These bars were originally lilac but were really badly scratched with lots of rash around the bends near where you put the brake levers. I stripped them and had them painted in RAL5005 which is the blue used on Raleigh Team Burners. These are not Raleigh bars as the cross bars are thicker, but I was going to use them on a Team Burner as I prefer these to the Raleigh bars hence the colour change plus getting a match to the Tioga lilac colour would have been tricky. Change of plans as now using Renthal means I no longer need them.

When I removed the cross bar caps I saw a small rolled up tube of paper inside. Imagine my surprise when on unfurling it there was a message dated 1987 which you can see in the pictures. I found it rather exciting to think it was placed there some 37 years ago. After the bars were painted I reinstated it back inside the tubes and stuck the caps back on like some BMX time capsule. I thought about adding my own message but that’s something a new owner could consider.