Bosco Rubbe Nubar on my Hunqapillar... first test

[René Sterental]

I took delivery of the new Bosco Rubbe Bullmoose bar today and proceeded to install it on my Hunqapillar. http://tinyurl.com/7bmmkfl

Initial impressions:

- They are beautiful. I love the Bullmoose configuration and while it restricts further adjustments except for height, I believe it's an optimal position and are very happy to trade off the ability to rotate the bar for the added stiffness and beauty.

- They have a lot of rise and a fairly short quill. I have inserted them fully, leaving just a tiny gap so they don't rub on the top of the headset and on the Hunqapillar at least, I don't think I need them any higher at all. After more rides I'll be able to tell whether they are more comfortable for me than the Bullmoose bars I had, but I don't think their height will change.

- Upright position is a bit "surprising" to my body. Can't tell for sure after just riding them in the street in front of my house for a short while, but it seems my back is more relaxed, there is less pressure on my hands and I can slide them forward and backwards easily. Can't say for sure about hand or neck pain yet.

- Versatile hand positioning. I installed the leather grips I had on the Bullmoose bars and while these are more suitable to keep the hands on a single spot, the bar configuration allows me to easily slide them forward while still having plenty of flat section to adjust to the speed I'm riding. Additionally, if I want to get "aereo" or if there is a strong headwind, I can comfortably place my hands on the front flat section while having the grips support my elbows for a very confident position. My initial impression is that they are much more comfortable and versatile (for me) than the Albatross bars I tried a while back and ended up selling.

- They are wide. This means that I'm not poking myself on the ends of the bar when making tight turns, getting off the bike, etc. I'm big and I fit very comfortably inside the bars. It takes a while to get used to maneuver the bike with the hands behind the line of the head tube but it's not a big deal.

- Not surprisingly, I had to adjust the tilt of my saddle to support the more upright position, which means there is more weight on my butt.

- Need to lengthen the brake cable/housing for the front brake but it will work for now.

Over the long weekend I'll do some longer rides and cruise around Palo Alto to form a better opinion.

Happy Memorial Weekend!

René

[PATRICK MOORE]

I'm curious how this sort of setup works in strong, steady headwinds.
You mention being able to rest your elbows on the grips while grasping
the flat. Does this work for 10 miles or more at a stretch?

It's odd, but I find that when I sit up straight, I lose power. I am
sure others find things different -- I remember with, well, not so
much humiliation as humility, how a young guy, sitting bolt upright on
a cheap hybrid, caught up with me riding strenuously in the hooks and
cheerfully yelled out, "Howzit going?" before passing me. But I can
feel extra power even moving from the hoods to the hooks and find that
when I hold the ramps or the flats, I tend to bog if there is any
resistance from air or hill. Perhaps its a mashing versus spinning
thing?

On Fri, May 25, 2012 at 4:23 PM, René Sterental <orth...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I took delivery of the new Bosco Rubbe Bullmoose bar today and proceeded to
> install it on my Hunqapillar. http://tinyurl.com/7bmmkfl
>
> Initial impressions:

[snip]

> - They have a lot of rise and a fairly short quill. I have inserted them
> fully, leaving just a tiny gap so they don't rub on the top of the headset
> and on the Hunqapillar at least, I don't think I need them any higher at
> all. After more rides I'll be able to tell whether they are more comfortable
> for me than the Bullmoose bars I had, but I don't think their height will
> change.

[snip]

[René Sterental]

I'm sure the ability to hold that position for 10 miles is completely up to the rider's flexibility. I know I probably couldn't, but if you like riding in the drops and having the handlebar lower than your saddle, you could do it. There is plenty of support for the arms and hands in this position, whereas I cannot find an equivalent option on the Bullmoose bars or on the Albatross bar. I'm sure others might differ and I just wanted to highlight this option on these new bars. 

I agree with you that bending forward produces more power. My body naturally wants to do that as I ride harder. It's just that my neck, shoulder and hands complain loudly so I'm trying to find comfort over speed so I can continue to ride. 

René 

[PATRICK MOORE]

I have to admit that 10 steady miles on the hooks, despite the
now-higher bar (3 cm below saddle, up from 4-5) and shallow drop (125
mm) required willpower. 7 is fine, by 8 I am getting a little
restless, but I wanted to see if I could do the whole distance without
getting up. Silly, I guess, but around here, the hooks are like
shifting gears into a wind. Heck, way back when I was in my late 30s I
had my bars 5 (five) inches (inches) below saddle -- pure ignorance
about how to set up a bike. But at 57 I am a lot stiffer than I was.

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--

-------------------------
Patrick Moore, Albuquerque, NM
For professional resumes, contact Patrick Moore, ACRW
http://resumespecialties.com/index.html
-------------------------

A billion stars go spinning through the night
Blazing high above your head;
But in you is the Presence that will be
When all the stars are dead.

