(f)Atlantis gets a new look

[Mark Reimer]

I got a deal on a pair of Albatross bars from my LBS so I had to give it a try. I had Noodles on before, which I found to be one of the most comfortable bars I've tried yet.

After two rides, I've gotta say. This is a new level of luxury. I feel like I'm riding a couch on two wheels. It's not so easy to keep a higher pace when being so upright, but that's ok. 

Here's a few photos from a surprisingly warm-ish February ride on the river and through the forest. 

[Jeffrey Marco]

Beautiful photo's, an Atlantis with an Albatross just looks right. I'd ride it.

[WETH]

Fabulous photos. Glad the Albatross bars are working.

[Pondero]

Celebrate the albatrossed Atlantis brotherhood! Gosh, they're comfy!

Chris Johnson
Sanger, Texas

[hsmitham]

Hey Mark,

The Atlantis looks exactly right. I can't imagine my Atlantis ever going back to drops. I like my Albastache on the Hilsen but you nailed it! The Albatross are luxurious. As Chris said welcome to the Albatrossed brotherhood.

~Hugh

[Tony DeFilippo]

Great photos, man that bike looks great. Looks like you had a nice ride!

[Bill Lindsay]

Your Harlequin-Grips are superb!  APPROVE!

[Mike Williams]

Nice nice set up man!!

Sent from my iPhone

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[cyclotourist]

Exactly what has been said, but again for emphasis!!!

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Cheers,
David

Member, Supreme Council of Cyberspace

"it isn't a contest. Just enjoy the ride." - Seth Vidal

[lungimsam]

Would you explain/show close up pic of how you mounted your edeluxe? Looks interesting.

[Mark Reimer]

It's pretty simple really, just a long bolt running through a Problem Solvers fender nut. There is a split/lock washer in there somewhere as well. I never intended it to be permanent but it's worked so well I haven't had any need to replace it in six months. The light stays where I want it even when riding over really bumpy ground. 

You can make it out here: http://flic.kr/p/ozHezf

On Tue, Feb 17, 2015 at 8:35 AM, lungimsam <john1...@gmail.com> wrote:

Would you explain/show close up pic of how you mounted your edeluxe? Looks interesting.

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[Mark Reimer]

I should add, the Nitto Campee rack has a threaded eyelette in just the right spot. No need for an upside-down light with this rack. 

[Kieran J]

Hey Mark, great looking bike. How do you like the Campee/Wald combo? Is it the usual zip tie attachment dealie? Any rigidity issues with a heavy load?

KJ

[Mark Reimer]

Hi Kieran,

I love the combo. I had the smaller Wald on for a few months, then switched to a Swift Industries Ozette, and now the larger Wald basket. I've got six zip-ties on the bottom of the basket and two on the rack 'tombstone' at the back. I've never had any issues with the ties snapping or feeling insecure. 

With the smaller basket, I was never worried about it caving under too much weight. With this larger one, I was curious as it extends several inches past the end of the Campee. However, I can't see what I could put in there short of concrete blocks that would cause the basket to fail. For added insurance, I use two irish straps like in the photo, wrapped around the bars and the front of the basket. This helps keep the front of the basket from sagging. In short - I feel totally fine riding around with a heavy load in the basket. 

[Bob E]

Looks great, and nice photos, as usual!

There seems to be more than a few folks swapping out drop bars for Albatrosses of late; I suppose there's something to be said for those "performance upright" bikes. (I'll find out soon, as I'm currently in the middle of such a conversion right now!)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30490050@N04/16551740941/

 

Bob E

[SeanMac]

Mark, Bob E. Bobs in General -

I'm still in the contemplation mode for a bar switch.  I've got a Trek 520 touring bike from the early 1990s that currently has Noodle bars.  I'm thinking about converting this into a more upright, ride-around-town bike.  For this use, an Albatross seems like a great choice.  I'm curious about the ideal height of the Albatross bars.  Is the goal to get the stem up so that it is level with the saddle - which would make the bars even higher, or is the goal to end up with the bars being level with the saddle (and the stem a bit lower)?

The other idea bouncing around in my head is to obtain an albastache bar (rather than the albatross) for this bike.  This bar, at least in my head, would retain more of the touring nature of my Trek, while also providing the option of a more upright position than my noodles.  Since I have never been on a bike with a 'stache bars, I have a hard time even imagining what this combination would be like.

Any advice, comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Sean

[Ant Ritchey]

Tires, tires, tire talk!

I run cromo albas on my 64 Atlantis and I'm in love.  Just curious about your (f)Atlantis tire selection, clearances, etc.  I had 29x2.1 Kenda Small Blocks on there but it was really pushing it.  I downsized to 700x50 Duremes....for now.  Any input appreciated!

On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 5:36:58 PM UTC-8, Mark Reimer wrote:

[michael sellers]

Mark,I am having an Atlantis being built as i type this and am wondering about bars. Do you like the Albas better than Drops for long (50+ mile) road rides? Thanks,Mike S.

