks classic. Yeah, it's not 3ttt, but the best choice I made on my early 1990s Bianchi was ditching the 3ttt bar and stem for Nitto. Authentic? i guess not. But unfortunately Italian authenticity from this era can also mean quality problems...

If you must stay Italian, expan you search to other manufacturers.

i think the "choose two: lightweight, durable, inexpensive" statement that applies here is "choose two: drilled out, safe, diy."

There is literally a Merckx Bend 3TTT model. Maybe that's what you're looking for?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/22483202328...4AAOSwA7BiBVBT

[QUOTE=non-fixie;22416494]3ttt, labeled "Mod. Competizione":

Thank you, that's exactly what I was looking for.

Thank you for all the replies so far, very helpful.
Thanks to this site I figured out the model handlebarof my built that I want to change.
It's a 3ttt competizione Gimondi bend.
I already ordered the Bar I think fits my needs-it's a 3ttt competizione Merckx bend a bit wider than the Gimondi I had.
I'm aware that vintage bars have different bends than the ones used today, but there are still differend bends among them to choose from.
What I won't do, is tilt the bar upward for a more flat hood position, I'll see how good I can position the brake levers, it will defenitely be better than it was.

[QUOTE=elcondor;22417874]You're welcome. As a matter of fact, I just unbolted them to check what was beneath the stem clamp, and they're marked "TdF 42". The actual measurement, BTW, is 40cm center-to-center.

I like this particular shape: classic bend, fairly shallow, and with ramps more or less parallel to the drops. They look good on a vintage bike IMO (as opposed to modern wide ergo-shaped bars) and allow me to use all hand positions comfortably.

For those interested and not limited to 3ttt: the Sakae Road Champion is another favorite. These too come in different sizes and shapes, but this is one I like a lot:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...865673289a.jpg

I wonder if they are noisy.

[QUOTE=elcondor;22417874]Me, too. Bid early, bid often….

Once the built is completely done I will share pictures.

So the build is done but can't post, need more posts 🙄

[QUOTE=bamboobike4;22418418]Change ebay search to "worldwide".