Please straighten me out if this is incorrect.
My understanding is that the rise on Randonneur bars flanking either side of the stem was to give additional clearance for pulling up those curved Randonneur brake levers. The brake levers were up there to allow for immediate access while riding high on the bars.
These levers are rarely seen in use anymore but the bars remain popular--at least in my livery.
Calvert Guthrie
Kansas City
Missouri
USA
>Message: 10
>Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:41:04 -0500
>From: Harry Travis <travis.harry@gmail.com>
>Subject: Re: [CR] randonneur handlebars
>To: <billydavid13@comcast.net>
>Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Message-ID:
> <58dbc8400910261841g6554be59y3b14eebc927227a7@mail.gmail.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
>
>You didn't comment on the width of them. I've the impression that while yes,
>we --or our children -- have grown larger , fashion, dictum and handlebars
>resulting from the first two have grown wide faster.
>
>So those rando bars may be, like the 35 yr old NOS ones I'm using, just
>38cm. I'm sure wider ones would feel different, but I'm also suggesting that
>42cm to 46cm bars may not be look correct on an older bike, unless it has a
>large frame.
>
>Harry Travis
>New Jersey
>USA
>
>On Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 7:44 PM, <billydavid13@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> Hi Fred. When i was younger and more limber my favorite road bar was a
>> Cinelli 65 "Crit" bar. I liked how smoothly i could segue from the tops to
>> the drops. On a more typical Maes bar i usually hit my wrists on the forward
>> curve during the transition to the drops. These days i ride a Randonneur bar
>> whose outward flare allows the same smooth transition as the 65. Plus the
>> slight rise leaving the stem doesn't hurt. More knowledgable list members
>> could probably tell you when the Randos first appeared but i think it had to
>> be pretty early on. So for any rider who wasn't a thoughtless lemming, these
>> bars were an option. They're period correct for a lot of vintages and after
>> that it's just a matter of what you personally like. Anyone can build a bike
>> back to original equipment specs but if that doesn't personally suit you,
>> you're just a slave to some abstract notion of "authenticity." I say try 'em
>> and if you like them then they are "correct." Good luck. Billy [ I never
>> bought a bike i left stock] Ketchum; Chicago, IL; USA.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "frederic durrette" <saint09@bellsouth.net>
>> To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>> Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 5:14:49 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
>> Subject: [CR] randonneur handlebars
>>
>> Okay guys. This may be one of those stupid questions, but I recently
>> acquired a vintage GB randonneur handlebar. Would this be appropriate for
>> building up a vintage road bike or are they more appropriate for a bike with
>> touring geometry? Since all my experience has been in racing, mostly crits,
>> I've not researched much into this type of handlebar. Any pros or cons?
>> Fred Durrette
>> Summerville, SC