Commuting - Moustache Handlebars: The Awful Truth

I love my new road bike for commuting. (Actually it's my old high-school bike, an 81 Lotus that was preserved in amber in my parents' garage.) It is superior in every way to the old Specialized hybrid (now and forever known as the minivan). Except in one way: I like those upright handlebars, and I like not having to dive forward to grab the brakes. I'm not crazy about commuting in traffic riding on the hoods. I keep hearing that moustache handlebars will solve this problem. Is it true? Or is there another option (that doesn't involve buying new brakes or levers)?

Well, I would think if you really wanted to do it cheap, you could mount drop brake levers on a flat handlebar... They'd be a little wierd, but they'd still work...

I just recently got a redline 925 fixed gear and it came with mustache handlebars. I was surprised. Odd looking but very comfortable, work great for standing and pedaling. brakes are easy access. I love them..... seriously considering putting some of them on my cannondale road bike.

how about some cross levers? that's about a 20 dollar modification.

Not sure what cross levers are. Do they mount on the bar tops? Something like these Nashbar ones?

yes. need to redo the housing and the tape. dont work with vbrakes.

Get yourself some horns or make them yourself. The drop brakes will fit and function very comfortably

There is a version for V-brakes. I just mounted a pair. $25 at REI, I had to use my dividend on something.


yes. need to redo the housing and the tape. dont work with vbrakes.

Mustache bars look great. I considered them and asked The Borg about using them for touring. The consensus of the hive was that for commuting and maybe for day trips, they would be good. But for touring, nah. So, I did the totally non-sensical thing and went with North Road bars. I had to go with mtb levers.

Commuting, or 80+ mile day trips - no problem. Couldn't be happier.

I also found that drop bars did not work well for me commuting. However I find flat or riser bars to be very uncomfortable. Moustaches work very well to give several hand positions and provide good control and easy braking.
Another option would be to raise the drop bars much higher. This will allow a more comfortable use of the hoods and drops. Something like the ON-ONE Midge may work even better as it is wide with a shallow drop.
You can try out the moustache bars fairly cheaply by getting a Nashbar Moustache bar.
Craig

I also found that drop bars did not work well for me commuting. However I find flat or riser bars to be very uncomfortable. Moustaches work very well to give several hand positions and provide good control and easy braking.
Another option would be to raise the drop bars much higher. This will allow a more comfortable use of the hoods and drops. Something like the ON-ONE Midge may work even better as it is wide with a shallow drop.
You can try out the moustache bars fairly cheaply by getting a Nashbar Moustache bar.
Craig

Since I have a Redline 925 with moustache bars, would you let me know what other hand positions you use rather than on the 'drops' ? I've tried going up top, but there's not enough of a straight portion for that to work out. The only other position I've found is to place my palms on the top corners of the bars and rest my fingers on the brake housings.

Well, I would think if you really wanted to do it cheap, you could mount drop brake levers on a flat handlebar... They'd be a little wierd, but they'd still work...

Not that I'm the expert on this, but I thought road brake levers and MTB brake levers required different diameter bars. I don't think road brake levers would fit on a flat bar (at least not one intended for a MTB).

I believe moustache bars are the correct diameter for road brake levers.

I am using north road bars with MTB levers on my main commuter. The upright position has been working well for me. There was a very strong headwind this morning, however, and it made me question the wisdom of my ways. A lower hand position would have allowed me to be a smaller surface for the wind to push against.

The only two hand positions I find on my Nashbar moustache bars are: "forward, on the bends in the braking position" and "Back, near the ends" There is no "on the tops" position, without twisting your arms to some odd diagonal contortion.

http://www.stanford.edu/~dru/moustache.html

Thank you all for your suggestions. There's nothing more irritating than someone asking for advice who doesn't know what he wants, so this is my last pestering.


Truman, let me ask you something. If you could superimpose an image of drop bars over your moustache bars, wouldn't the brake levers be the same distance in both cases?

The cross levers are definitely appealing, BrianJ. But 1) do they leave room for a headlight, and 2) how the hell do they work? Do I have to splice through my regular brake levers?

