I only ever use that position if I am climbing or cruising slowly in a safe place to get my back a stretch. I am using cork grips.
2011-05-09 19:34:36
12
Made the move to Albatross
So I finally made the swap on my Trek 520 to albatross (north-road) bars. I'm not old or uncomfortable in the drops, I just thought it would be a welcome change as my 520 is used 95% for commuting and I like the city/rivendell/antbike mystique. I have it set up that the bars are still a bit below the seat and I found a long enough stem that I'm still in a somewhat efficient riding position.
A couple observations: I'm initially uncomfortable with the new brake lever position. The levers are not very accessible in the "faster" hand positions up front of the bar. That compared to drops where the levers are accessible in faster positions and only the slower ones (on top of the bars) lose out where you conveniently have more time to reach for the brakes.
Will I be able to keep my hands on the levers and bars during an emergency braking situation? With drops the hoods give sufficient place to keep the forward momentum of my hands tied to the bike. But with albatross it seems like I'll be dependent on having my hands sufficiently behind the brake levers and gripping the bar with at least a finger or two (which makes it more difficult to brake!
Any tips or observations?
2011-05-09 18:57:06
you might be able to fenangle some kind of cyclocross-esque setup with two sets of levers. Cable routing might be a pain or impossible, though.
2011-05-10 13:27:55
It sounds like I went through an evolution similar to you, I tried those bars on my commuting bike, as much as I dug them, I just couldn't get the "feel" right. I ended up settling on a semi-flat bar with a mild bend, and cut them as short as possible. I should get a photo of the current set-up, very happy.
2011-05-10 14:48:39
This is how I have mine setup.
2011-05-11 14:53:38
when i have my mustache bars on my cruiser i use passthrough (i'm forgetting what they're called) levers on the furthest point out adjusted with the set screw on them so they're easily in reach, and bar end levers on the ends.
2011-05-11 15:31:57
rsprake, what program did you use to edit that photo? just curioius
2011-05-11 15:33:08
I shot it with Camera+ for iPhone and applied the effect "clarity" from within the app.
2011-05-11 16:04:05
I'll try moving the levers forward I think that will make a big difference. Right now I don't have any grips to dictate the distance, I'm trying to figure it out and then I will wrap them with some cloth tape and possibly shellac 'em.
2011-05-11 16:39:30
i have my mustaches clothed and shellac'd and i luvvv it
2011-05-11 19:09:11
i have my mustaches done up with cloth and shellac... so classy.
2011-05-11 19:10:46
Hmm... I don't really think the Albatros qualifies as a "true" moustache bar, which I always understood uses road levers.
That said, I have a similar townie/3-speed bar on my Trek 620!
2011-05-12 03:36:25