The item is manufactured by Tecno Tubo Torino of Italy which labelled products under "3ttt" brand..3T was originally called Tecnologia del Tubo Torinese (Turin Tube Technology), taking its name from the city of Turin, where it was founded in 1961 by Mario Dedioniggi. Though written "3ttt", it’s usually called Triple T.
These bars appear to match the "Parma" bar in the 3ttt 1978 Catalog (link to catalog found on the Catalog Scans page). I've seen examples that have a later style 3ttt logo, so thinking that these bars were produced at least into if not through the 1980's. They are however not listed in the 1974 catalog, so production must have started sometime in the mid to late 70's. Below is a copy from the ebay auction by bicyclists_retreat describing the bar:
The stem clamp size is consistent with the ISO standard for drop handlebars at 26.0 mm, but the bar tubing away from the clamp area is consistent with most upright bars at 22.2 mm (and this includes the grip area). As a result, they are truly a hybrid-type handlebar, with specifications that are consistent with both road (drop) handlebars and mtb (upright) handlebars. We should also mention they are made from an aluminum alloy, so they are very light at approximately 175 grams. With respect to some other measurements...from bar-end to bar-end (center-to-center) they measure about 50 cms (which is a little wider than we would have thought by just looking at them).
As for other measurements, we thought one way to do this was to set the handlebars flat on a table and rotate them upward so the bar-ends...or grip area at the end of the bars...was parallel with the table...and we took our measurements (center-to-center) from this point of reference (i.e., positioning similar to pictures #1, #2 and #5 in the sequence to the left). Assuming this position, the vertical rise, which was measured as a straight line from the table surface (adjusting upward to arrive at a theoretical center of the bar tube) to the center of the bar ends, is approximately 115 mm. The reach, which was defined as a straight line from the handlebar center at the stem clamp area...straight back towards the seat...where it would end at the midpoint of another theoretical straight line that touches both bar ends, is approximately 175 mm. Lastly, the grip area at the bar-ends is straight for approximately 105 mm...before the first bend downward...which is also minimal for the next 10 mm (and the reason we mention this is so each individual is able evaluate possible grips, brake levers and/or shifters that will effectively mount on these bars given this workable length at the bar-ends). Please note regarding the latter, we've been told by a customer that because standard grips measure between 4.25" to 4.5"...which is effectively the grip area we describe above as being 105 mm...there is no room for traditional clamp-on brake levers...so coaster brakes or possibly bar-end brake levers are the only option. |
