Noodle to Albastache Swap - Trek 520 Touring Bike

[SeanMac]

Hi folks,

I am contemplating a winter project that would convert an early 1990 Trek 520 touring bike into an around town "grocery getter"  and/or bike trail, easy cruising bike.  My plan is to swap out the Noodle bars on my Trek for Albastache bars.

From what I have read, this looks to be a pretty easy conversion.  The bar end shifters that I have on the Noodles should work on the Albastache bars.  I should also be able to swap over the brake levers from the Noodle to the Alnbastache (I've got the original levers - non-aero, non-brifters).   Is there something that I am missing?  Will be cable lengths be similar or will I likely need new cables?

For as long as I can remember, every bike that I have ever ridden has used drop bars, so I contemplate this shift with both excitement and a bit of apprehension.  After all, why mess with something that works?  On the other hand, I think that this conversion will bring new life to a bike that does not get used very often.

One other thought, what color Newbaum tape do you suggest to best match an Brooks B-17 honey saddle that has some years on it?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Sean
EA, NY

[Kieran J]

I support the conversion from drops to uprights. Personally, I find the Alba-type riding posture and handling is the most enjoyable for the type of relaxed riding I tend to do. 

You will likely need new cables and housing but that's hard to tell without seeing the bike in its current form. Depends on a few differences between set-ups like bar height, type of brake levers, etc. It would be a game-time decision during fit-up.

What colour is the Trek? I think my fav Newbaum's colour is the dark blue (which does fade with use). If you are into the shellacking, I've heard that light colours (or white) work best.

KJ

[David Hays]

I find white Newbaums with three coats of amber shellac mates well with a honey Brooks.

David

Kenmore, New York

On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 11:08:47 AM UTC-5, SeanMac wrote:

[Deacon Patrick]

I swapped my new-to-me Quickbeam's noodles for albastache without the need to replace cables. I love the Albastache for all-round riding, including technical trails and long roads and tours (on trails and dirt roads). I think you'll love them!

With abandon,

Patrick

[Tony DeFilippo]

Nice work on the white newbaums/amber shellac David!  That is a serious transformation.

Good luck with the bar swap Sean, I am a serial bar swapper... I've been through Albatross, Noodles (44-46-48), Moustache bars (original) plus a gaggle of other drop bars and a few more upright varieties over the past 2 years.  I'm pretty darn happy with Alba's and Noodles, and the M-Bars are great at times too. I tested out a set of albastache's on a demo Sam at RBBH a year ago and my short ride impression was they weren't enough different from the original M bars to make the switch worthwhile to me.

My experience is that Albatross bars are the most transformational (and end the end comfortable) you can get, noodles are the most versatile and M-bars are the most stylish.

Share some pictures when you swap!

Tony

[SeanMac]

Thanks for the responses.

David - what a great looking bike.  I live just down the road in East Aurora.  Perhaps our paths will cross sometime. 

Kieran - my Trek is dark green -- a nice, distinguished British racing green. 

As I have been thinking about this project, I did consider switching to the Albatross bars.  However, doing so would make it necessary to buy a new pair of brake levers and a shim to attach to my stem.  Not a huge deal, but something to think about.  As it is, the switch to a Albastache might require me to purchase a new stem - such as a dirt drop stem - since many folks have stated on this list and elsewhere that the 'stache bars seem to work best when they are positioned relatively level to the saddle.  With my setup now, I think that the bars will end up being several inches below the saddle.   If I decide to follow through with this project, I think that I will try the bars with the stem that I have and see how that goes before buying a new stem. (though Riv is having that sale on Nitto products . . . ).

Sean

[Nils Eng]

I just made the switch as well, and I'm loving it.  One tricky thing for me was needing an extra long derailleur cable to make the distance from the end of my bar all the way to the RD without tight bends.  I couldn't find "extra long" cables anywhere, until I asked for "tandem length" cables.  Hope you enjoy!

On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 9:08:47 AM UTC-7, SeanMac wrote:

[Kieran J]

OOOOH Tan leather and BRG. Classic combo! Just like those old pretty Jags and Astons ;-)

KJ

[SeanMac]

Niles - Did you have to make any changes to your stem?

Sean

[DS]

I like the Albastache bars a lot and have had them on a few bikes, but find that it is much more of an aggressive riding position due to you being in the curves where the brakes are, compared to the uprightedness (sp?) of the Albatross bars, which I enjoy for more upright townie riding.

I did a Trek 500 '84 conversion a while back (also did a 650b conversion at the same time). I put on Albastache bars at first and ended up flipping them and finding some road diameter mtn syle lever brakes to setup on the bar ends as an Albatross-like setup, and that ended up working ok. If I had to do it again I would get a new stem and brake levers. Though, I think the big issue with the Albastache bars on that setup was that the stem I had on there was too short, so I'd also consider the Albastache bars with a shorter stem, I like short and high w/ Albastache, those drops are further out than you think.

