Thoughts on albastach bars

[Sam Perez]

Hi everyone I'm new to the group and absolutely enjoy riv bikes and components. Any thoughts on albastach? Does it go as far back as the albatross?

[John Phillips]

I haven't tried the Albastache, but here is a useful website for comparing handlebars:

https://whatbars.com/

John

[Joe Bernard]

No, it's not a reach-back bar like Albatross, Billie, Bosco, etc. It's best to think of it as what it was actually designed to do in Japan when dropbars were banned from youth bikes (yes this is or was a real thing), a dropbar where the curves have been pushed up into a more horizontal position. Most people need an even shorter stem than drops would take to use it.

[Richard Rios]

I think they are great bars. Pair well with single speed riding. Have them on my simple one and love them there because I am regularly moving my hands around to chug up hills. Offer lots of good hand positions if you are the type who likes to fidget. Get them up high and close as recomended, dirtdrop stem or similar to your looks liking a great choice. Lots of fun. If you are just going to be sitting and grinding away with your hands in a single position maybe not the best choice but everyone is different...my recomendation is they are best on a playful shorter distance ride kinda bike. A la single speed, city / shortish commute, dirt road rambler...

[Drw]

I have a set of albastache on 8cm nitto dirt drop with cane creek levers, if you’re interested.

[Deacon Patrick]

I found them brilliant bars for everything I ride except technical single track descents, where it put me too far forward/low in braking position. 

With abandon,

Patrick

[beachb...@gmail.com]

Had them on my commuter for a couple years and loved them. Had them on a shorter stem & about even with the seat height. Much more like a drop bar than albatross. I’ve switched them out for noodles which I now like better. 

[Rob H.]

I currently have albastache with 10cm dirtdrop stem on my soma san marcos and really like it. It took me awhile to get used to the weird aesthetic of  dirtdrop stem but having the albastache bars up that high really does maximize comfort and the variety of hand positions. The rear grip area (near my bar end shifters) is very similar to using albaTROSS bars, and the forward area  offers 2 different positions: in the loops which is similar to a straight bar, and on the hoods which is also pretty comfy. Adding stoker levers or Dia Compe knob grips near the stem can supposedly offer a 4th hand position but I haven't tried that

[James / Analog Cycles]

This runs contrary to most opinions here, but I've fit and then removed a number of mustache and albastache bars over the years.  To clarify: I warned riders about the limits, but they were enticed by the looks.  Limited hand positions, awkward wrist angle.  A dirt drop bar, up high, has a better wrist angle when riding in the hoods and in the drops.  With the current crop of 46- 52cm dirt drop bars out there, I think it's a more ergonomic, functional way to go.  

-James / Analog Cycles

[Bill Lindsay]

I'm assuming the OP is talking about swapping Albastache bars onto a bike they already have.  Is that right?  Let's see the bike!

James at Analog is pointing out that for a lot of riders, changing the bar AND stem works out well more often in his experience.  I will concur that the current crop of flared drops are amazing, provided you get them to the right height.  

In my experience with Albastache bars, they are awesome, but from a fit perspective I consider them pretty much the same as drop bars.  I have a set and run them sometimes on a road bike where I could just as easily run drops.  I agree with James that the appeal is a look.  For me, the important distinction is that I don't think of Albastache bars as a fix for drop bars.  If you have a drop bar bike and you hate riding it because you feel 'hunched over' or 'stretched out', then switching the drop bars for Albastache won't necessarily fix your problems.  If you have a drop bar bike that you love riding and fits you perfect but you want to try a different bend, Albastache will likely work and you might prefer the cockpit setup, and you might prefer the looks.  

Those are my thoughts/opinions

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Joe Bernard]

Another note I'll add because I was being nice in my first one and just answered the question without an opinion: Me no likey! Moustache and Albastache looked great but gave me all the agonies, even before my basal thumb arthritis made the situation even worse. If you like 'em well God bless ya, kids. I'm not that guy! ✋

[tuolumne bikes]

I put them on my road bike after rejecting drops one last time. I very rarely ride the hoods, occasionally use the swept position to relax, mostly vary position along the hooks to change the angle of my wrists. I don't use bar ends. See https://www.instagram.com/p/CBO2uXtsqt9/

I very much agree with Patrick. They are comfortable but not so good for any kind of technical descent where you need your weight back but the levers are way out front. I don't think they look any better or worse than drops, just different.

I agree with Bill that you wouldn't necessarily use the same stem as drops. If you're already set up with drops, lay the Albastache on top of the drops with the front of the hooks lined up with the comfortable grip spot on the hoods (plus or minus). Then measure the difference in extension you'll need for the stem.

Carl

[Jason Fuller]

I agree with James.  The shape is not the problem, though you may need a surprisingly short stem to make them feel right.  The problem is drop levers at ~90 degrees from their design intent. The levers cannot be angled downwards from horizontal by any meaningful amount, and I like my levers angled down at least 45 degrees. Also, while they theoretically have a few hand positions, they simply aren't as practical as the different hand positions of other alt bars, or drops for that matter. I want to love them, and I've tried, but I can't. 

[Sam Perez]

Thanks everybody, I think I'll stick to drops for now. I have wrist issues and typically run shorter stems fir my t Rex arms.

On Mon, Aug 17, 2020, 2:51 PM Sam Perez <sam.per...@gmail.com> wrote:

Awesome thanks , it's a drop bar bike I've been toying with the idea of changing it up.i have the Billie bar on another bike and thought it was somewhere in between. 

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[Sam Perez]

Awesome thanks , it's a drop bar bike I've been toying with the idea of changing it up.i have the Billie bar on another bike and thought it was somewhere in between. 

On Sat, Aug 15, 2020, 11:17 AM Bill Lindsay <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:

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