Retro bar & Stem

daviesee

I am trying to finish off my Colnago Master with silver kit.
You would think it would be easy....

I have managed to source a 1 1/8" stem in silver 120mm long and have the shim to fit 1" steerer.
But the clamp is 31.7mm.
I have found various drop bars in silver but they all have a 26mm clamp area.

Any suggestions? Just to make it tricky, I would prefer and Italian brand just for consistency.
I know about the Ritchey Classic, but is that my only option?
I am happy to resell the stem and get one with a 26mm clamp, if you can find one.

Thanks.

Mccaria

I'm afraid I cheated on mine and did these.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cinelli-giro-di ... handlebar/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cinelli-a1-quill-stem/

daviesee

That would be an ideal answer from a historical and aesthetic view but how about practicalities?
Is the conversion easy?
Are there any downsides?

Mccaria

Not sure which conversion issues you mean - the stem is 1' so fits classical steel road frame. The stem and the bars are both 26mm so work together.

Performance wise - no difference from the Cinelli stem and bars I fitted in 1984 !

Obviously they are round bars, so more suited to up and over brake cables rather than cables fitted against the bar and under the tape.

daviesee

Ah.
I have a 2008 Master which has an Ahead threadless set up. ie new style headset and the steerer sits above the frame for the clamp to clamp onto.
I think you can have this converted but I am unsure as to whether this is wise.

Bobbinogs

Nitto do some very good stems that come in a load of different sizes. Might be worth a look at them if you cannot find the Italian solution you want.

Mccaria

Now I undestand.

Nearest I can think of is these guys. Expensive, Bespoke Cycling in London work with them.

http://fireflybicycles.com/components

daviesee

Mccaria wrote:

Now I undestand.

Nearest I can think of is these guys. Expensive, Bespoke Cycling in London work with them.

http://fireflybicycles.com/components

You are not kidding!
Still, it is a possible solution but I think Ritchey or Nitto would be in the queue first.

APIII

I've been researching similar options for my new frame. These guys will make a stem to your requirements. Pricey, but bespoke is never cheap.
http://shop.donhoubicycles.com/product/road-stem

Mccaria

Best of luck.

By the way I have some Nitto stuff and it is pretty good.

thegreatdivide

For my Master build I originally bought a Velo Orange polished silver oversized ahead stem from Tokyo Fixed but I had a nightmare trying to find bars with an oversized clamp area. Deda used to do a polished silver ‘Speciale’ but they stopped making them, so I bought a different VO 120mm ahead stem with a 26mm clamp direct from VO in the States. I then picked up a Cinelli Giro bar.

The new VO stem is really nice. Polished silver with just a little VO logo and the best thing about it IMO is that unlike the first stem which was round this one is shaped like the Master’s tubing and slimmer. You can see it in these pics

viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=12868281

From ordering via the VO website to my front door took 5 days. Excellent service.

NB – Not sure if they’re still doing it but High on Bikes were recently advertising the polished Deda oversized bar even though they didn’t have any in stock, so when you ordered one they sent a milky silver 26mm instead and said ‘sorry we ran out’.

edhornby

31.7mm clamp you say - Deda stem ??

how about

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/HBD ... _handlebar

these will look retro enough - or the slightly ergo ones are 20 quid

daviesee

edhornby wrote:

31.7mm clamp you say - Deda stem ??

how about

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/HBD ... _handlebar

these will look retro enough - or the slightly ergo ones are 20 quid

Ah, but not in silver. I was looking at the Deda Speciale O/S but can't find them anymore.

daviesee

thegreatdivide wrote:

For my Master build I originally bought a Velo Orange polished silver oversized ahead stem from Tokyo Fixed but I had a nightmare trying to find bars with an oversized clamp area. Deda used to do a polished silver ‘Speciale’ but they stopped making them, so I bought a different VO 120mm ahead stem with a 26mm clamp direct from VO in the States. I then picked up a Cinelli Giro bar.

The new VO stem is really nice. Polished silver with just a little VO logo and the best thing about it IMO is that unlike the first stem which was round this one is shaped like the Master’s tubing and slimmer. You can see it in these pics

viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=12868281

From ordering via the VO website to my front door took 5 days. Excellent service.

NB – Not sure if they’re still doing it but High on Bikes were recently advertising the polished Deda oversized bar even though they didn’t have any in stock, so when you ordered one they sent a milky silver 26mm instead and said ‘sorry we ran out’.

