So, are albatross bars the ultimate commuting bar?
01-16-09 | 09:59 PM
#76
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I have albatross bars on a surly cross check with nexus8 internal hub. This is my lousy weather commute bike (about 30 mi round trip) and in town errand bike. The albatross are usually pretty comfy for me. They are higher than my seat and I have the part around the curve taped so I can use that area of the bar if I'm going down hill. I have two other bikes with moustache bars and bar end shifters which I like a lot. A difference with the albatross is when going downhill and having to apply brakes hard, I am a less secure with the location of the brake levers back closer to me on the side of the bar than if the brake levers are out front like on the moustache bar (or a flat bar). The pics of the mary bar have me wondering if it might be worth considering as an albatross alternative. Might be worth a look.
I use two hand position off the grips. Push my thumbs into the curves to grind uphill/into the wind. Grab the strainght just outside the stem for into the wind on the level. I do both just on the bare metal. How much would I gain by taping these spots? Holding near the stem is not terribly stable, maybe a wider built up bar would help a bit?
01-16-09 | 10:08 PM
#77
How do Albatross and North Road bars do while standing? My moustache bars are great for standing while climbing or quick acceleration from a stop.
I may give my m-bars more of a chance. I may even get a brace for my right wrist to match the one on my left, which has NO numbness after longer rides, I suspect because the brace stabilizes the wrist.
I may give my m-bars more of a chance. I may even get a brace for my right wrist to match the one on my left, which has NO numbness after longer rides, I suspect because the brace stabilizes the wrist.
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01-16-09 | 11:01 PM
#79
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How do Albatross and North Road bars do while standing? My moustache bars are great for standing while climbing or quick acceleration from a stop.
I may give my m-bars more of a chance. I may even get a brace for my right wrist to match the one on my left, which has NO numbness after longer rides, I suspect because the brace stabilizes the wrist.
I may give my m-bars more of a chance. I may even get a brace for my right wrist to match the one on my left, which has NO numbness after longer rides, I suspect because the brace stabilizes the wrist.
Look at Ergon grips (what's on my mountain bike in the pics I posted). They have a flair that supports the wrist much better than standard grips.
01-16-09 | 11:55 PM
#81
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nice puzzle. h(eight) was pretty easy but <3 = sideways heart=love took me a while
your post seems to contradict your tag-line
i keep thinking about aero bars on albatross. I dont want to carry the extra weight and bulk up and down the apartment house stairs tho.
01-16-09 | 11:57 PM
#82
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Flip the albatross and wrap it in bar tape. Very close to an old school (very old school) racing bar.
01-17-09 | 12:05 AM
#83
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I like the idea of the grips being quite high for in-town but the aero bars getting me low for drilling wind on the road.
01-17-09 | 07:11 PM
#86
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The Northroads have more rise so they are easier to have higher.
Find the ones that have the width and sweep you like and then put them where you are comfortable.
01-18-09 | 04:43 PM
#87
Schwinnasaur
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: New Orleans, LA
Right but on my cruiser I find that the angle of the bar at the hand grips needs to be slightly downward and parallel to the ground. Yet in many pictures of the albatross on bikes I them parallel to the ground or top tube on true diamond frames. It would seem to like they should be tilted downward too. I am not sure with Mary style, never had one.
01-18-09 | 05:16 PM
#88
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Right but on my cruiser I find that the angle of the bar at the hand grips needs to be slightly downward and parallel to the ground. Yet in many pictures of the albatross on bikes I them parallel to the ground or top tube on true diamond frames. It would seem to like they should be tilted downward too. I am not sure with Mary style, never had one.
I can see where keeping the ends down could be comfortable to you.
I still say put them where they feel right to you and tighten the bolts. That is where they will be properly set for you on your bike.
01-18-09 | 05:16 PM
#89
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From: West Virginia
Bikes: Cannondale Bad Boy (King James edition)
I'm going to vote for the Mary bar. Love mine to pieces.
Ran Mary on my Cannondale Bad Boy as well....can't imagine a more cozy and functional bar for town riding and commuting.
Aaron
Ran Mary on my Cannondale Bad Boy as well....can't imagine a more cozy and functional bar for town riding and commuting.
Aaron
01-18-09 | 05:26 PM
#90
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02-08-09 | 12:27 PM
#91
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From: Redding, CA
Bikes: Trek 7200
02-08-09 | 03:55 PM
#92
The space coyote lied.
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Bikes: everywhere
So, are albatross bars the ultimate commuting bar?
If I'm in a hurry, I like to roll my road bike w/ drops. For my MTB, I've found a 50-year-old cruiser bar to be the best. 3" rise, no forward sweep out of the stem and not too wide at 22 3/4"
I can go back to my favorite XC position by putting the flat bar back on. No need to swap stems, or even adjust stem height/orientation. If I were to fit an Albatross, Northroad or moustache bar, I'd need a shorter stem to achieve an upright position.
I found some Nitto Promenade B-617, which are light and look pretty cool, but the lack of rise doesn't allow an upright position, it's a very uncomfortable approx 10 degree angle of my back.
I'm not a fan of the straight-back grip position, either.
If I'm in a hurry, I like to roll my road bike w/ drops. For my MTB, I've found a 50-year-old cruiser bar to be the best. 3" rise, no forward sweep out of the stem and not too wide at 22 3/4"
I can go back to my favorite XC position by putting the flat bar back on. No need to swap stems, or even adjust stem height/orientation. If I were to fit an Albatross, Northroad or moustache bar, I'd need a shorter stem to achieve an upright position.
I found some Nitto Promenade B-617, which are light and look pretty cool, but the lack of rise doesn't allow an upright position, it's a very uncomfortable approx 10 degree angle of my back.
I'm not a fan of the straight-back grip position, either.
Last edited by LesterOfPuppets; 02-08-09 at 04:13 PM.
02-08-09 | 05:07 PM
#93
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From: Minneapolis, MN
Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Miyata 310 (conversion)
Personally i ride the Nitto Mustache bars on my commuter/touring/bad weather bike and have found the various position to be very nice, i can get out of the saddle and on the end of the bars for lots of power and torque, or forward into what would be like the drops for a more aero position.
02-08-09 | 08:19 PM
#94
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From: Victoria, BC
Bikes: Bridgestone MB-5, Rocky Mountain Oxygen Race, Surly LHT, Specialized Roubaix Expert, Marinoni Sportivo, Steelwool Tweed
I tried a bike with moustache bars and brifters on Saturday. Yuck. I was going to switch my Alfine bike from straight bars to moustache but the LBS saved me $50 with the test drive.
I settled in compact drop FSA Omega handlebars instead.
If I was going to switch to a bar shape other than drop -- it would be butterfly bars, which I have on my Bridgestone MB-5 winter bikes. More hand positions and much closer to an aero concept on the inner top position.
I settled in compact drop FSA Omega handlebars instead.
If I was going to switch to a bar shape other than drop -- it would be butterfly bars, which I have on my Bridgestone MB-5 winter bikes. More hand positions and much closer to an aero concept on the inner top position.
