Hypothetical albastache handlebar setup

[Jeremy Tavan]

I'm putting together a commuter bike for my 18-mile commute because my fancy bikes are too fancy and my Clem is too long to fit nicely in the bike racks on the train back home. So I'm going to build up an old English 3-speed that will hopefully fit the bill. For handlebars, I am thinking about using the albastache with two sets of brake levers: reverse levers in the ends for the casual upright stance, and cyclocross-style interrupter levers on the curves for when I'm riding more aggressively. 

Has anyone tried this? If so, how'd it work for you? I wonder if the interrupter levers will even mount on/near those curves.

[Surlyprof]

I remember asking Keven about interrupters when I first bought my Albastache bar set up.  He said that there really wasn't any need since you can quickly shift your grip from upright to the braking position quickly and easily.  It has been my experience that he was right.

John 

[drew]

Agreed. I find the brakes on the hooks to be really easy to get to. I thought about inverse levers when I got mine, because i assumed I'd be riding mostly near the ends, but I'm really glad I went with standard road levers And setup the bars the way riv does. I find I ride between the hooks and the ends most often, so the brakes are only a few inches away. The brake "hoods" are also somewhat useful as a hand location when you want to stretch out more.

[dstein]

3rd that. I have albastaches on my hunqapillar and hear what you're saying. I keep going back and forth between having something upright like the albatross with brake levers at the ends of the bars vs. albastache with breaks in the drops and at the end of the day I prefer the albastache - the brakes are pretty accessible and you still get the upright riding when you want it. If the bars are high enough and the stem short enough it shouldn't be too far of a reach to the drops.

[Jeremy Tavan]

I'm actually looking at the albastache because I want the longer reach option - I have a very long torso, proportionately, and most swept-back bars end up too close for comfort except with really, really long top tube bikes and really long stems. I appreciate all the feedback from folks on this list! I'll give them a shot with regular road bike levers "as specified" and see how it goes. Is it better to use a straight-bladed brake lever, or one of the ergo-ish ones like the TRP RRL?

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[drew]

I have the trp levers but had to mount them upside down for cable routing and not having the lever flare up above the bar. A straighter one would likely be better, but these upside down work just fine too.

[Surlyprof]

I bought the straighter tiagras and wished I'd bought the trps and flipped them. They are much nicer brake levers.

John

[Ryan Fleming]

I've used tiagras on my moustache bars for years and  I find that they're perfectly adequate...I do like the looks of the flipped down TRPS , Drew,  as well, but I feel that the TRPs really come into their own with drop bars

[Jeremy Tavan]

There's also the Origin8 "Classique" levers, which have a somewhat related look to the TRPs but without the outwards flare to the levers. Might work well on the mustache/albastache? And they're inexpensive to boot. 

[drew]

im actually going to be setting up another bike with albastache bars this week. i have ordered the cane creek scr-5's with the gum hoods to try out. ill report back. 

the trp's feel really good, look really good, and work really good. i do sort of regret spending the $ to put them on a bar where you lose all the ergonomics they built into the hoods and levers though. 

[Surlyprof]

I would agree with Ryan in stating that the tiagras are perfectly adequate which is why I've never replaced them.  I see them as functional but not wonderful (due to a slight rattle in one of them).  I'm not sure the trps would fall into the wonderful category but, if I ever replace the tiagras, the trps, and now Origin8 Classiques, will be on my shortlist.

John

On Monday, September 26, 2016 at 6:19:37 AM UTC-7, Ryan Fleming wrote:

[Ryan Fleming]

on drop bars TRPs are wonderful :)

[jeffrey kane]

Funny -- I've used both the SCR-5 type (which, I believe were Campy Record 10 clones) and the RRL and have come to wish for the flared out lever of the RRL matched with the SCR-5 body (!) ...

[Scott McLain]

Hi Jeremy,

I think the reason the Riv came out with the Choco bars is so that they could fill the space of the albastache but be able to use mountain brake levers.  You may want to consider.  

[Ray Varella]

No experience with the albastache but I used the moustache on my commuter for many years.
With bar end shifters and brake levers on the curves, I found it to be the very best bar I ever used for riding in heavy traffic.
The quick transition from shifters to brakes and the semi-upright riding position made for one of the safest feeling riding positions.

I'm seriously considering the albastache for my next bike and will use levers at the curves.

Ray
Vallejo CA

[Surlyprof]

I agree with Scott.  Had the Choco been out when I bought my Albastache, I would have seriously considered them.  Since I was changing from Albatross bars, it would have saved me buying road brake levers.  That said, I believe they come back farther than the albastache so that may cause the same problems with bar end shifters that I had with the albatross.  They occasionally hit my knees when turning.

John

[masmojo]

I am waiting on some Albastaches, but I rode Mustache bsrs for years on my XO-1 & I agree there's probably no need for extra levers.
The thing with those bars is that aside from having your hand right next to the stem (which isn't that comfortable) you typically have a finger or two on the brake levers.
When riding with my hands on the rear "flats" my fore finger just curls around the lower hook of the lever.
When riding forward with my hands in "drops" obviously i can put as many fingers as I like on the lever.
Finally, if I am really stretched out riding on the hoods, I found myself using my ring & pinky finger to lightly modulate the brake and that's all you need in that position, because you are only going to be riding it in situations where you are cruising & there's no traffic or distractions.