[Peter Adler]

Handy tip for tandem shifter cables, since you've got them: The Jagwire tandem cables come with two cylinder ends, one for Shimano-ish shifters and a smaller one (I'm betting for Campy). Assuming you're using Shimano-ish shifters, the smaller cable stop is a perfect match for the recess in Mafac Racer straddle cable bobbins (#59 in this Mafac blow-apart). As someone with lots of Mafac racers, I hoard these cable remnants for straddle recycling.

Peter Adler

wasting not, and so wanting less in

Berkeley, CA/USA

[Nils Eng]

Clever!  This one was SRAM, so just a regular road lever end on one side.  Thanks for the tip!

[Nils Eng]

I did-- I got the shim from Rivendell.  It's worked beautifully, although you can see it a little on both sides of the handlebar if that's going to bother you. 

[Michael Hechmer]

I have no experience with Albastache bars but a lot with Trek 5/6/720 from that period.  They tend to steer a bit more quickly than any of the RBW bikes I have ridden and so I would wonder if the wider bars might  accentuate that.  Just a thought.

Michael

On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 11:08:47 AM UTC-5, SeanMac wrote:

[Surlyprof]

I'm a big fan of Brooks tape which, of course, matches the honey saddle perfectly.  They are expensive but I bought them after my third set of corks crapped out in less than a year.  I bought one pack of Brooks 9 years ago and have moved them across three different handlebars.  I only had to clean off a little of the adhesive with Goof-off.  They feel great and age in a similar fashion as the seat (although not quite as quickly).

The new-to-me Hillborne I recently purchased came with Albatross bars.  I've thought about swapping them for Albastache bars because I miss having the mustache-style bars I had on a Surly.  Initially, I have considered at least flipping them upside-down (as David said he tried) to achieve the more ergonomic down drop on the front curve.  I fear I would lose the upright quality at the bar ends that is nice to have when commuting through the city.  If I did switch to Albastache, I would probably go back to a shorter stem.  'Stache bars really increase the reach.  Has anyone flipped Albatross bars over or is that just a ridiculous idea?

As for the quicker steering on the 'stache bars, I believe that has more to do with the hand position being in front of the pivot point of the headset.  More of your weight is further out so the steering action is more of releasing of your weight from one side to the other.  It uses your weight more in the steering.  With the upright bars such as the Albatross and Bosco, your hands are more in line with that pivot point and less of your weight is on the bars.  Steering becomes more of a push/pull relationship.  At least that's what I've been able to surmise from a basic ergonomic comparison between the drops, bosco, albatross and older mustache bars I've had.  This is also why I think that flipping the Albatross bars will not achieve a similar feel of my old mustache bars.

Hi, I'm John and I'm a bar-swap addict.

[Allingham II, Thomas J]

Do you Proofide the bar tape?

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[Surlyprof]

I use the Obenauf's that Rivendell sells.  Stuff is fantastic.  http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/goo13-tiny.htm

John

On Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at 8:29:24 AM UTC-8, Pudge wrote:

Do you Proofide the bar tape?

 

From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com [mailto:rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Surlyprof
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2015 11:28 AM
To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [RBW] Re: Noodle to Albastache Swap - Trek 520 Touring Bike

 

I'm a big fan of Brooks tape which, of course, matches the honey saddle perfectly.  They are expensive but I bought them after my third set of corks crapped out in less than a year.  I bought one pack of Brooks 9 years ago and have moved them across three different handlebars.  I only had to clean off a little of the adhesive with Goof-off.  They feel great and age in a similar fashion as the seat (although not quite as quickly).

 

The new-to-me Hillborne I recently purchased came with Albatross bars.  I've thought about swapping them for Albastache bars because I miss having the mustache-style bars I had on a Surly.  Initially, I have considered at least flipping them upside-down (as David said he tried) to achieve the more ergonomic down drop on the front curve.  I fear I would lose the upright quality at the bar ends that is nice to have when commuting through the city.  If I did switch to Albastache, I would probably go back to a shorter stem.  'Stache bars really increase the reach.  Has anyone flipped Albatross bars over or is that just a ridiculous idea?

 

As for the quicker steering on the 'stache bars, I believe that has more to do with the hand position being in front of the pivot point of the headset.  More of your weight is further out so the steering action is more of releasing of your weight from one side to the other.  It uses your weight more in the steering.  With the upright bars such as the Albatross and Bosco, your hands are more in line with that pivot point and less of your weight is on the bars.  Steering becomes more of a push/pull relationship.  At least that's what I've been able to surmise from a basic ergonomic comparison between the drops, bosco, albatross and older mustache bars I've had.  This is also why I think that flipping the Albatross bars will not achieve a similar feel of my old mustache bars.