[true]

 

 

 

Wow...nicely done Mark!

What a great looking cockpit & bike!

 

I wish I knew how to do that harlequin style bar wrap

and even tried to follow this technique as described on the link below

and keep botching it up so just did regular wrap.

 

http://www.wastedlife.org/bike/harlequin/index.html

 

After reading about so many of you loving your Albatross bars,

I bought a pair last year and installed them on my converted to urban cruiser mid 80's lugged Peugeot mtb

that has some 26 x 2.3 fat street tires mounted on it and set up with 1 x 7 gearing.

 

My around 3000 miles of riding last year was spread over mostly nine bikes ( 3 now off to new owners as my riding preferences changed)

and when I tallied up individual bike miles that Peugeot with the Albatross bars saw the most miles

which kinda surprised me as if I am going to be out for more than about an hour I had been taking

a bike with road bars thinking the Albatross would just not be comfortable for multi hour rides.

 

The more I rode the Peugeot , the more I liked the Albatross bars and have now done several 40 milers on it including one on Sunday afternoon. 

 

It's so darn comfortable I just keep grabbing that bike.  (Pic of cockpit from Sunday's ride attached.)

 

Along with the Albatross bars those cush 2.3 tires just smooth out the rough streets.

I just don't get pounded by rough streets on that bike like on skinnier tired bikes. (the ones I passed on to new owners)

 

I now have another vintage mtb, an 850 Trek frame,

as a planned project to also convert to urban cruiser/gravel grinder.

 

Thanks Mark for sharing your terrific Atlantis.

 

Paul in Dallas

[true]

I forgot to add that the pics of your Atlantis in the snow amongst the Aspens are really really quite beautiful.

 

What area is this?

 

I would have to get my mind in the right state to take such a nice bike

out in that weather other than for perhaps pictures

but would be more likely to take one of my lesser 'more foul weather bikes' out instead.

 

Saying that, I recall when I first received and started riding my new 1999 custom Riv Road many years ago

and got a scratch on it several weeks later and bemoaned that scratch in an email to Grant.

 

Now this loosely paraphrases his response as it has been lots of years

but he said something to the effect that these bikes were made to ride and he was tempted to put a scratch on them

b4 shipping  to assist owners to get over the idea of worrying about a scratch.

 

That idea stuck with me and I try not to get too obsessive about not using a bike for what it was intended for

and if it gets some 'beausage' in the process to take it as a badge of honor that it is being ridden as it was designed.

 

 

 

Paul in Dallas

 

 

[Mark Reimer]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Now to the questions!

Regarding using the Albatross bars on longer rides. One thing I've really noticed is that due to my much more upright position on the bike, I don't get as much power onto the pedals. 99% of the time I wouldn't care, but if I was on a long, 100km+ ride, I would probably start to get impatient after putting along all day. Or more likely anyone I was riding with would get tired of waiting for me. I definitely feel like I can comfortably ride faster with drops/Noodles. Then again, I've only ridden the Albatross for a week. But I did a 50km ride on the weekend and was struggling to hold on to the group I was with all day.

I'm using this bike on the Oregon Outback, aiming for three days of riding, so that's about 120 miles a day. I can't see using the Albatross for that, at least at this point. I'll switch back to the Noodles most likely, unless time changes my mind.

Regarding tires: I've got lots more room in the frame with the 2.1 Nano's on Velocity Dyad rims. I could easily fit 2.2's, though tire brands seem to vary in actual width's. I haven't measured the 'true' width of these tires, but that's not a bad idea... Maybe I can find a set of callipers in the office somewhere.

Here are some quick n' dirty phone pictures of the clearance I get with the Nano's. I had thought small block 8's would be an excellent tire in 2.2 on the Atlantis. Now you've got me wondering though... 

The 2.1's give me about 4mm of clearance at the tightest spot on the frame.

On Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at 9:38:22 AM UTC-6, truegolden wrote:



[Mark Reimer]

Paul, sorry forgot to address your last question. The photo of the Atlantis in the trees is in the Assiniboine Forest in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It's among the largest urban forests in the world I recently learned. It's a large protected forest area with a few walking paths and many trails winding through it. In summer, it can be quite boggy. Riding isn't the greatest. In winter though, all the trails are packed down from cyclists, deer, walkers, etc. It's amazing to ride at this time of year. 

Not quite so much today though... rode in to work with a -42C windchill. 

On Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at 9:38:22 AM UTC-6, truegolden wrote:



[Bob E]

Sean,

To answer your question about bar height: I just installed mine on the bike and I haven’t ridden it yet, but I’m starting off with just leaving the stem at the height where it was when I had the drops on (I had the tops of the bar a little lower than the saddle); this now puts the Albatross bar at roughly level with the saddle. With this set-up, I figure I’ll still have some angle in my back, and I would still be able to get into a comfortable lower position by putting my hands on the forward section with the long-ish top tube. So for me, I don’t want to set the bar too high. That's the theory, anyway -- we’ll see how it goes!

Bob