Racing handlebar structure suitable for rotation shifters disposed thereto

A racing handlebar structure suitable for shifters to be disposed thereto, the handlebar including two symmetrical parts each having a dropped handle portion and a horizontal portion which has a neck portion with a smaller diameter, each neck portion having a first hole defined therein and a shifter mounted to the corresponding neck portion, a sleeve having two second holes defined therein and received in a handlebar stem, each neck portion inserted into a corresponding end of the sleeve and the first holes and the second holes aligned with each other for bolts inserted therethrough, a fastener securely disposed the sleeve to the neck portion such that the shifter is rotatably disposed to the corresponding neck portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a racing handlebar structure and more 
particularly, to a racing handlebar structure suitable for rotation 
shifters longitudinally disposed thereto. 
2. Related Prior Art 
Generally, a modern bicycle is equipped with shifters which are disposed to 
the down tube or handlebar stem of the bicycle, and thus an operator must 
move one of his/her hands from the handlebar to the shifters so as to 
operate the shifters. However, when operating the shifters, the handlebar 
is controlled by only one hand of the rider which could be dangerous 
especially when riding on a rugged road. There is another kind of rotation 
shifter which is longitudinally disposed to a substantially horizontal 
handlebar, and such a shifter provides an advantage that the rider simply 
rotates the handlebar to change the speed of the bicycle. Although the 
rotation shifters are advantageous for the rider to operate directly on 
the handlebar by a rotating action, it is not suitable to be disposed to a 
racing handlebar because the racing handlebar has two curved or dropped 
handle portions which prevent the rotation shifter from being slid 
thereonto. 
The present invention intends to provide a racing handlebar structure which 
is suitable for the rotation shifters to be disposed thereto and this 
mitigates and/or obviates the above-mentioned problems. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a racing handlebar structure suitable for 
shifters disposed thereto, the handlebar including two symmetrical parts 
each having a dropped handle portion and a neck portion with a smaller 
diameter, each neck portion having a first hole defined therein and a 
shifter mounted to the corresponding neck portion, a sleeve having two 
second holes defined therein and received in a handlebar stem, each neck 
portion being inserted into a corresponding end of the sleeve and the 
first holes and the second holes being aligned with each other for bolts 
inserted therethrough, a fastener being Securely disposed the sleeve to 
the neck portion such that the shifter is rotatably disposed to the 
corresponding neck portion. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a racing handlebar 
structure which is suitable for shifters longitudinally disposed thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings of FIGS. 1 through 3, a racing handlebar 10 in 
accordance with the present invention generally includes a first part 101 
and a second part 102, each of the first part 101 and the second part 102 
having a structure symmetrical with each other. Taking the first part 101 
for description purposes, said first part 101 includes a horizontal 
portion 12 and a dropped handle portion 13 which extends from an end of 
the horizontal portion 12, the other end of the horizontal portion 12 
having a neck portion 11 with a smaller diameter compared with that of the 
horizontal portion 12 and the neck portion having a first hole 112 defined 
therein. 
A sleeve 30 has a C-shaped cross section and two second holes 32 defined 
therein corresponding to the first holes 112 respectively and the sleeve 
30 can be inserted in a fastening tube 41 of the handlebar stem 40 wherein 
the fastening tube 41 has a slot 411 longitudinally defined therein which 
can be closed and thus clamp the sleeve 30 in the fastening tube 41 by 
threading a bolt 412 through a lug (not shown) extending from each side 
defining the slot 411. 
When assembling the handlebar in accordance with the present invention, a 
rotation shifter 20 is mounted to the corresponding neck portion 11 
firstly and each of the neck portions 11 is then respectively inserted in 
an end of the sleeve 30 which is securely disposed to the fastening tube 
41 of the handlebar stem 40 such that the first holes 112 and the second 
holes 32 are in alignment with each other for a bolt 50 to be inserted 
therethrough to assure the neck portions 11 will not become disengaged 
from the handlebar stem 40. A fastener 34 is a C-shaped element which is 
mounted to the sleeve 30 so as to securely retain the sleeve 30 to the 
neck portion 11. 
Accordingly, the rotation shifters 20 can be disposed to the racing 
handlebar 10 in accordance with the present invention and a user operates 
the shifter 20 without removing his/her hand from the handlebar 10. This 
meets the requirement of the user when riding a bicycle equipped with the 
racing handlebar. 
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred 
embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications 
and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of 
the invention as hereinafter claimed.