The old switcharoo

[Ti Designs]

I've been in the bike biz for a while, I've seen a lot of parts vanish, only to be replaced with something "just like it" as the sales pitch goes. I've never trusted that, it's unlike marketing people to leave well enough alone. Sometimes there are changes I can't tell, so I'm OK with it. Other times I've very sensitive to the changes. Changing my old Concor saddle to the Concor lite - yeh, like I wasn't gonna notice that!

Over the last few years I've sold a lot of 3ttt Forma bend bars in their various forms (Froma, Forma2, Forgie, Zepp, Prima...). 3ttt has fallen out of favor with the vendors, so the other week I get handed a Easton bar. The bend looks just like the Forma, and it's lighter and cheaper! I sold a half dozen of them, then something weird started to happen - they came back. "they seem wide at the hoods" or "the drops feel narrow", or some combination of the two. The difference in the bars isn't the bend, it's the 2cm flair to the drops that people notice. I was amazed that they all noticed something that small, but there you have it...

[Ray]

I've been in the bike biz for a while, I've seen a lot of parts vanish, only to be replaced with something "just like it" as the sales pitch goes. I've never trusted that, it's unlike marketing people to leave well enough alone. Sometimes there are changes I can't tell, so I'm OK with it. Other times I've very sensitive to the changes. Changing my old Concor saddle to the Concor lite - yeh, like I wasn't gonna notice that!

Over the last few years I've sold a lot of 3ttt Forma bend bars in their various forms (Froma, Forma2, Forgie, Zepp, Prima...). 3ttt has fallen out of favor with the vendors, so the other week I get handed a Easton bar. The bend looks just like the Forma, and it's lighter and cheaper! I sold a half dozen of them, then something weird started to happen - they came back. "they seem wide at the hoods" or "the drops feel narrow", or some combination of the two. The difference in the bars isn't the bend, it's the 2cm flair to the drops that people notice. I was amazed that they all noticed something that small, but there you have it...I believe it. I have a favorite drop bar that's no longer made and I can barely ride anything else. As a result, I've been hoarding them when I can find 'em. I have about 7 in various states of new-->used condition gathered in my basement. I put one of them on a bike a year or so ago and couldn't get comfortable on it. Couldn't figure out why - everything was set up exactly as on other bikes. Turned out the bar was about a cm wider at the hoods and had a slightly different flare - they made more than one version of bar under the same name in different years. One is heaven, the other is at least purgatory. The difference between 172.5 and 175 mm cranks have messed me up in the past as well until I figured out what was different.

-Ray

[davids]

As one of the half dozen, I'll add my two cents...

When we did my fitting back in December, I commented to Ed that I've never understood the "what handlebar?" threads here. It never seemed to me that the choice of handlebars was a big deal. I now understand why I didn't understand before - I got it right (all right, Scott Fader got it right) the first time! The 3ttt Formas worked so well for me that I simply never noticed anything about them at all.

The Easton felt fine on the tops and the hoods. But the drops were just...off. My arms were too close together... My forearms grazed the bars...

Fortunately, I tracked some Forgies down. I bought two sets, one of which is now on the Nove, and the other is safely stowed for future use. Ray's got 7 of his? Maybe I'd better track down some more...

[Needs Help]

Sweet bike.

[Ti Designs]

There's clearly something wrong with me. I look at that picture and notice the pannels on the doors match the wall color and think that I need to get working on my own house...

I have 3 sets of Cinelli 65-40's and two pairs of 3ttt Gimondi bend bars sitting in my basement.

[93legendti]

There's clearly something wrong with me. I look at that picture and notice the pannels on the doors match the wall color and think that I need to get working on my own house...

I have 3 sets of Cinelli 65-40's and two pairs of 3ttt Gimondi bend bars sitting in my basement.

And the color of those panels is very nice-- I would never have thought of that color, but it sure is pleasing and calming.

[Grant McLean]

There's clearly something wrong with me. I look at that picture and notice the pannels on the doors match the wall color and think that I need to get working on my own house...



And yet when I look at this sweeeeet bike and see here is someone who
clearly resisted putting matching blue tires, and bottles cages... and the
world is a better place for it...

-g

[SoCalSteve]

ITM MIlleniums for me..And yes, I do hoard them as the 26 versions are no longer made. But, can be found at times on ebay.

Good luck!

Steve

[93legendti]

And yet when I look at this sweeeeet bike and see here is someone who
clearly resisted putting matching blue tires, and bottles cages... and the
world is a better place for it...

-g


Amen, brother. While the bar tape on the Nove looks great, I like my tape, cages, seat and tires to be black.

[Grant McLean]

ITM MIlleniums for me..And yes, I do hoard them as the 26 versions are no longer made. But, can be found at times on ebay.

Good luck!

Steve

so you're the one bidding against me!!!

-g

[Grant McLean]

Amen, brother. While the bar tape on the Nove looks great, I like my tape, cages, seat and tires to be black.

It's a fine line between a "matchy-matchy" look, and just a clean,
well executed simple and classic set up. I really like the silver
microtex tape and fizik saddle on that nove. Pure class.

-g

[93legendti]

It's a fine line between a "matchy-matchy" look, and just a clean,
well executed simple and classic set up. I really like the silver
microtex tape and fizik saddle on that nove. Pure class.

-g

I agree, silver and black have a different look than blue, etc. Silver and black are more "business" like...Now, white looks great on a bike that is never ridden...

[davids]

Thanks for all the kind words!

I have to admit, I'm pretty happy with that photo - It was a nice plus that it tied into this thread!

As far as the bike colors - When I was test-riding this frame, I put my personal wheels on it. Coincidentally, they had a set of blue Veloflexes on them at the time. My fitter (who will remain nameless ;) ) set the bike up with a Arione to match my own - with a blue stripe! With black tape (and dirty tires) it wasn't a bad look.

I got the idea for the silver saddle/tape from a photo of a Seven Elium I saw on another board. It actually had matching white saddle and tape, which was just a bit too... spiffy, if you know what I mean. Like 93legendti, it's perfect for a bike that doesn't get ridden. Silver seemed like a better idea. When the bike was orginally built up, I went with the Stella Azzura grey tape. It wasn't a perfect match. So, when I switched back to my beloved 3ttts, I asked for the matching tape. I'm pretty pleased with the look.

It's amazing the amount of mental energy I put into the colors. It seems like the fewer choices I had, the worse I got!

As far as the wall color - I've been using that wall color since the mid 80's - I'm pretty sure it was my wife's pick, but it's a favorite of mine. It's a warm, subtle color that makes our living room and parlor very cozy. The original color name is lost in the mists of time, but it was carefully matched by our painters when we had the interior repainted last year. They did a much better job on the borders of those door panels than I had originally done... I'm a bit obsessive about those door panel matching the room colors. And we have a lot of four-panel doors!

[davids]

So, who's going to import 3TTT bars? Anyone?