Now we are talking!
I guess that we have pretty much been down the same road.

PS:- I am assuming Campagnolo in the photo. One of my next mods will be the old colour hood covers. Where did you get them?
Edt:- Hudz. See that now. We can't have 2 identical bikes though! Hmmmmm

thegreatdivide

Go for it! These wee additions build a nice looking Master IMO ;-)

Here’s the stem:

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/ ... -rise.html

They contact you once you’ve ordered the item to give you postage options. I just chose standard airmail. Think it came to about £35 all in.

daviesee

Hmmm. I had actually looked at the round profile one.
Is your stem a flat hexagonal profile, or more curved, like the frame tubes?

PS:- I am going to NY in 2 weeks so may be shopping over there anyway. :P

rrsodl

thegreatdivide wrote:

Go for it! These wee additions build a nice looking Master IMO ;-)

Here’s the stem:

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/ ... -rise.html

They contact you once you’ve ordered the item to give you postage options. I just chose standard airmail. Think it came to about £35 all in.

I have one Velo Orange stem, as new. 90mm +/- 17 and 25.4 clamp..... also a Nitto matching handlebars

I bought them to upgrade a Reynolds 531c frame but I change my mind and instead of going for the silver look I went for a black look.

Velo Orange stem - £30 posted

Nitto Handlebars - £33 posted

Both together £60 posted

Hoopdriver

Nitto or Velo Orange would be the way to go.

Nitto has a better finish and is nicer in m estimation

daviesee

RRSODL wrote:

I have one Velo Orange stem, as new. 90mm +/- 17 and 25.4 clamp..... also a Nitto matching handlebars
/quote]
Sorry. I would be looking for a 120mm stem.
The handlebars look very nice but I am not so keen on having a "Made in Japan" logo on my Master. Petty, I know.

Hoopdriver

daviesee wrote:

RRSODL wrote:

I have one Velo Orange stem, as new. 90mm +/- 17 and 25.4 clamp..... also a Nitto matching handlebars
/quote]
Sorry. I would be looking for a 120mm stem.
The handlebars look very nice but I am not so keen on having a "Made in Japan" logo on my Master. Petty, I know.

I can understand the reluctance for Made in China etc, but Nitto is a very nice very high-end boutique maker of bicycle components and if you are looking for stylish retro a very respectable way to go?

I might add that I have Nitto Noodle bars and a Nitto seatpst on my Pegoretti Luigino - a retro styled bicycle Dario Pegoretti made as a tribute to the great Italan builders of the 60s. After looking around, they were the most stylsh and best made of the retro components I could find.

daviesee

@ Hoopdriver.
My personal preference for this bike is to get Italian brands if possible, and minimal unbranded if Italian is impossible.
For example, I have a Garmin fitted and Ritchey SPD pedals as no Italian brands are available.
The Nitto bars that I looked at had a definite Japan logo which I could overlook if it were not for Cinelli being available. The quality of Nitto is not in question. The price of a Nitto stem over a V/O however......
Thanks for the comments though.

me-109

You could go for any bar/stem and just strip the finish off, then polish up the bare metal. Either leave bare to polish as required or spray on some lacquer to seal it. What does it matter that it won't have maker's stickers?

rolf_f

Me-109 wrote:

You could go for any bar/stem and just strip the finish off, then polish up the bare metal. Either leave bare to polish as required or spray on some lacquer to seal it. What does it matter that it won't have maker's stickers?

If it has any stickers it would be a bit nasty - this sort of bike needs any logos engraved on it!

I got a perfectly decent stem for my Dawes from Ebay for a tenner but for a bike like this something with a much higher quality finish is needed.

rrsodl

daviesee wrote:

RRSODL wrote:

I have one Velo Orange stem, as new. 90mm +/- 17 and 25.4 clamp..... also a Nitto matching handlebars
/quote]
Sorry. I would be looking for a 120mm stem.
The handlebars look very nice but I am not so keen on having a "Made in Japan" logo on my Master. Petty, I know.

I understand so no problem.

I have another handlebars that came with my Raleight Vitesse from late 80's. In excellent condition but I don't think they are Italians though.

daviesee

Thanks for the help guys but I think that thegreatdevide's solution is probably favourite.
V/O stem & Cinelli bars.
Still listening though......