Seeking the help of a bender

[Strings_and_steam]

Hi all-

I'm wondering if someone here has the ability to bend me up a set of handlebars? I've been trying to track down a particular style with no luck, and am thinking my options might be limited to having a set made for me.

The set would be a reproduction of the style on early Flying Merkel and other boardtrack racers: a simple "U" shape, no rise, fairly tight bends. Here's a few pics of what I'm thinking

**These images are not mine, just found in a google search.

So anyone up to it? I'd certainly pay for material, your time, etc. If you think you'd be able to help me out please let me know and we can talk logistics/price.

Thanks all!

 

[Tater]

S&S, have you taken a look at the Nitto Promenade B-601 and B-617 bars? They have the look you are going for, but may be narrower than what you would like.

http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main ... f5005a25...
http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main ... rrency=USD

 

[Strings_and_steam]

Thanks tater, I have seen both of those before. I think they may be a tad too narrow, they're aluminum and the finish wouldn't look right on my bike, and they're also a tad out of my budget. A LBS around here had a pair I got to check out, they're almost a matte finish. Perhaps I'm dissalusioned by how much I should expect to pay for things however.

 

[B607]

I'm looking at the pic of the Flying Merkel. Does that thing have any brakes? NO front brake? It's a suicide ride! Gary

 

[Strings_and_steam]

I'm looking at the pic of the Flying Merkel. Does that thing have any brakes? NO front brake? It's a suicide ride! Gary

Haha a lot of the board trackers didn't have brakes or even throttle controls! The engine started and just ran until it got to max speed. The only control on a lot of these was a kill switch, to cut the engine out for banking into turns by tapping it or to kill the engine to slow down and stop. Some of the Merkels had a little lever on the right hand side which I've been told was a clutch on some models. The other control sometimes present was a spark advance, for getting engine timing set. My replica will have brakes and a shifter, but the shifter will be hidden by the tank and the brake controls will only be on the left side (for front and rear wheels) to capture the look. But I won't be able to mount up the brake levers without bars...