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.

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

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.

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://dirtdawgs.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10005/bars.jpg

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?

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...

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 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.

This is key. +1.

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:

http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/small/YB-QED.gif

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

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