Albatross and Choco riders

[Joel S]

I had my bike on roller with a fork mount as the weather had turned cold.  Today it has warmed up so I changed the rear tire back and went out.  While on the rollers the Albatross bars were not very comfortable so I have been thinking of Choco bars.  On the road they felt fine.  Wondering from those that have used both what your thoughts are on these 2 bars.  

Thanks

[Ben Mihovk]

I'm a Choco man myself. I did use a bar similar to the albatross (not a Nitto). I like them better and will stick with them as I like how my hands are in a more natural position...like pushing a wheel barrow, I guess...this position gets my shoulders, elbows, and wrists/hands in a kind of neater line if you were to look down at me from above. Albatrossish bars tend my make my elbows flare out a little. I've never rode with drops, but I'd think the Chocos are better than Albatross to mimic riding on the hoods. 

Downside (to some) of Choco...it doesn't rise as much as Albatross, so more stem needed to get the bars the same height. 

They do reach back a little further than the Albatross, so maybe it makes a bigger bike ride smaller? If you're at the bottom of the PBH range for your fame, good thing? If you're on the high end, bad thing? I'm 93.25 on a 59cm Atlantis, so I'm on the high end for that frame. I don't feel crowded by how close the grips are...but I'd need a fancy laser fitting to know if I'm in the right position or not. 

If you haven't already seen it....

From Riv's website. The Chocos are on bottom. 

[Joel Stern]

Thanks Ben.  From the looks I like has the Choco has a similar look as the flats of drops.  I usually ride close to or on the curves of the Albatross but have thought the Choco might give me more area.  I am towards the bottom of my same and the same with the Bleriot I have, so the TT is plenty long and I added a longer stem on the Bleriot as the one I was using was just too short.   

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[Erik Wright]

I love Albatross bars, but I like the Choco's a bit better too. Something about them, like Ben said, feels a little more natural in a way that the bars seem to sort of disappear beneath me. I first noticed that feeling when I test rode an Atlantis at Riv HQ in August 2018 that had Choco bars, and now I have Choco bars on my Hillborne. I think it's all in the setup. I think the forward-of-brake-levers hand position feels a bit more usable on the Choco bars as well.

I've attached a photo of my 56cm Sam H with Choco bars and a 13cm stem.

Erik, Philly

[Joel Stern]

Thanks Erik, I think I have to give them a try. Riv will get some in one day. 

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[Paul Richardson]

i ride a homer hilsen with albatross bars and a wolbis with chocos and find the "second" hand position is much more useful on the chocos.  just my 2¢.  probably can't go wrong with either.

paul

takoma park, md.

[Joel Stern]

Thanks Paul.  

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[Roberta]

I only ride one hand position--at the end.

I had Choco-Moose (C-M) on my Joe Appaloosa and loved it.  I had Albatross on my A Homer Hilsen and liked it. 

A year later, I swapped out the C-M on Joe A. for Albatross, trying to lighten my bike, and disliked it.    I kept the albatross on my AHH but got a shorter stem and LOVED it.  (The same bar gave me two very different impressions!)

I swapped back the C-M bars on my Joe A. and now I'm loving that bike again, too.

My conclusion is that the bars are only part of the story--stem height, length,  physical relationship to it, a body's lean angle-- all are intertwined.  I think I had put on a too short stem when I changed from the C-M with integrated stem to an Albatross with a standard stem and that was my real issue.  Probably buying a longer stem would have made me very happy.  But, I already owned the C-M, so I went back to that.

I like the Choco for it's clean line, and the Albatross for its rise and flowing artistry.  Also, the Choco is narrower, so might appeal more to those of us without broad shoulders. For my next bike, if rise isn't an issue, I'd go with the Choco (norm this time).

[Joel Stern]

Thanks Roberta.  It is the Choco Norm I am thinking about.  

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[Roberta]

My understanding is that the bars are the same shape and size; they differ in the stem attachment. I have  the c-m ones because that's what came with the bike. The norm version is more versatile. 

There is a lot of choco-love here   Good luck with your search. 

[Ed Fausto]

With all the discussion on Choco norm, I better try mine (bought last year) to replace an Albatross on may Joe.

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[Joel Stern]

Thanks Roberta.  

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[Pete P]

I first tried upright h’bars on my older Atala bike. Just to see if it

would work for me. I bought Albatross bars and it was a revelation!

So on my Atlantis I ditched my noodle drop bars and chose the Choco

bars - just for variety.  I  like both of these. (I won’t go back to those

now uncomfortable drop bars). 

They both have their plusses and minuses. The Albatross are wider and

Go through the doorway with more caution. The Choco bar doesn’t rise

up as much but the position on the curves is a favorite of mine. You can’t go wrong with either one!

