HandsomeRyan

There is a discussion of these bars over in the Utility forum but since the demo bike is a brakeless fixed gear I thought some folks here might be interested too.

https://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat...handlebar.html

S2landie

Looks like the milk bottle holder out of an old refrigerator.

ichitz

i don't have much experience with front loads but.. how much weight would these be able to carry as compared to front racks?

mconlonx

Love it.

If it were my bike, I'd add a front brake... and some kind of support(s) for the basket. I wouldn't trust stem pinch bolts or face plate bolts to keep the basket from rotating down, with a load and something like hitting a pothole or dropping off a curb. And if it does, what hits first--front of the basket on the tire (bad), or rear horizontal bottom tube hitting (denting?) the headtube (worse)?

Fantastic design, though.

1fluffhead

I think it would be a better design if they had mounting legs to attach it to the front wheel at the fork tabs. If you had enough weight in it or hit a big enough bump it would pull the load down as well as the handlebars.

This one just looks silly to me.

Brian

They look more pretty than utility.

HandsomeRyan

Not much and with the weight forward of the front axle the steering will get wonky pretty quick. (hard to keep weight behind the front axle with such a steep head tube though)

These were my first two thoughts when i saw it. With support braces going down to he axle or at least some P-clamps on the fork legs it would be sturdier. I doubt stem faces were designed for this kind of torsional loading.

Isn't that the quintessence of a street-ridden brakeless fixed gear bicycle though?

TejanoTrackie 

How's this for practical? >>>> https://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat...iro-costa.html

Brian

A one piece bar/stem combo would make more sense, as that would eliminate the faceplate loads.

HandsomeRyan

Adding some supports seems simple enough. P-clamps FTW.

SlowRoller

I think the responses in that thread have it covered. High COG plus direct attachment to your bars is going to produce pretty crappy handling. Struts from the rack to the front dropouts would also stiffen the fork, reducing flex. The French porteur bikes represent a better model for carrying front loads. I'd love to see how much wheel flop is involved with this thing once loaded.

leed

I couldn't agree more. Although, considering how people ride in track drops and bullhorns, I can see it not needing it. Of course, that doesn't mean someone can sit in it without the supports

Brian

Anyone riding on the street with track drops is not interested in utility.

Ryan, get to work on a new design, please.

HandsomeRyan

I was actually at Home Depot earlier today looking for some P-clamps to design something similar (but with fork-mounted support arms). I couldn't find anything that would work at the store I was at. I'll keep fighting the good fight and you know I'll post up if/when I make something.

martinus

C'mon, meow. If you thighten the stem engough, you dont need supports... esp. if all you put in there is your bf standard, a case of pbr .

Brian

I don't like the idea of a big lever, even on my Thomson.

ichitz

i'm not sure if that thing will hold a pbr. Esp. on bumpy roads..

lz4005

I'd throw a set of those on my grocery bike in a hot minute.

leed

You are correct, however I was actually referring to the amount of torque a rider can apply.

martinus

you're thinking of the electra one ...

adamzee

yeah where can I get these?

Edit: Nevermind, I clicked the link and joined the mailing list. Should be available spring 2010.

jakerock

I dont understand other peoples bikes.

letsgetsandy

why would you put those on a nagasawa? cool idea if it where actually able to carry anything though.