Sam with 'staches?

[Jon Craig]

How many out there installed a 'stache bar (Mous or Alba!) on their Sam?  Did you keep the existing bar-end shifters?  Or move them to the stem or downtube?  I'd love to see pics of different setups - and more importantly hear about how well they worked out and what you like/liked and/or don't/didn't like about it.

[Ron Mc]

answering out of turn, bar end shifters on moustache bars is a match made in bike heaven

[Jon Craig]

Hm.  Well, I really thought to put on some nice grips instead, but maybe you are wiser. :D

[Austin B]

Good questions--I'm riding with a Noodle on mine but am most curious about the moustache bars, never having tried one. Wondering how they affect climbing.

[drew]

I did. It worked great. I have since moved to noodles to make my Sam feel more roady and have less overlap with my other bikes, which all kind of err on the touring side of things.

[Jon Craig]

Did you relocate the shifters when you were in 'stache configuration?

[Jon in central Colorado]

I have Albatross bars with Dura Ace 9 spd bar ends mounted on Paul thumbies with Brooks bar wrap. I love this set-up and enjoy having the shifters at my finger( thumb )tips.

Jon

On Friday, June 24, 2016 at 4:28:59 AM UTC-6, Jon Craig wrote:

[Valerie Yates]

I purchased a Sam off this list that came with albastache bars and bar-end shifters. This was my first non-drop bar on a road+ bike and my first experience with bar-end shifters. I loved the combo immediately. They are really convenient - easy to reach and easy to use. I suppose I have to be a bit careful on a tight turn, but I prefer to be a bit careful on a tight turn. 

Re wanting grips, I have another pre-owned Riv that came with albatross bars with bar-end shifters and cork grips with the whole thing was wrapped in cotton. That works great too. 

On Friday, June 24, 2016 at 4:28:59 AM UTC-6, Jon Craig wrote:

[Jon Craig]

Huh!  Interesting - I didn't know you could jury-rig barend shifters onto thumbie mounts!  Does that work with any shifters or just the DA's?

[Jon Dukeman]

Jon,

Talk to Mark or one of the guys at Riv... They have a variety of options & different shifters and mounts besides Dura-Ace bar ends and Paul thumbies. Prices vary also.

Jon

"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS RIDE JUNK "....

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[Ron Mc]

I have Brooks leather bar wrap on my moustache bars - in fact, just replaced them last week.  Again, I love it, and it's funny how many people at stops have to touch it.  

[Ron Mc]

Just wanted to add something cool.  My moustache cockpit is on my old Raleigh.  With Rivendell bar-end pods, I'm still using the Zeus shift levers that were installed on my bike as downtube shifters in 1978.  

    

When you set the bars up. First thing is position of the brakes, next rotation on the bars in the stem, then rotation (down) on the brakes.  Get all that set before you wrap.  

[Jon Craig]

Wow - that does look nice! :)

Question about leather bar tape - how long does it last?  I can't fathom dropping $70 on bar tape if it has to be replaced as often as the cotton stuffs!

On Friday, June 24, 2016 at 9:21:48 AM UTC-4, Ron Mc wrote:

Just wanted to add something cool.  My moustache cockpit is on my old Raleigh.  With Rivendell bar-end pods, I'm still using the Zeus shift levers that were installed on my bike as downtube shifters in 1978.  

[Lungimsam]

My Sam had noodles. Switched the brake and silver bar ends over to staches. Climbing was great. Standing while rocking the bike by the bar ends capital. Brake lever reach stupendous. But my hands always hurt with staches so went to albas then back to noodles. I love the noodles. Here is an album showing the different bar setups:
https://flic.kr/p/eDh8g2

[Ron Mc]

Thanks

Jon, I got 6 years from the first wrap.  That was a lot of riding, some rain, and especially a lot of sweat (s Texas).  The failure mode was the leather stretched, separated from the adhesive film, and began sliding around more than I could tolerate - that was only on one side, and the other side was still functioning soundly - the leather aging was funky in a neat way.  I think I did a better job this time and also think it may last longer.  

[Jon Dukeman]

My leather bar tape has been on for 2-1/2 years.

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[Jon Craig]

Good to know, thanks!  Perhaps I'll do leather tape then.  The look is fantastic.

[Ron Mc]

If you're interested in light Mustard Brown, I have a set sitting around for such-a-deal.  I bought it for my daughter's bike and the color wouldn't work at all.  

I looked at it seriously for my Raleigh this time, but bought more antique brown.  

[Jon Craig]

Huh - I may have to pass. I don't think it would look good with either Sam-color (unless I'm mis-picturing the color!). (Mine's blue, my wife's is the Orange.)

Offer's appreciated though! :)

[Ron Mc]

way cool

[Ron Mc]

ps - the mustard tan would look great on a green bike

[Surlyprof]

Jon,

First of all, congratulations on your double Sam purchase.  If you and your wife have not completely fallen in love with the bikes already... you will!  I bought my orange canti-Sam new-to-me on craigslist.  It came with Albatross bars wrapped with leather Brooks tape (cream-colored... or so I thought), bar end shifters and Paul mountain levers (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129545862@N03/16372487184/in/dateposted-public/).  Felt great for cruising around unracing but I found that I was riding the fronts of the bars a lot seeking a little more aggressive riding position.  I also noticed that the bar end shifters occasionally hit my knees if I wasn't careful.  I had once had mustache bars on a Surly Cross Check and loved them.  This lead me to bite the bullet and buy Albastache bars.  It was a decent sized investment.  The Albastache purchase required buying a new 26.0 stem that is 3cm shorter than the Albatross stem, new road levers (bummed to let go of the Pauls) and new cables.  Roughly $250.  Final assessment... totally worth it!  I love this set up (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129545862@N03/24621117222/in/dateposted-public/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/129545862@N03/17290439362/in/dateposted-public/)!  It doesn't provide as upright position as the Albatross does but it does provide enough for me.  I love the more aggressive riding position that gives me all the forward lean I want from a bar (less than drops).  

I've kept the Albatross bars, Paul levers and 25.4 stem in case I ever want to change things up again but the Albastache is here to stay for the foreseeable future.  Even better than my old mustache bars.  Great on road, great on trails.  The only other bars I'd consider now are the Choco Norm which seems to provide the forward position as well as a more upright position than the Albastache.  I'd probably have to use thumbies so my knees don't hit bar ends.  As for the leather tape, I removed the creme-colored Brooks tape only to find out it was burgundy tape that had faded!  I transferred my honey Brooks tape from another bike to match my saddle.  This is the third bike I've had this tape on.  It has held up beautifully and has even been torn in a crash.  Since it only cut it halfway through, I reinforced it with Gorilla tape underneath and rewrapped it in the other direction so the cut was covered.  Still going strong for 6 or 7 years and comfy.  I just use saddle goop on it occassionally (http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/goo13-big.htm).

Enjoy your Sams.

John

[Jon Craig]

Thanks for the detailed answer!  (And yes, we're both LOVING our Sams!  Truly amazing bikes.)

The Albastache looks good and I'm really thinking about it. It would be just the bar for me, since I have a Samcomplete, which has barend shifters that will go in the barend position on that bar.  But I still wonder about moving them to the stem or downtube and putting some nice grips on instead. O_o

[Andrew Patteson]

One newer (and vegan) option is this stuff:  http://www.jensonusa.com/Brooks-Microfiber-Bar-Tape

I don't have a lot of miles on it, but it feels like it will last forever.

Cheers,
Andrew in SLC

[Surlyprof]

That looks great.  So much less expensive than the leather!  I wonder if microfiber patinas or fades over time.  Please keep us posted on how well they hold up.

John

[Lungimsam]

Green grips makes a blue tape that matches the blue sams perfectly after clear shellac. I think it is called midnight blue. Same smokey hue.

[Tim Gavin]

Regarding grips OR bar-ends: you can use the cork grips from Riv with bar-end shifters; just make sure you get the ones that are pre-punched and grooved for that purpose:  http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/gt5be.htm. 

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[Tim Butterfield]

I noticed both this and the regular Brooks leather bar tape are perforated.  Is there a benefit to the perforations or would a solid tape like the Compass Grand Bois leather tape be better?

https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/components/handlebars/grand-bois-leather-handlebar-tape/

I can imagine grip might be a little better with perforations, but possibly at the expense of longevity in weather.  I'm leaning towards the solid Grand Bois tape, but could be swayed if having perforations was substantially better overall for some reason.  If leather, I'll treat with Obenauf's LP for either.

Thanks.

Tim

[Andrew Patteson]

The perforated will be substantially lighter, like drillium for your bar tape.



:)

I don't have direct experience, but I would think that there's not much of a difference either way, and you should get whichever floats your boat.

Best wishes,
Andrew in SLC

[Joe Bernard]

Jon, keep in mind that 'stache bars use road diameter tubing, so mtb-ish grips will be a job to install. You might be able to hollow out cork grips enough to work, but the Ergons I use on most of my bikes definitely won't fit, and Riv's Dutch Paddles are even tighter.

I agree with the others that some kinda bar tape with bar-ends is the way to go with these. It's a very easy reach, and the bar-end itself acts as a hand-hold for short stints of sitting more upright when you need a break.