This is not really true - pre-war Reynolds aluminium bars are 7/8in and so are most pre-war steel bars. Post war almost all aluminium bars are 15/16in. With steel bars it is not so clear - some are 7/8in and some 15/16in - GB are 15/16in with 25.4mm centres and there are certainly other steel bars similarily dimensioned too.
Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
Sheldon Brown wrote:
> Quoth Neil Foddering:
>
>> 7/8" is the usual pre-war British bar diameter, often with a 15/16"
>> ferrule
>
> Yes, though I wouldn't define this as a "pre-war" issue. Rather, it's a
> materials issue:
>
> *British _steel_ bars are generally 7/8" (22.2 mm) with 15/16" (23.8 mm)
> centres.
>
> *British _aluminium_ bars are generally 15/16" (23.8 mm) with 1" (25.4
> mm) centres.
>
> This applies regardless of the shape/bend of the bars.
>
> Sheldon "Hiduminium" Brown
> +---------------------------------+
> | Is ambivalence a bad thing? |
> | Well, yes and no. |
> | -- Garrison Keillor |
> +---------------------------------+