 

Hi, I'm John and I'm a bar-swap addict.

On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 8:08:47 AM UTC-8, SeanMac wrote:

Hi folks,

I am contemplating a winter project that would convert an early 1990 Trek 520 touring bike into an around town "grocery getter"  and/or bike trail, easy cruising bike.  My plan is to swap out the Noodle bars on my Trek for Albastache bars.

From what I have read, this looks to be a pretty easy conversion.  The bar end shifters that I have on the Noodles should work on the Albastache bars.  I should also be able to swap over the brake levers from the Noodle to the Alnbastache (I've got the original levers - non-aero, non-brifters).   Is there something that I am missing?  Will be cable lengths be similar or will I likely need new cables?

For as long as I can remember, every bike that I have ever ridden has used drop bars, so I contemplate this shift with both excitement and a bit of apprehension.  After all, why mess with something that works?  On the other hand, I think that this conversion will bring new life to a bike that does not get used very often.

One other thought, what color Newbaum tape do you suggest to best match an Brooks B-17 honey saddle that has some years on it?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Sean
EA, NY

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[Tim Gavin]

Brooks leather bar tape isn't the same leather as the saddles (that would be much too thick, of course).  It's thinner and has a wax treatment from the factory (which is noted in the accompanying paperwork, iirc) so it holds up pretty well without any treatment.

However, I also use Obenauf's on the tape after it gets a little worn.  I use Obenauf's on everything leather (though I also use silicone cream on my boots once a year).

FYI, the black, brown, honey, and red Brooks tape is made in Italy, and all the other colors are made in China.  

The Brooks bar plugs fall out quickly, in my experience.  Whiskey caps are a closer replacement to the Brooks plugs, but they don't stay in as positively as wine corks.

To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com.

[Surlyprof]

I agree about the plugs.  I've never gotten them to stay in long without a little adhesive.  I have also seen that some of the Brooks tape colors fade due to sun exposure (badly in some cases).  I haven't had this problem with the 9 year old honey tape.  They've darkened nicely with age.

John

[SeanMac]

Its funny how a project evolves over time.  I started this thread asking about replacing the Noodle bars on my Trek 520 with Albastache bars.  Now, one day later, after reading a whole lot of comments here (and other places on the web), I think that I may do better going with Albatross bars rather than the 'stache bars.  Here is my thinking. . . .

A number of folks have commented that the 'stache bars put their hands forward in an aero position.  This, to me, makes them sound like bars made for somewhat aggressive, go-fast riding.  This is not what I want with my Trek.  I already have two other bikes that fill the go-fast niche.  I want my Trek to be different.  It should be the grocery-getter; the bike that I ride to the library or on the bike path with my kids.  The Trek should be a stop and smell the roses kind of bike.  After doing some research, it seems as though the Albatross bars will be the best fit for this kind of riding.

My thinking on this was heavily influenced by this post from our friend Pondero:  How Albatross Bars Changed My Life

Of course, making this conversion will require me to buy new brake levers as well.  Riv has me covered there.  I don't know about replacing them stem.  I currently have a Nitto Technomic.  However, this set up puts the bars several inches below the saddle, so perhaps I should replace the stem with a Dirt Drop stem or one of the Dead Stock stems that Riv. currently has available.

All of this thinking makes my head spin sometimes.  I wish it was warmer outside (and the roads were not covered with snow so that I could go for a nice relaxing bike ride.

Sean

[David Stein]

Great, now I'll throw in another option for an upright 26.0 handlebar!

Jitensha bar.

Its a very good upright bar and great for getting around town while still being upright like the albatross, and not as aggressive as the albastache. I have it on a recent Quickbeam build and am very happy with them. They would work well with your 26.0 stem which I think is what you said you had, and they're pretty cheap, but you would still need mtn bike levers w/ them. They also sweep back enough to make them versatile with a stem that could be too long.

Just a thought.

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[Surlyprof]

If your goal is an around town errand runner, I don't think you can go wrong with the Albatross.  It's great in the city raising you up and back.  I also had a set of Bosco's but they just seemed too high for my liking and there really isn't a second hand position that works for me (I only bought them to take pressure off an injured shoulder which it did by raising me way up).  If you don't want the second hand position and don't want to buy another stem, the Bosco will get you up much higher.  You may still need to buy another stem just to add length as the Albatross and Bosco bring the hands back to where they could bump knees if you're not careful.

John