And finally, horns, with the road levers mounted upside-down and facing backwards; do you feel as if you're riding high enough?


http://www.stanford.edu/~dru/moustache.html
What an excellent site. (Igloomaster, you should look at this.) The singleminded devotion of the moustache handlebar user is definitely appealing. It's like a little cult or something.


You know, Nashbar has Moustache bars on sale right now for $15. I should just get these and stop buggin people. I imagine the price reflects the absolutely hideous bar tape they used for the catalogue picture. Could these be uglier? But I read on Sheldon Brown that handlebars require a longer stem...

http://www.stanford.edu/~dru/moustache.html

i agree mustache bars are the jam, but this dude goes freakin' nuts for 'em!! the whole metaphysic of 'stache bars!! go cat go!!:) :beer: :)

I tried them and didn't like them that much.

The only two hand positions I find on my Nashbar moustache bars are: "forward, on the bends in the braking position" and "Back, near the ends" There is no "on the tops" position, without twisting your arms to some odd diagonal contortion.

The position I can add is the hands on the hoods. This stretches you out some more and brings your arms in which is good for aerodynamics but it also means you have to more your hand back onto the bars to use the brakes. I use this occasionally if there is a headwind. The main advantage for me is that the other two positions are much more comfortable than flat bars.
As for stem length I am using the same stem but I thought the recommendation was for a "shorter" stem and perhaps taller stem with moustache bars not longer. I do find the reach is a little longer which I perfer.
For $15 the Nashbar bars are a cheap way to try it out. The Nitto bars are the standard, look nicer and are more expensive but also have a different shape. On-One also sell the Mungo bar which is similar in price to the Nitto but is black and is also a little different. I've previously owned the Nittos and currently have the Nashbars and I may actually perfer the Nashbars.
Craig

Bklyn, I'm not certain I understand your question: Are the brake levers the same distance? From where? From the saddle, they're a little bit farther out than my drops were, but I used a longer stem with the bars to open up my cockpit a little more (snicker). Had I used the same stem, it would be about equal, I'd venture. I could stand to trade the stem for one with 5-7° of rise, vice the 0° rise one on there, now.


For the short, steep climbs I have on my commute, these seem to be way more stable than the drop bars were. Additional width = Increased leverage.


The main advantage for me is that the other two positions are much more comfortable than flat bars.

This is key. +1.

Bklyn, I'm not certain I understand your question
Yeah, I'm not sure I understand it either.
What I'm looking for is a handlebar setup that allows me easy, confident access to the brakes. I think maybe that riding on the moustache hoods will be about the same as riding on the drop bar hoods. I think the cross levers may be the way to go.

I'm more attached to this type of handlebar for some reason:



I'll prolly get a mustache handlebar sometime in my life...

Yeah, I'm not sure I understand it either.
What I'm looking for is a handlebar setup that allows me easy, confident access to the brakes. I think maybe that riding on the moustache hoods will be about the same as riding on the drop bar hoods. I think the cross levers may be the way to go.

For me at least, riding on the forward turn of the bars is comparable to riding on the hoods of my drops, with the advantages being both a slightly more aero position, and improved access to the brake levers.

Riding on the hoods on the moustache bars feels like my hands are just a bit too far out there for good comfort, but it's handy for short periods to stretch out my back

I am trying a North Road bar (inverted with about 1 1/4 cut off the ends) on a thrown together fixie. I looks alot like a mustache bar but has a larger flat in the middle. I do not have very many miles on it yet but it seems to work ok. I set it up with non ero roadbike brake handles that I wraped with bar tape to give a large area for my palms to rest like the article from Brigstone bicycles describes. I started to put brake levers like I use on my bull horn bars it had a very smooth look to it but it would prevent having one more gripping spot.

or the short, steep climbs I have on my commute, these seem to be way more stable than the drop bars were. Additional width = Increased leverage.

Originally Posted by CBBaron
The main advantage for me is that the other two positions are much more comfortable than flat bars.

The drops - even if you rarely go deep - are by far the most comfortable.

Second only to the horns

"I've previously owned the Nittos and currently have the Nashbars and I may actually perfer the Nashbars."

CBBaron How are they better? Why do you prefer them?

1) do they leave room for a headlight, and 2) how the hell do they work? Do I have to splice through my regular brake levers?

