Bart Bowen-Low Budget Superstar
Photographer: J.S. McElvery
Sint-Michielsgestel, the Netherlands | January 30, 2000
“STI? I don’t need no stinkin’ STI.”
Let’s all sing praises for Bart Bowen, the last man to rock the bar-end shifters in a mass start world championship event. And bonus style points for the front brake cable treatment. In Bowen’s quest for the perfect brake cable alignment, but a move likely to make any stem manufacturer cringe, the front brake cable has been routed through his stem via a pair of precisely drilled holes in the top and bottom. It’s always a challenge for riders on the smaller side to cleanly route their front brake cable without abrupt or sharp kinks in the housing and the through-the-stem option provides the smoothest cable pull for the bold and those handy with a drill.
And what of the race? Bowen finished 32nd on a day better known for Sven Nijs inciting the wrath of Belgium by putting his Rabobank trade team fealty to Dutchman Richard Groenendaal above national allegiance to fellow Belgian Mario de Clercq.
K-Man wrote:
Uhh… would that be THE Bart Bowen, like http://www.cdcbybowen.com/ ?
Posted on 25-Jun-07 at 8:54 pm | Permalink
SnarkyFit wrote:
Those bar-end shifters are HOTT!
Posted on 26-Jun-07 at 5:02 am | Permalink
Tom wrote:
Bar end shifters are for retro grouches.
Posted on 26-Jun-07 at 7:08 pm | Permalink
Boz wrote:
I started racing w/ bar end shifters on a Sakae back in the mid-seventies, and always thought down tubes were a step back. STI rules, no doubt about it.
Posted on 27-Jun-07 at 8:13 am | Permalink
MT wrote:
Where is Bowen these days?
Posted on 16-Jul-07 at 12:08 pm | Permalink
Peter wrote:
MT-
If you click on the link in the first comment it brings you to Bowen’s coaching company. I guess that’s what he’s up to currently.
Posted on 19-Jul-07 at 11:25 am | Permalink