Raven Tour as a scorcher (for Dan)

[ians]

Just received a pair of North Road bars (Raleigh) and in response to a request from Dan I inverted them first for a photo call.  (Missed the focus point on the first one).

Now they're on they don't look quite like the early North Road bars - the sweep back is around 60 degrees.  Interestingly the shop website advertises them as North Road, but the packaging label says 'trekking bar'.  There is plenty of room for the Rohloff and the throttle. 

A quick spin up the road shows them to be comfortable - I'll need longer for a full assessment.

ian

[il padrone]

On one occasion I flipped my bars for a 'path racer' look when I had to ride the commuter on an Audax 200. I thought the lower position would help me for climbs and any headwinds. It was a marginal effect. I was a bit more hunched while riding but did have a lower position. The real problem came from the greater pressure on my hands combined with the hard Brooks leather grips. By the end of the ride I had sore hands and numb fingers from rooad vibration. This numbness persisted for a couple of days afterwards, which did rather concern me.





I switched the bars back up to a riser stance and have been happy ever since. Might be OK with softer grips, but not with the Brooks hard leather ones. They are a classic look and very durable but give negligible shock absorption.

Now they're on they don't look quite like the early North Road bars - the sweep back is around 60 degrees.  Interestingly the shop website advertises them as North Road, but the packaging label says 'trekking bar'.

Looking more closely at your bar, they look virtually identical to mine...... right down  to the silver  warning label about not using them for downhill MTB riding on the right hand side of the bars 

[ians]

...... right down  to the silver  warning label about not using them for downhill MTB riding on the right hand side of the bars 

there's always someone who wants to spoil the fun ...

[Danneaux]

Gooood morning, Ian (my time)!

I'ma bit late to the meeting today, so a delayed response. When I looked at my mail queue and saw the title, "Raven Tour as a scorcher (for Dan)" I just knew a treat awaited.

I...couldn't have guessed it would be this Big!

I'm weak in the knees and melted of heart, head spinning with delight. Thorns make Scorchers, and good -- no, Great -- ones!

Seeing your photos, Ian...suddenly, it is 1897 again. We've donned our tweeds and are making a day of it, first to the board tracks to catch the Races, then out to the countryside before Scorching a few boardwalks of our own on the return. We didn't mean to go so fast, but it came naturally with the 'bars reversed, and we caught a few shouts and waved canes for our troubles as the old gentlemen yelled, "You boys slow down! Young hooligans! We've no room for Scorchers and outlaws here!".

Ah, me. Those were the days, and I remember them well (in my imagination).

Thanks, Ian, for your thoughtfulness; it was worth all your trouble for a glimpse of those inverted 'bars on your stunningly beautiful RT. Even if the 'bars turn turtle for regular use, I'll recognize the bike by its zebra-stripe headset spacers...a tiny clue to the bike's Real identity...a little "tell" that not everything is as it appears. A bit like Clark Kent's eyeglasses with the plain-glass lenses. and you know what? It's all true. Just one twitch of the hub-motor thumbswitch, and The Scorcher comes out to play!

All the best,

Dan. (...who now knows the "S" in IanS stands for "Scorcher")

[Andre Jute]

A "schorcher" is an upperclass "hooligan".

I think those bars look better the right way up. Very impressive and useful grip length, always a consideration with a Rohloff or any rotary control.

Andre Jute