1) depends on an individual basis I guess. my dad's got some on his 1980's Mercian, which has really wide bars (44s I guess). He's a Clydesdale, so he added them for posture purposes. he's got plenty of room to mount an average sized light toward the stem clamp. as long as you don't have too much stuff in the cockpit, you'll probably be ok.

2) These levers work by pushing on the cable housing. You need to make 1 cut in the housing for each brake, then drop the lever in the cut (add some little metal fittings if you've got them, though they'll work adequately without). The cable threads back through the whole thing like before, except now you've got an extra brake lever.

Brian: I think I understand the concept. But I wrote a message to Paul Components (makers of pretty expensive cross levers) and Paul himself responded. He told me that their levers work only with aero brakes. You think this is the case with all of these? Kind of a drag, because I was starting to think that this was my solution.

I am trying a North Road bar (inverted with about 1 1/4 cut off the ends) on a thrown together fixie. I looks alot like a mustache bar but has a larger flat in the middle. I do not have very many miles on it yet but it seems to work ok. I set it up with non ero roadbike brake handles that I wraped with bar tape to give a large area for my palms to rest like the article from Brigstone bicycles describes. I started to put brake levers like I use on my bull horn bars it had a very smooth look to it but it would prevent having one more gripping spot.

Interesting. We did that as kids. I use North Roads upright on both my T520 and T830.

"I've previously owned the Nittos and currently have the Nashbars and I may actually perfer the Nashbars."

CBBaron How are they better? Why do you prefer them?
The Nashbars are wider, extend further forward and have a longer straight section of bar in the "drop" position. The Nittos have nicer curve and a little wider flat section near the stem.
The main reason I think I pefer the Nashbars is the longer drop section. I have large hands and I didn't have much room on the Nittos. However I did not have both handlebars on the same bike or even at the same time. The bike with the Nittos was stolen from my garage and I bought the Nashbars as replacement on a budget.
I spend most of my time on the flat sections at the ends of the bar or on the curve just behind the brake levers. I find it quick and easy to get the the brakes from either position with the curve being the best position to use the brakes. The curve on the moustache bars is a a similar reach but a little wider than the hoods on a drop bar but it is much easier to use the brakes from that position. In addition it is much easier to get from the "drops" to the brakes on a moustache than it is to get from the top to the hoods on a drop bar. Also the hand positions on the moustache are all wider than the tops of a drop so it gives you better control.
If you are spending all of your time on the tops then you probably need to raise your handlebars. Your current stem probably doesn't have much adjustment so you might want to look at a new stem. I found some Kalloy in the QBP catalog (you can order them from you favorite LBS) that are inexpensive and have a position angle to allow you to raise your bars up. You may want to do this no matter which bar you go with.
I just know I am never going back to a flat/riser bar. Even my MTB is getting an H-bar or a Mary.
Craig

Brian: I think I understand the concept. But I wrote a message to Paul Components (makers of pretty expensive cross levers) and Paul himself responded. He told me that their levers work only with aero brakes. You think this is the case with all of these? Kind of a drag, because I was starting to think that this was my solution.
Yes this is true.
Cross levers (there are much less expensive ones than Paul) work in-line with aero brake levers. On aero levers the brake cable runs along the handlebar. Cross levers require you to cut the cable housing and then run the cable through the cross lever. The lever works by lengthening the cable housing instead of pulling the cable. It is a simple and effective mechanism. However old style levers run the cable away from the handlebars so you can't run them through the cross lever.
Craig

I used the Nashbar moustach bars but I flipped them over to
use the rise instead of the drops. Kinda like North Roads but
not as steep on the rise.

I used the Nashbar moustach bars but I flipped them over to
use the rise instead of the drops. Kinda like North Roads but
not as steep on the rise.

so what kind of brake levers are you using? and where?

North Roads on a Trek 520. Levers are Avid SD-7 mtb
http://i2.tinypic.com/sowtc7.jpg
http://i2.tinypic.com/sowu3a.jpg

so what kind of brake levers are you using? and where?

Not to be a smart pants but I just bought some NOS MTB levers Off e-bay to use.
I use whatever fits and works most all of the time. :D :D

stop worrying about stupid handlebars and RIDE your bike. my track bike is has a 53-16 gear ratio, track bars and really really tight geometry.and i ride 45 minutes to and from my first job,then another hour ride to my second job after that.everyday.if you ride it, it will become great.do it

Well, that was a fairly safe entry to the site here, dredge up a post from 2 years and 5 months ago and slam one for the gipper :crash:

Welcome to the site, now post a pic of your bike please.

