harlequin bar wrap

This bike has been a commuter for the last couple of years, and is a parts bin mongrel: '70s Gitane frame, 2-speed red band Bendix rear hub and front generator hub on my home-built wheels, old Shimano 600 brakes, home-made LED headlight (not yet remounted) and home-made saddle bag. It's not fast because of the gearing, but it's light and rides really nicely.

I decided to fancy it up a bit this winter with a new Nitto RM017 moustache bar, used $8 Nitto Dynamic II stem, and Newbaum's dark blue and khaki bar tape in a harlequin weave.  

moustache bar with harlequin tape weave

That's just 2 rolls of tape, i don't think i had enough of either color to fill in the middle with the same on both sides, and i like the asymmetry.

The stem was a better fit for the bars than anything in my old stem stash, plus it's a 90° stem so gives me a little extra height. The result is a setup that puts my hands at almost exactly the same height as the ramps of the drop bar on my other main commuter bike, and very comfortable.

moustache bar with harlequin tape weave

It's usually not a great idea to do a final wrap on new bars until you've fine-tuned the brakes and position, but since i've had moustache bars on 4 other bikes over the years i'm about 96% sure this will work fine.

Not my fastest bike, but a simple, reliable ride.