Hi
I want to fit some wider bars on my old school tourer and quite fancy these Nitto bars https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HBNIB115/ ... -handlebar. Price is good at £24.99 but the clamp size is 25.4mm whereas I measure the current bars at 26mm.
What is the hive mind? Can I fit a 25.4mm into a 26mm stem & just nip it up a bit, fit a shim, or just find 26mm bars?
Also, it's so long since I bought a new bar, is width usually measured centre to centre or is it the outside (maximum) width?
Thanks all.
Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
Re: Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
Depending on your weight, how things are used, then you can shim it. In the absence of suitable shim material, look at beer cans as a source - cuts with scissors, take care, the cut edges are very sharp.
No, over-tightening a 26 to clamp a 25.4 probably doesn't work well.
No, over-tightening a 26 to clamp a 25.4 probably doesn't work well.
Re: Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
Shims are available, e.g.https://freshtripe.co.uk/nitto-handlebar-shim/.
However, unless you want exactly the reach and drop of the B115, I would suggest investigation of other bars with the classic shallow curve drop and a 26mm diameter.
I have the Nitto M185. According to the specifications I've seen, it has a 140mm drop and 82mm reach, compared with 140mm/100mm for the B115. The M185 also has a single front concealed cable groove.
Another option is the Deda Speciale, but you'll have to find drop and reach measurements for that yourself.
Nitto measure centre to centre, but Deda measure outside to outside, i.e. Nitto's 42cm is more or less equivalent to Deda's 44cm.
NB I suggest you also consider the Nitto M177 Noodle bar. I don't have them, but everyone who does, including forum posters on here, seems to find them very good. Unlike Nitto's other bars, they are measured from the centre to centre of the middle of the curve, instead of at the bar ends (which are somewhat flared and a different measurement), and based on Rivendell's comments (who commissioned the design originally), I suspect someone who normally would buy 42cm Nitto bars might find it better to size up to the 44cm version of the Noodle.
https://www.rivbike.com/products/nitto-noodle-handlebar
However, unless you want exactly the reach and drop of the B115, I would suggest investigation of other bars with the classic shallow curve drop and a 26mm diameter.
I have the Nitto M185. According to the specifications I've seen, it has a 140mm drop and 82mm reach, compared with 140mm/100mm for the B115. The M185 also has a single front concealed cable groove.
Another option is the Deda Speciale, but you'll have to find drop and reach measurements for that yourself.
Nitto measure centre to centre, but Deda measure outside to outside, i.e. Nitto's 42cm is more or less equivalent to Deda's 44cm.
NB I suggest you also consider the Nitto M177 Noodle bar. I don't have them, but everyone who does, including forum posters on here, seems to find them very good. Unlike Nitto's other bars, they are measured from the centre to centre of the middle of the curve, instead of at the bar ends (which are somewhat flared and a different measurement), and based on Rivendell's comments (who commissioned the design originally), I suspect someone who normally would buy 42cm Nitto bars might find it better to size up to the 44cm version of the Noodle.
https://www.rivbike.com/products/nitto-noodle-handlebar
Re: Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
If it's an ITM stem then they were made with a clamp of 25.8 mm to accommodate both 25.4 and 26.0 bars
Link to an earlier thread. viewtopic.php?t=37659
Link to an earlier thread. viewtopic.php?t=37659
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway X2, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 
Re: Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
Thanks folks.
Aye, buying a 26mm bar does seem the sensible way forward. The Deda Speciale does seem a good option. Drop & reach are 135 & 80mm which works for me. https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod171868 Price is good too.
My current bars are 38cm wide. For the life of me, I have no idea why I put up with them so long.
Aye, buying a 26mm bar does seem the sensible way forward. The Deda Speciale does seem a good option. Drop & reach are 135 & 80mm which works for me. https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod171868 Price is good too.
My current bars are 38cm wide. For the life of me, I have no idea why I put up with them so long.
geomannie
Re: Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
Noodles are very good - I have them on two bikes. Deeper and with longer reach than the usual road bars, which for me is a big plus on long rides. Do check the reach vs your existing bars, as you might need to change the stem anyway. (Zenith do a range of 26mm clamp stems - Spa and HubJub stock them.)
