Velocivixen

@dandypony - great. Thanks! It's actually for a 2011 Surly Cross Check. I've had a professional fitting, have 80mm 17 degree stem with short reach/shallow drop bars. They're fine and I am not used to riding them, so it will take time. I've been wanting to try Moustache bars for awhile. OK, here are some photos - I couldn't resist.


@jyl - I forgot about their used stem section! Thanks for the reminder. I guess I'm gonna be busy.

dandypony

@Velocivixen,
That's a sweet build. I think you should try the m-bars with that stem to begin, but you may have to go for a higher angled stem. The m-bars tend to open up the cockpit and the Cross-Check has that relaxed geometry which may mean you want to bring your reach up. I have a threadless 30 degree on my inverted north road build but it's a no-name stem. I think I got it used. It has worked out well for that bike with a few spacers added.

fietsbob

I used old Campag road levers, took them apart and painted the body black, since I didn't have or need rubber Hoods on them.

jyl

Duh, I don't know why I suggested looking for short quill stems . . . I guess I was picturing your Nishiki, even though you clearly said Cross Check.

rsacilotto

I have my levers so they're in a good spot when my hands are furthest out front, very good feel. I got the moustache bars because of the width, I feel like I have better control when the bike is loaded.

cs1

Probably because moustache bars are road bars and have a 23.8mm dia. The brake levers you are thinking about are 22.2

Bikedued

Unless you have a Bridgestone XO-3, which used moustache bars as stock equipment. It had dummy hoods up front, and mountain levers on the sides. I am not sure if the bars or the levers were odd sized. It's been a while since I owned my XO or did any reading up on them.,,,,BD

icepick_trotsky 

Soma makes two diameters of moustache bars -- one for road levers and one for MTB.

DIMcyclist

That's also how my XO-3 was originally set up, however its stock bar was by Sakae rather than Nitto, and while it looked exactly like the RM-016, the tubing was much thicker and wouldn't accept bar-end shifters.

Velocivixen

I've been riding my Surly for a bit now with Moustache bars and I love them compared to drop bars. I ride with my hands forward in the bend. Feels weird when I ride holding the handlebars at the ends like a 3-speed.

Bikedued

My favorite hand position besides that, is on the hoods. Also not a big fan of the ends, but they're nice to have if you do happen to need them.,,,,BD

Bikedued

Yep, I remember that now. I loved the bars, and wished my Nashbar moustache bars had the same bend. I loved the concept and ride of the bike, but the size was too small. A chance flea market find. Only XO series I have seen with my own eyes, aside from 5's at a pawn shop, and they're not the same bike at all.,,,,BD

TugaDude

Is it OK to say I like your hubs? Seriously, nice build and the large flanges look great!

Velocivixen

Yes, thank you. They're Suzue Road Classica hubs & very interesting looking.

DIMcyclist

Mine was almost literally an attic bike; it had been stored in the rafters of a detached garage and hadn't been ridden in 14 years before I bought it. The original owner commuted with it for two years, had one serious fall (which left some scuffs & chips on the L side of the bike) and never rode it again. It couldn't have been much of a fall since the paint's still in pretty nice shape:

bsword

i think its just the fact they are aero a clash of decades for the op/

bsword

good thread i always wondered what levers looked best in this set up.