brake levers on albastache bars

[Jim S.]

Hi, I was hoping to tap in on this group's knowledge yet again. I am mounting TRP road-brake levers on Albastache bars. My questions are as follows:

1.  Does anyone have a recommended location on the bar to mount them? I understand that I should mount them wherever comfortable, but I'm hoping someone can just tell me a reasonable place to mount them, and if it works for most, it'll probably work for me.

2. Having identified the right place to mount them, how do I make sure that they are exactly symmetrical, as I am OCD about handlebar issues?

3.  These levers come with a plastic insert. I couldn't figure out what to do with the inserts, as I can't even get the levers on to the bars if I leave them in there. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks as always for any information.

Jim S.

[Joe Bernard]

I like to mount them with the ends of the levers a smidge inside of the plane of the grips, such that if you learned the bar flat against a wall the levers wouldn't touch it. 

For symmetry you can get one lever mounted, then get a piece of masking tape cut to the exact length from the inside of the hood to the stem. Move that piece over to the other side and slide your lever on to the same spot. Not sure about getting them positioned at the same level..maybe use a tape measure from the floor to the lever? 

I can't help with the inserts, sorry. Maybe you can post a pic?

Joe "my wrists can't ride these bars but they sure look cool" Bernard

[Erik Wright]

I just snagged some of those levers as well and mounted them on some Noodles. The inserts are to adjust the angle of the lever/hoods in relation to the bar. On a drop bar, they change how much the hoods tilt back towards you vs how far forward they tilt. They came in pretty handy with the Noodle bars I installed them on, because the curve of the Noodle's bend to the drops is much different than, say, a more modern ergo bar with a sharper angled bend. The inserts allowed my to set the levers up with a flat bar-to-hood position. I agree that they were very difficult to mount with the inserts inside the levers- not sure why this is. Once they were past the end of the bar, they moved smoothly. I just kinda muscled them on there with the clamp fully loose.

Strange to explain without images, and maybe that's all gibberish. Google didn't turn up much image-wise, but on an Albastache I'd recommend leaving the inserts aside. They seem more necessary when top-of-the-hoods is a riding position; less so on an Albastache where the levers are turned sideways.

Erik, Philly

[Joe Bernard]

Update, I'm overthinking it. If you use my idea of laying the bar against the wall, do this: Have the levers slid far in, bar flat against smooth wall, slide lever over until it's just brushing the wall, then slide back towards the stem about a centimeter. Repeat on other side, done! 

On Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 1:06:11 PM UTC-7 Jim S. wrote:

[brendonoid]

Joe is spot on with setup. 

Something I would like to add is that when I first tried moustache bars back in 2012 I inverted the TRP levers right to left (and vice versa) and the ergonomics were superior.

How I coped with all that reach back then I have no idea.

[Jim S.]

Thank you all for the information. This is very helpful!