In the mean time I'll go home tonight and fret about which bars to put on the converted MTB commuter/tourer/urban-basher-bike. ;)

stop worrying about stupid handlebars and RIDE your bike. my track bike is has a 53-16 gear ratio, track bars and really really tight geometry.and i ride 45 minutes to and from my first job,then another hour ride to my second job after that.everyday.if you ride it, it will become great.do it

Wrong wrong wrong.

"Uncomfortable" will not mysteriously transmogrify into "great" just by spending time riding it. If your initial setup is horrible, all you're going to do is damage yourself trying to adapt to it. Handlebars are one of the 5 contact points you should concentrate on the most when settling in on bike configuration.

I tried the mustache bar on one of my bikes, after a year long recommendation from my wrench. I am in love with them. I have a bad back and riding with the mustache bar has saved my back. I now put them on all of my bikes. :lol:

How far is the commute? I still tend to like road bars for longer distance but for 5 miles i put something similar to these on my utilty/commuter/japanese 8 spd http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=869&currency=USD

You do need new brake levers, because of the clearance, but you can get them pretty cheap

For what it's worth, this post is more than two years old, and I've since abandoned the mustache bars. What people say about drop bars, it turns out, is true: they are completely versatile and offer myriad hand positions. The mustache bars extended the cockpit of the bike too far, although they were not bad for climbing hills. They do look neat, though, and I've got a pair of the old Nashbar mustaches just clanging around my basement if anybody wants them....

Well, I would think if you really wanted to do it cheap, you could mount drop brake levers on a flat handlebar... They'd be a little wierd, but they'd still work...

No they wouldn't, the handlebar diameter is different.

Another option is to go with a randonneaur bar like this one from Velo Orange. Has the multiple hand placement option of a drop bar with a wider design and a more upright hand position.

bikinpolitico, I really like the look of that raddoneaur bar from velo orange! :thumb:


here's another option to consider...

Track bullhorns work just fine with road levers on my tourer/commuter. These levers are from Dia-compe, they are specifically designed to work with v-brakes.

I've got a pair of the old Nashbar mustaches just clanging around my basement if anybody wants them....

PM sent

have you thought of trekking bars? they give you the same advantages as a moustache bar and more...

What about Trekking or Butterfly bars?

For what it's worth, this post is more than two years old, and I've since abandoned the mustache bars. What people say about drop bars, it turns out, is true: they are completely versatile and offer myriad hand positions. The mustache bars extended the cockpit of the bike too far, although they were not bad for climbing hills. They do look neat, though, and I've got a pair of the old Nashbar mustaches just clanging around my basement if anybody wants them....

Pretty much my exact experience with them, as well. I was way too stretched out, even with an 80mm stem. And with the drop, I had to raise the stem much higher than I normally would to be comfortable. I could have flipped them over, but that caused the levers I was using to stick up at a weird angle. Finally gave up on them (actually so did my brother, so we have two M-bars not being used)

What I'm looking for is a handlebar setup that allows me easy, confident access to the brakes. I think maybe that riding on the moustache hoods will be about the same as riding on the drop bar hoods. I think the cross levers may be the way to go.

With drop bars, you should get that by riding on the hoods. If you don't like braking from the hoods, mustache bars might give a feel closer to flat bars/braking from the drops.

If the problem is that you can't reach the hoods comfortably, you may need a shorter/taller stem. I don't think mustache bars would make a difference, as your reach to the brakes will be about the same as with drop bars.

The problem with mustache bars is that most people don't change to a taller and shorter length stem. You have to get them up higher for them to work right unless you have unusually long arms and torso. My mustache bar bike is fine for shorter rides under 30 miles. I can grip the handle section, the curves, or on top of the bar by the brake hoods. These bars are great for blasting around in the city. They give me a heads up position and I have quick access to powerful braking but I still get a near handshake position on the curve for wrist/hand comfort. The only reason I like drops better is for the headwind position on the drops and I like riding on the hoods. Its nice to own more than one bike.:twitchy: