A different Mustache/Albastache set-up?

[Dave Small]

When I see a Mustache or Albastache bar installed it almost always has drop-bar brake levers installed sideways at the bends and is completely wrapped like a drop bar.  When I see an Albatross or other typical upright bar installed it almost almost always has the city-type brake levers installed in a typical orientation toward the ends of the bar and has some type of grip but is bare other than that.  

I don't recall ever seeing a Mustache or Albastache bar set up like an Albatross bar, with city brake levers and grips installed in typical upright-bar fashion.  Is anyone aware of a reason that wouldn't work well?  I'm tempted to try it but thought I'd ask here first in case there's a reason that I simply don't see.  Thanks.    

Dave

Boston/Indy 

[ted]

Bar diameter and lever clamp size are different for city vs road.

[Ryan M.]

Different bar diameter is the difference. Albatross bars use 22.2 grip diameter brake levers Which are standard for MTB and the mustache bars use standard road bike diameter which is 23.8.

[Mackenzy Albright]

You could always try bar end brake levers.

[Dave Johnston]

I have seen pictures of the reverse style levers stuck in the ends of the bar but it looks awkward, but doesn't take up had real estate.

The drop portion isn't as long as an Albatross so it might be cramped with a lever clamped on, but the new Albastache does have more room than the old Moustache.

Velo orange makes a lever compatible with both road (23.8mm) and with shims for MTB/city sized (22.2mm) handlebars.

https://velo-orange.com/collections/brake-levers/products/grand-cru-brake-levers

You could also use interrupter levers, by themselves if you find the kind where the cable end sits nicely where the housing usually goes.

https://velo-orange.com/collections/brake-levers/products/tektro-rl720-cross-levers-all-silver

Or you can get a similar effect with a Billie bar and a longer stem.

-Dave J

[Ted Durant]

On Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 9:14:34 PM UTC-5 Dave Small wrote:

I don't recall ever seeing a Mustache or Albastache bar set up like an Albatross bar, with city brake levers and grips installed in typical upright-bar fashion.  Is anyone aware of a reason that wouldn't work well?  I'm tempted to try it but thought I'd ask here first in case there's a reason that I simply don't see.  Thanks.    

Excellent inquiry!! I had the same thought, and I bought some of the VO city levers for road bars to try it out. It's a huge improvement, IMO, for using M bars for upright, city-ish riding. Even for off-roading, I preferred them over regular road levers. I could never find a comfortable, useful brake lever position on M bars before that.  

[Dave Small]

Hi Ted,

Do you have a picture of your set-up?  Before I read your post I'd determined that the set-up I asked about won't work, but it seems you've done it.  

Below are pics of VO's City Levers installed on a Mustache bar.  The levers are pushed up to the end of the straight section of the grip area, and stop at the point that the bars start to curve.  The straight section isn't long enough to accommodate the levers, which extend a fair bit beyond the bar end.  From the bar end to the brake lever-retaining ring is only 7 cm.  Is that enough for you, or did you push 'em higher, or...something else?

Dave

Boston/Indy

[CharlieG]

I have my Quickbeam set up with Albastache bars with some Velo Orange grand cru city levers which fit 23.8mm bars. These ones, I think:

https://velo-orange.com/collections/brake-levers/products/grand-cru-brake-levers

Works pretty nicely.

[Zack Medow]

Soma makes a mustache bar that specifically takes flat bar levers.

https://www.somafab.com/archives/product/moustache-ii-bar

[Ted Durant]

On Monday, July 20, 2020 at 6:05:48 AM UTC-5 Dave Small wrote:

Hi Ted,

Do you have a picture of your set-up?  Before I read your post I'd determined that the set-up I asked about won't work, but it seems you've done it.  

I did not take any pictures of mine when I had it set up that way. 

 

Below are pics of VO's City Levers installed on a Mustache bar.  The levers are pushed up to the end of the straight section of the grip area, and stop at the point that the bars start to curve.  The straight section isn't long enough to accommodate the levers, which extend a fair bit beyond the bar end.  From the bar end to the brake lever-retaining ring is only 7 cm.  Is that enough for you, or did you push 'em higher, or...something else?

I positioned the levers more into the curve, and angled outward a bit rather than straight down toward the ground.

[Dave Small]

Charlie, Zack, and Ted,

Thanks for the quick replies.  I'm trying to use bars I already have---which are Mustache, Albatross, and VO Porteur---rather than buy another (such as the Soma or Albastache) specifically for this application.  I know the VO Porteur and the Albatross will work well but I've always wanted to use my Mustache at some point and thought this might be my chance.  Looks like I'd be sacrificing the natural compatibility of the Albatross or Porteur and be trying to force the Mustache into working, which I don't want to do given the other options.  So I guess I give up and will go with one of the other bars.  

Thanks to all who responded.  

Dave

Boston/Indy  

[Ryan M.]

Here is a solution that just came to me while I was perusing the Paul Components page. You could use a pair of Paul Comp Cross Levers sized for the 26.0 diameter of the Mustache bars. They are designed to be used as an inline brake lever for drop bars, but you can use them on their own too. 

https://www.paulcomp.com/shop/components/brake-levers/inline/cross-lever/  

[Ryan M.]

I forgot to say in that last post, you would have to shim the levers to fit around the bar diameter if you were not going to use them by the stem...if that makes any sense. 26.0 would be larger than the 23.8mm bar diameter so you would have to stick something in there to fit the space. I've used parts of beer cans successfully in the past. lol

[Ginz]

You can use Velo orange city levers.

https://velo-orange.com/collections/brake-levers/products/city-bike-brakes-levers

Inverse levers would also work if you aren’t using bar end shifters.

[masmojo]

As others have said the Moustache bars are set up with road levers, because that's what they are designed for. Likewise Albatross bars are for city bike or mountain bike levers (and grips). Can you cobble something together using a moustache bar with a mountain or city bike lever, yeah, but it's gonna look & work funkily and I fear that you might not be satisfied with the result and fault the bar or lever unfairly when they are just being used improperly.

Likewise typically the moustache bar uses a 26mm bar clamp, but I believe the Albatross is 25.4mm.

I have seen people turn the moustache bars upside down and be totally happy with them in that position, but it splays the brake levers out at an unnatural angle and IMHO looks stupid.

The Albastash & Albatross bars are my 2 favorite bars and I have used them both for many years, ( the moustache on my XO-1 for 20 years before the Albastashe was available) they are both ideally suited to their respective roles and set ups and though I understand the urge to try and substitute one for the other, they are different enough that I would just urge to make a wholesale change of bars, stem, levers, etc.
I know that's a several hundred dollar change, but you won't likely be satisfied otherwise. That way if you change & you don't like it you can change back easily enough or if you do like it great. Unused equipment is easily sold here to recoup your money OR just put the unused cockpit on a shelf in case circumstances change & you need it again.