Were 38cm wide bars standard in the 70s/80s?

[vcballbat]

Narrow bars are also lighter and require shorter cables and less bar tape...it's all about marginal gains.

 

[torqueless]

Maybe they were 40cm hot off the drop-handlebar-izer gadget at the factory, and then they cooled down?... or maybe they expand back to 40cm if you take them back to Italy, where it's a bit warmer?

 

[Old Ned]

From the Cinelli catalogue -



Seems that at the time of this brochure, only 66's were available in size 42. I'm sure they went up to 44 at some time and 42 across the other models. I've got some 42 sizes in Giro D'Italia and Criterium.

 

[Foreigner]

I would really like some 42cm 80s drop bars but expect I will have get new/er or put up with narrow bars!

I'm pretty sure to have some 80s Cinelli 64-42cm in my spare box if interested. It appears I may also have model 67 track version, but need to measure these first.

 

[averagebiker]

I'm pretty sure to have some 80s Cinelli 64-42cm in my spare box if interested. It appears I may also have model 67 track version, but need to measure these first.

Thanks but I have found a wider Pair in my spare stock that I forgot about

 

[Foreigner]

Thanks but I have found a wider Pair in my spare stock that I forgot about

Ha, no worries, glad you did

 

[torqueless]

From the Cinelli catalogue -

View attachment 567198

Seems that at the time of this brochure, only 66's were available in size 42. I'm sure they went up to 44 at some time and 42 across the other models. I've got some 42 sizes in Giro D'Italia and Criterium.

So even Cinelli start at 38? That does perhaps suggest that it was the standard, and that 40 was considered the 'wide' option. I'd guess that the info above dates from the mid '70s. The fact that only the 66 'Eddy Merckx' is available in 42 lends weight to my theory that wider (than 40cm) bars were a Merckx initiative.
The 'crests' disappear from Cinelli bars around 1978/9? ...so are there any 63/64/65 bars with 'crests' in 42cm?