When you write “old school”, is that old enough to have a threaded steerer and quill stem? If so, then there is quite a bit of choice online in 25.4mm clamp at reasonable prices. If it’s an A-head stem you need, Brick Lane Bikes has them with 25.4mm clamp. If you don’t want to replace the existing stem, I’d agree with the earlier response that selecting a 26mm clamp diameter bar is safer and easier than shimming or overtightening.
PeterH
When you write “old school”, is that old enough to have a threaded steerer and quill stem? If so, then there is quite a bit of choice online in 25.4mm clamp at reasonable prices. If it’s an A-head stem you need, Brick Lane Bikes has them with 25.4mm clamp. If you don’t want to replace the existing stem, I’d agree with the earlier response that selecting a 26mm clamp diameter bar is safer and easier than shimming or overtightening.
PeterH
Re: Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
That is indeed a good price, especially considering that Cinelli's equivalent retro 26mm shallow curve drop, the 64 / 'Giro d'Italia', is around £60.geomannie wrote: ↑20 Aug 2021, 5:08pm The Deda Speciale does seem a good option. Drop & reach are 135 & 80mm which works for me. https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod171868 Price is good too.
PS If you go for the Deda bars, don't forget my comment above that they are measured from outside to outside.
Re: Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
Can I jump in on this thread for advice on 26.0mm Nitto bars that work well with their Dynamic quill stem? I'm looking for something close to a compact bar pattern in 44cm bar width that I can easily fit the Dynamic quill stem too. For the record it doesn't fit round modern pattern Highway One bars and the like. It does fit round the bends on Nitto M172 bars but these are 31.8mm in the centre. Does anybody know of a similar pattern Nitto bar in 26.0mm diameter and 44cm bar width? I could go slightly longer reach and lower drop but not massively.
-
biketips666
- Posts: 217
- Joined: 19 Jun 2021, 7:17pm
Re: Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
Another vote for Nitto Noodles here. Mine are nominally 44cm width. I just measured them, they are 44.5 cm centre to centre at the bar ends, 44cm half way up the curves, 43cm on the ramps just back from the lever hoods.slowster wrote: ↑20 Aug 2021, 10:10am NB I suggest you also consider the Nitto M177 Noodle bar. I don't have them, but everyone who does, including forum posters on here, seems to find them very good. Unlike Nitto's other bars, they are measured from the centre to centre of the middle of the curve, instead of at the bar ends (which are somewhat flared and a different measurement), and based on Rivendell's comments (who commissioned the design originally), I suspect someone who normally would buy 42cm Nitto bars might find it better to size up to the 44cm version of the Noodle.
https://www.rivbike.com/products/nitto-noodle-handlebar
Nice and comfortable, especially the drops, which on my old "compact" bars were too tight, even with my tiny hands.
-
biketips666
- Posts: 217
- Joined: 19 Jun 2021, 7:17pm
Re: Bar clamp 25.4mm vs 26mm?
Here's one thing worth considering with bars:
Some of the Nittos, like my Noodles, have a definite step from the clamp area to the main bar. Whereas other bars have a ramp down from the clamp. If you plan to attach lots of stuff to the bars a step may be better than a ramp. That might seem counter-intuitive, but think about it - with a step you can have one thing one side of the step, something else on the other, right next to each other, possibly. With a ramp you probably can't put anything on the ramp, unless its a very flexible clamp. And if it's a long ramp you've lost a fair proportion of potential fixing area.
I use cross top levers and a couple of other things, and this difference became clear when I originally bought Nitto Randonneur bars with a 31.8 clamp. So I changed to a 26mm stem, and Nitto Noodles.
Some of the Nittos, like my Noodles, have a definite step from the clamp area to the main bar. Whereas other bars have a ramp down from the clamp. If you plan to attach lots of stuff to the bars a step may be better than a ramp. That might seem counter-intuitive, but think about it - with a step you can have one thing one side of the step, something else on the other, right next to each other, possibly. With a ramp you probably can't put anything on the ramp, unless its a very flexible clamp. And if it's a long ramp you've lost a fair proportion of potential fixing area.
I use cross top levers and a couple of other things, and this difference became clear when I originally bought Nitto Randonneur bars with a 31.8 clamp. So I changed to a 26mm stem, and Nitto Noodles.