Mustache bar width...
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 207
From: Williamsburg, VA Sebastian, FL
Bikes: 1987 Centurion Ironman Master, 1992 Koga Miyata Exerciser, 1992 Schwinn Crosscut
Mustache bar width...
Are 19 3/8" mustache bars too small for a 22" Crosscut hybrid, with a 5'7" female riding it?
It'll have 9-speed Shimano bar-end shifters, which makes a slight difference...
They almost seem like children's bars, especially when placed next to a 21 3/8" pair - which I'd like to use but they are steel and quite heavy. (The bottom bars are the smaller alloy, the middle set are steel and a bit wider...the pic is distorted, and doesn't show this very well.)
It'll have 9-speed Shimano bar-end shifters, which makes a slight difference...
They almost seem like children's bars, especially when placed next to a 21 3/8" pair - which I'd like to use but they are steel and quite heavy. (The bottom bars are the smaller alloy, the middle set are steel and a bit wider...the pic is distorted, and doesn't show this very well.)
Last edited by 67tony; 04-30-17 at 08:30 PM.
#2
over the hill
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 6
From: florida
Bikes: 72 maino-76 austro daimler inter 10-? giant kronos
I would say the width of bars goes by shoulder measurement/at least it does for me. I would go for the alloy. Is the id on the mustaches the same? If not, pick the one the barends fit
#3
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,810
Likes: 597
From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Try them. If she's comfortable and likes to ride the bike, it's all good. If she complains about something, change it.
Mustache bars are tricky. A lot of people don't like them. The trick is to find the perfect setup that puts the rider into exactly the position they like. A drop bar offers a variety of riding positions and among those the rider can usually find a position that's comfortable; the mustache bar is much more limited, and this makes it harder for the rider to adjust his/her position to suit.
Mustache bars are tricky. A lot of people don't like them. The trick is to find the perfect setup that puts the rider into exactly the position they like. A drop bar offers a variety of riding positions and among those the rider can usually find a position that's comfortable; the mustache bar is much more limited, and this makes it harder for the rider to adjust his/her position to suit.
__________________
www.rhmsaddles.com.
www.rhmsaddles.com.
#4
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 512
Likes: 273
From: Texas panhandle
Bikes: 1987 Schwinn Circuit, 1986 Schwinn Passage, 1987 Shogun Katana, 2018 Giant Anyroad Advanced, 2013 Karate Monkey
I think with moustache bars it is OK to go slightly wider than shoulder width. But even so my 22" Crosscut has a 24" long top tube making the reach the more important number for a smaller rider. Which one of your bars comes the farthest back?
On a side note. I'm 6'2" and my 22" Crosscut has a standover of about 33" depending on the tires and my 5'9" girlfriend doesn't fit my bike at all.
On a side note. I'm 6'2" and my 22" Crosscut has a standover of about 33" depending on the tires and my 5'9" girlfriend doesn't fit my bike at all.
#5
Thread Starter
Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 207
From: Williamsburg, VA Sebastian, FL
Bikes: 1987 Centurion Ironman Master, 1992 Koga Miyata Exerciser, 1992 Schwinn Crosscut
I'll either use the steel ones, or continue to hunt for an alloy set...
Last edited by 67tony; 05-01-17 at 12:21 PM.
#6
Senior Member

Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,547
Likes: 660
Bikes: yes
I can't remember what width I used but when I put mustache bars on a hybrid I found that I had to angle them up a lot more than I thought I would in order to get a comfortable hand position. I also found that I didn't like them for distance because there were fewer usable hand positions than drop bars.
However I like them for commuting; it's a more upright position but with more stability and flexibility than regular flat bars, plus they look 1000% cooler than flat bars.
However I like them for commuting; it's a more upright position but with more stability and flexibility than regular flat bars, plus they look 1000% cooler than flat bars.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bigdo13
Road Cycling
53
03-31-16 04:09 PM
gregjones
Commuting
4
06-25-14 09:59 PM






