Montmartre is an area of Paris known for its cafes and artist's studios. The Montmartre bar is a very traditional French city bar. It accepts bar end shifters or inverse brake levers. It does not, however, accept MTB levers or shifters. As you guessed, the diameter is the same as on road bars, 24mm. Like most traditional French bars, the Montmartre bar is narrow, 42cm center-to-center. The streets of Montmartre are also narrow and it wouldn't do to knock over a drink at a cafe table or snag a Citroen's rear view mirror; that could happen with the wide Harley-style bars so popular on this side of the Pond. Besides, a proper low trail city bike has geometry that allows it to hold a straight line with almost no input, yet turn with only the gentlest touch. We are piloting a fine bicycle, not a tractor! The rise on the Montmartre bar is about 6cm. They are made by Nitto exclusively for Velo Orange and display Nitto's usual superb workmanship and finish. The clamp diameter is 25.4mm on both and the bars are bulged, rather than sleeved, so they will not squeak. In keeping with VO tradition, there is no logo. These bars have proven very popular and we are sold out. Another production run has been ordered, but we do not know when they will arrive. |
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