Rainer Maria Rilke, Buddha in Glory

[Andy Smitty Schmidt]

I'm most curious about the forward "aero" position. Good to hear you like it, Rene. A 58 Bocso bar is on it's way for my Big Dummy. Currently I have Alba-bars on the BD and use the forward position as much as the regular position. I want to try the Boscos to get the normal position a little closer to me but hope to retain some sort of regular use aero/power position. Among other things (like taking the family camping - if the alba-bars aren't obvious enough, look for the bike with the American flag... that's us. Also, a keen observer will see the wife's Betty Foy in the video.) the BD is my grocery getter and my house is uphill from the grocery store... i.e. coast down empty and pedal up with a load.  

Assuming the Bosco works out on the BigD, the Albas will go on the Hilsen. 

Andy "about to get boscoed" Schmidt

[Mike]

On May 25, 5:43 pm, Andy Smitty Schmidt <54ca...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Assuming the Bosco works out on the BigD, the Albas will go on the Hilsen.
>
> Andy "about to get boscoed" Schmidt
>

Who knows, maybe you'll have to get a second set of Boscos for the
Hilsen.

Rene, I really like the looks of those on the Hunqapillar. I'll be
curious to hear back from you and others after more miles on the bars.

--mike

[Pondero]

I'm looking forward to this group's test results.  I have a vision of Bosco bars, and new fat tires, on my QB stuck in my head.

[René Sterental]

Went for a longer ride this morning, still cautious not to overdo it. Found out that everyone's talking about the new bars: http://tinyurl.com/7az8okv.

Now, here is what I have to say after an hour long ride: Comfort is extreme. So is the variety of hand positions that directly relate to the comfort during the ride. Let me see if I can describe the nuances well, especially for those of you who may not have the chance to try before you buy.

At the ends of the bar, I get a very upright position that allows my neck and shoulders to fully relax. I have to remember not to slump forward, but when I do, I can arch my back and feel supported by my trunk and core muscles. In this position, the upper back, shoulders, neck, arms and hands are very relaxed and it's a matter of ensuring good core strength to sustain for longer periods of time. Almost all of the weight is on your butt, so butt conditioning on a good saddle is crucial. I didn't have any trouble pedaling at moderate and higher cadences and needless to say, this position is awesome for cruising and sight-seeing. While the standard hand position is gripping the grips so both hands are parallel to each other, my Portland Design Whiskey grips (which I adjust so the upper flat area is horizontal) give me a very nice surface to also rest my hands as if they were on a straight bar with the grip being loosely held between my index and middle fingers. Basically I can rotate my hands 90 degrees and still be very comfortable as the areas of pressure are different.

Inching my hands forward, so my hands are now resting on the brakes (where they attach to the handlebar) so my fingers are on metal but the rear of my hand is still on the leather grip gives me a very comfortable position with just a bit more lean to rest the back and/or pedal a bit harder/faster. I can hook the break itself between my index and middle finger as well for some added stability.

For pedaling harder/faster and or leaning forward more, basically the equivalent forward tilt I get on the Bullmoose bars or even a bit more, I can slide forward all the way till the bends where the bar tilts down to go to the flat center section. This position feels a lot more aggressive and though I may not hold it for too long, it felt quite comfortable for shorter aggressive riding, riding into the wind (if not too strong), attacking a climb, etc. I can get a lot of leverage from this section of the bars while tilted forward, so it's good for pulling on the bars (dancing on the pedals while climbing standing...).

While in my case, my belly gets in the way, you can also put your hands on the flat section with your elbows resting on the grips for the lowest most aggressive riding position (good neck flexibility required if sustaining it for longer stretches), I discovered another position a bit less aggressive but still more than with your hands on the curved transition as described above. While still gripping the transition, you can lower your elbows so your whole forearm is now resting on the straight rear sections of the bars and the grips.

After an hour or riding, where the first half was quite leisure and the second half was a bit more spirited, I arrived home feeling very happy, with no neck or hand pain and feeling the bike was very responsive and very nice to handle with these new bars. I have a strong feeling that they might replace the regular Bullmoose bars as my ultimate favorite bars, but most likely I'll keep using both. Tomorrow I'll try them on a dirt trail with a bit of singletrack and some short more aggressive downhills to see how they feel as compared to the Bullmoose bars.

My verdict so far? These are a great set of bars, maximizing on comfort while still having plenty of versatility for more aggressive riding and especially, for mixing it up during a ride. The best bars ever? Perhaps!

René

[Andy Smitty Schmidt]

Got my Boscos today. Just finished putting them on the Big Dummy. Did a test ride around the block and made a few adjustments. Second test ride has me loving the ways of the Bosco. Will put up a few pics and more impressions after I get some miles under my belt in the next few days.  

--Andy

On Friday, May 25, 2012 3:23:24 PM UTC-7, René wrote:

[René Sterental]

Tested the Bosco bars on the dirt today and my previous assessment was proven correct. Perfectly comfortable, great maneuverability, no issues climbing or descending. Great handling on singletrack. I came home with no hand, neck or shoulder pain at all. 

Ordered a second set today to test on the Betty or the Atlantis so will be putting a slightly used set of regular 150mm Bullmoose bars for sale shortly.

Verdict: possibly the best bars for me.  

René