Has anyone tried the new Tosco bar?

[Alberto Robador]

I'm curious to hear any first impressions on this bar and how it compares to the Bosco

Cheers,

Alberto

[Joe Bernard]

I only rode the Bullmoose prototype (pictured in the product listing but not available) on a Susie at RBW, it's what it presents as: a Bosco with a little less rise and a little more flare at the grips. My first reaction was "yeah, you gotta make this bar", the flaring out compared to my current Boscos (which I love) was realllll nice. 

[Joe Bernard]

I should add that no one told me when I hopped on the bike that it had a new bar. It was noticeably different and great and I asked them about it when I got back from my spin around the building. 

[Alberto Robador]

Cool, thanks Joe! I always thought the Bosco didn't have enough flare for some off road bumpy trails. I often found myself loosing grip and slipping forward on the bars.

[Joe Bernard]

Indeed Alberto, I think this bar would solve that problem. It had kind of a "klunker bar" feel to it with the mid-rise, and the ends flared more than the almost-straight-back feel of my Boscos. I'm tempted to switch! 

[Joe Bernard]

Oh I misspoke - that's a lawyer word for i don't know that the heck I'm talking about - they do make the Bullmoose Tosco for threadless steerers. My bad! 

[Julian Westerhout]

Joe, do you remember roughly how much less rise they had? Also, were the grip portions on the Bullmoose version tilted down or roughly straight? 

I'm considering them instead of the Bullmoose Boscos on our HHH -- I'm looking for something a bit lower and with a bit more flare. 

thanks, 

Julian Westerhout

Bloomington, Il 

[Joe Bernard]

The rise I can't comment on because it wasn't replacing a bar on a bike I'm used to riding. I do remember the the grip angle having some downsweep similar to my Bosco Bullmoose. 

[Garth]

Riv has a schematic of the Tosco with it's images. This #%&*^! format wouldn't post the .png image of the bars, then the page malfunctioned and I had to reload the page, rendering my entire reply lost in cyberspace.  The gist of which is .... everything is alright..... no matter what.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1403/7343/products/ScreenShot2020-11-24at11.51.45AM_1600x.png

[Garth]

Testing testing .... 

[Garth]

Okay, I changed the format to .jpg and that worked to post both as an "add attachment" and "insert photo attachment". So if anyone has issues with posting photos , open the image, "save as" and change the file format to .jpg. I'm posting this with Chrome(book) OS and browser at the moment. 

[Brian Campbell]

Thanks Garth. Now if you could show me how to post from my iphone.......

[Garth]

Yes Bruce, you know how to post photos, if you didn't "the device/means of expression" wouldn't exist.

[Joe Bernard]

Who's Bruce?

I don't know what's on the iPhone screen because I don't do Apple things, but on my Android there's three dots up in the right corner when I'm on the mobile Google Groups page. I click that and click Desktop Site, then I can reply and attach photos. Or screenshots like this. 

[Garth]

I meant Brian .... that's who.

[Alex K]

I now have a Bosco on my Clem L (52) and a Tosco on my Atlantis (56cm 650b.). It is EXACTLY as described, and not being much of a numbers/details guy (I know, I know, I'm a bit of an outlier in that regard) all I can say is that I love the Tosco for that little bit of extra outside flare that it provides and find the lessening of the rise to put me in a bit more aggressive of a riding position.  I definitely feel a bit dandier on my Boscoed Clem (true to intention, I believe) and like slightly more of a conquistador on the Toscoed Atlantis.  

Good luck out there.  Lots of new things to try and buy always.

Alex

[Alberto Robador]

Joe, if they only had the 25.4 version in stock so that I could use the nice stem you just sent me...I was too slow!

On Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 11:18:57 AM UTC-8 Garth wrote:

[Garth]

A Tosco bar arrived for me yesterday. It seems there is a problem however .... the ID of the bar is loo small for my Tektro RX 4.1 reverse brake levers. So I then tried some new yet older Riv shift pods just to see if they'd fit.... nope. Then I tried an old SunTour bar end shifter, nope. (many swear words inserted here). I called Vince @Riv and  it seems when they had the bar made Riv sent them their current bar end shifter, so while those fit as they are a smaller diameter than the original pods. He did his best to figure a solution but it seems all he can do is initiate a return. 

As best I could I measured 18.65mm and 18.70mm ID in each end. The bars OD measure 22.3, though the 31.8 clamp was spot on. I couldn't get even regular Tektro brake levers over the ends without forcing them, so I didn't. all of these parts go on/in Alba 56 and Billie bars with ease. I even tried sanding a little of the RX 4.1's inner mechanism to see if that would help but it would take some substantial metal removal either from it or the bars themselves. (more expletives)....

If you're using anything else in the bar end other than the current Riv pods, you may be .... (more expletives).

My last option for now  before a bar return is if Dia-Compe's 188 levers will work, if I can get a retailer to actually measure them with the sleeve off as the description says for 18 or 20mm ID.

Customer service .. as in talking to a living soul who's not a half robot instructed by a video screen what to think, do or say .... seems to be rare these dayze. Riv is rare.I live in an area where we have many Amish people who do roofs and siding and build homes, garages and such. You know, I have so much respect for those guys, they are real hand craftsman. No power tools or electronic devices to de-ssist them. I always waive to them and they always heartily waive in return. There's few bike riders here so when they see one we have an instant connection I suppose. Maybe it takes my back to the home I grew up in Minnesota that my Dad and god Father built by hand, it was pretty basic but I'll take basic well done any day of the week. Even the home I live in now was built in 1856 by the predecessors of my Mothers family buying it during WW2. Big thick stone foundation it sits upon. I'm not nearly so handy at such building homes, but I do know how to tear down a bike and build it back up in my sleep .Most of all I treasure peace ..... not a peace that is acquired, bought or sold .... no I'm referring that inherent indivisibility that is Life Itself.... Being-ness.... or IS-ness that is everything.