It's a Tosco, on a Face Plater

[Joe Bernard]

Ok let's try this again with proper pics, sorry if the earlier version is still in your emails (I don't know how that works).

This is my nifty new 60cm Tosco on my nifty new 135mm Nitto Face Plater. The bar is a bit cut down from Bosco and - this is the part I care about - has a little more flare at the grips. As the Riv ad copy says it's not quite the looker of Nitto (and it's heavier than my cromo 55 Bosco) but it's only 60 bucks! I like the hand positions and the slightly less HEY I'M A CONSPICUOUSLY TALL BAR look. Check it out. 

Joe Bernard

[Roberta]

Nice, Joe. 

I guess it's better for you hand to have it flaired?

Roberta

[Joe Bernard]

Yes indeed, and it's very conscientious of you to pick that up. I noticed the flare on Leah's new Billie Bars and I thought it might be less stress on my bad hand than the almost-straight-back construction of Bosco. Tosco isn't a Billie, but closer. 

Btw I tried to post about your new bike on the Platypus thread and apparently hit a delete button right after cuz I'm lame. I love your new Platy! 🙂

[Joe Bernard]

Btw a kind listmember has pointed out to me that the Tosco product page implies a thing I know they didn't intend to imply. Yes, Losco (the low one I had) has very little flare. Tosco is not like that, it's confusing to even mention Losco on that page. Of all the 'osco bars Tosco has the most flare, a smidge more than Bosco. Clear as mud, eh? 

Joe "what did he say??" Bernard

[Jason Fuller]

The custom is looking more and more dialed all the time.  I find the nearly straight-back sweep to be too much ergonomically as well.  Funny enough I find it works OK in a more aggressive position (like, level with the saddle) but if your arms are forward instead of down towards your hips, it puts the wrist at a strange angle - one fix is to angle them downwards quite a bit, which seems to work for a lot of folks.  I like my sweep around the 45 to 60 degree range, I think Billies would feel good to me on the upper end. 

I really want a Faceplater stem for the Bombadil.    

[Joe Bernard]

I'll tell you a secret about Face Platers now that I've done a couple bar swaps with it: they're kind of a pain. With the traditional style you pass the bar through and the stem supports it while you turn one bolt. Now you're fiddling with FOUR bolts AND trying to hold the face plate against the bar so they don't both go crashing to the ground. THEN you gotta get all the bolts in there straight and at a fairly even torque all around. Pretty stem but I hope I don't change bars again soon! 

[lconley]

I note that you have your thumb shifters in an interesting location - to the "inside" of the bar (Riv style), but shiting in the more or less traditional horizontal plane instead of the Riv style vertical plane. So sort of rotating in the opposite direction from traditional. How do you like them in that position"

Laing

On Thursday, May 27, 2021 at 12:15:17 AM UTC-4 Joe Bernard wrote:

[Joe Bernard]

Hi Laing,

What you see in the pics - including how high I have the bars/stem - is the result of basal joint (base of thumb) arthritis. It's most prominent in my right hand (I'm right-handed) and hurts like the dickens if I shift a lot, so I swapped them around and shift the rear derailer with my "good" left hand. I have them mounted semi-horizontally to avoid thumbshifting, I basically use my whole hand to make the shift. So it's very specific and looks unusual, but it works! 

Joe "ow ow ow ow" Bernard

[Dorothy C]

Joe, I didn’t hear my torque wrench click and ended up snapping a bolt in two on the first Faceplater I bought. Luckily there was enough thread poking through to the back that I was able to advance it all the way through with needlenose pliers. I am more cautious tightening them down now. 

[Joe Bernard]

Oh no, Dorothy! I'm glad you were able to get that stinkin' bolt outta there.  

I just had a similar experience last night, I was installing a crank on my Susie and that big torque wrench would NOT click. I'm pushing and pushing and my stupid arthritic hand is about to fall off and I'm thinking, "I'm gonna break something big here in a minute." It finally clicked but yikes!

Joe "don't break don't break don't break" Bernard