Pete

[Joel S]

Thanks Pete, just got the Choco bars from Blue Lug as Riv is our with no known delivery time.  I paid a $27 premium for 2 shipped so not bad.  

[Eric Marth]

Stumbled upon this thread and have some questions about my own Albatross fitting. I converted to these bars from drops. I've yet to fall in love with them and have problems with neck pain on rides longer than 30 miles. 

I'm on a threadless bike and have tried a few stems and configurations with the same bars, a total of four positions. I have 110mm and 90mm stems, both with 17º rise. I've tried them with the stems flipped in both configurations. I should also add that I'm on a 60cm bike that is a little big for me. I've got less than a fist full of seat post showing. 

My current configuration is with the 110mm stem set up to give the most rise. I find myself, in all configurations, favoring the grip in front of the brake levers. 

Anyone out there have any ideas for improved fit?

[Shoji Takahashi]

Hi Eric,

Is your neck pain from extending your neck? Did you have similar pain when using the drop bars? Other pains/problems?

Like you, I prefer the forward position of albatross bars-- it feels natural for me, perhaps since I like to lean forward.

If you would like a more upright/cruising position to try, I suggest tilting the saddle nose up a little bit. The up-nose position makes me feel more comfortable sitting upright, and less comfortable leaning forward. 

Good luck!

shoji

arlington ma

[John Phillips]

Eric, I mounted my Albatross bars on a Nitto NP 12cm stem (measures 12.5cm) with the stem at saddle height and bars angled down to be at a 90 degree angle to my arms. This angle keeps my wrists from kinking and places the curves of the bars about 5cm above my saddle. My saddle is slammed back on a Nitto lugged seat post with 4cm's of setback. This gives me a full hand's grip both in front and behind the stem bolt, but my hands always migrate forward and my weight isn't resting on my hands due to the seat post's setback.

This works for me, but I don't like riding sitting bolt upright on my bikes.

YMMV,

John

[Tom Wyland]

Something to try that made my Albatross handlebars more comfortable:  tilt down the bars a bit so the grips are slightly lower than the hoops of the bar.

[Eric Marth]

Thanks for the replies! Shoji and Tom – I've attached a more recent picture of the bike. I do have the bars tilted down and the seat tilted back. The tilt appears exaggerated because the kickstand raises the back of the bike. 

I think part of my problem is perhaps not leaning enough, I might be trying to sit upright and holding my head up. Need to relax, bend, let myself flex a bit more. 

[Ride for Fun]

Eric, those bars are tilted way low.  When I rode albatross I was always far forward, why I switched to Choco, so I could reach more without a change in shape, but I never angled my bars like that except for one test ride where they slipped due to not being tightened enough.  I found that position very uncomfortable.  

Keep playing around and definitely stretch out a bit.  

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[Eric Marth]

Thanks jrstern, yeah, it's extreme! And part of my noodling quest for comfort. Figured any and every configuration is worth a shot. Thanks again :) 

[Tim Baldwin]

Eric, that tilt looks good to me. Check my Tosco tilt. Looks about the same. Some like even more. Keep noodling, every body is different.

[John Phillips]

  I tilt my Albatross bars down like Eric's Alba's or Tom's Tosco's. I like a nearly 90 degree angle between the bar and my arm/wrist. With stem length & height, bar height, bar angle, and grips, everyone's needs are different , but one absolutely needs to tighten that bar clamp.

John

[Tim Baldwin]

Yes, tighten that stem clamp. I think the move to 31.8 clamp makes sense for swept back bars. The 31.8 Tosco feels super solid wiith the Nitto faceplate quill stem.

[Patch T]

Everyone's different!

I like my Albatrosses tilted downward and my saddle just above the height of the bends. 

This gives me an upright position (for me, relatively) at the ends; a position at the bends that is very close to my drop-bar builds, good for efforts; and every spot in-between.

I personally never enjoyed these bars at or above saddle height.

I like keep the bars free of everything but brake levers so I can use as much of the freed up real estate as possible.

Patch

BK/NY

[Anthony Coffin]

A lot has to do with how high your bars are and what kind of riding your doing, in my experience. The higher the bar the more likely it is to be tilted. Tilt can really be a benefit off pavement, especially bumpy descents.

On Wed, Mar 3, 2021, 1:03 PM 'John Phillips' via RBW Owners Bunch <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

  I tilt my Albatross bars down like Eric's Alba's or Tom's Tosco's. I like a nearly 90 degree angle between the bar and my arm/wrist. With stem length & height, bar height, bar angle, and grips, everyone's needs are different , but one absolutely needs to tighten that bar clamp.

John

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