I would love to do this to my crosscheck by the end of the summer. If I can pick your brain, what type of mustache bar did you use in the end? I've been looking at the on one mungo bars, but haven't seen a picture of them on a bike. Is the mustache bar a lot wider than the widest part of the drops on the stock cx salsa bars (assuming you had them on your crosscheck at one point)? Did you have to adjust the brake and shifter cable lengths, or were you just able to just switch everything over and tape-up the new bars?

A beautiful bike! Of course, as a fellow Jake owner, I may be biased. :)

I see a lot of bikes with the handlebars turned slightly up like that. What's gained by doing that?

Thanks! Regarding the handlebars, that's how I set them up when I first put the bike together, it felt most comfy at the time, and still does. I didn't even notice it until you mentioned it :).

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2353/...affe63299d.jpg
Click for link to photo set.

Surly Cross-Check 60cm
Thomson seatpost and stem
Ultegra STI shifter paired to an XT "Shadow" derailleur
single-gear front (42T)
XT hubs paired to Salsa Delgado Cross Rims (32-spoke/3-cross)
cheap-assed Origin8 crank to tide me over until the Shimano Alfine is available stateside
SKS fenders
Trek Interchange rack and panniers

My new-to-me rain bike :p

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...Rain-Flash.jpg

nice ride.

however, if i might point out a bit of wrenching that could improve the look of the rear fender. i imagine you have the stretch in the fender because you have the clip all the way on the fender support between the chain stays?

we had this exact problem with another bike the other day at the shop and with a bit of tooling we rigged a way to make it work. all you need is a longish bolt of the right diameter and 3 nuts. feed the bolt from the back of the fender through the hole drilled under the clip (you'll have to bend back, remove, or cut the metal clip) secure the bolt to the fender with a nut, then thread another nut on, feed it through the hole drilled into the fender stay and then use the second and third nut to secure the bolt to the fender stay. this should keep the fender securely in place, while conforming to the shape of the wheel much better.

I was able to switch everything over easy. Although, putting the wrap on mustache bars is tedious.

Mustache bars are an odd sort. In a test of 100 people trying mustache bars you would have a result of 50 loving them and 50 hating them. So, no one can really recommend them. Mustache bars are wide and great for me because I am broad shouldered. They are similar to 46cm noodle bars and maybe a hair wider. The mungo bars are similar in design but not as wide. I live in Atlanta and it is very hilly here. I tried the mustache bars and loved them because I can stand in the pedals and use the wide bars to create some great leverage to hammer up the hills. As far as sitting in the saddle and cruising I see no advantage of mustache bars over noodle bars.

As far as my choice of mustache bar, I am using the Nitto Mustache bar. Nitto components are quality but pricey (about $65.00.) Dimension makes a less expensive mustache bar, however I can't find it in a 26.0, only a 25.4.

My commute is 125 miles, round trip! For the last year, I've done it with this bike, a Downtube Mini customized with dynamo hub, fenders, short crank arms, etc.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/...4b38d2.jpg?v=0 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/...a4dcca.jpg?v=0
Of course, I only ride the bike for 16 of those miles; for the rest, I sit on a train, and the bike looks like this:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/...37f1bf.jpg?v=0

Another option is to take a wine cork and drill it out to use as a spacer. This will have the added benefit of minimizing fender rattle.

Genius! I have this exact same fender issue, and if I use a wine cork, it will match the champagne cork knobs I added to the ends of my mustache bar. One question, though: the quick release function of the fender clip makes changing the rear tire much easier (I have track ends). Any thoughts of how to keep the release functionality AND use a spacer bolt?

Here is a pic of my touring/commuter on the mail run after work.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b4...0/IMG_0211.jpg

Here is my Commuter, 08' Schwinn Super Sport GS:

http://jcroffroad.com/misc/BrianM/Bike/MyCommuter.gif

At first, I thought it was somehow magnetically clinging to the underside of the bars of that storage rack (even though aluminum isn't magnetic :p). :D

My commuter (for now). I hope to turn it into a fowl weather creature when I get a bike that is lighter and more suitable for my 1500-2000ft of elevation gain on the ride home. Good thing my commute is only 4-8miles depending on the route!

When I began commuting, I drove down the hill to the park & ride (~1.5-2.0mi) and then rode along the relatively flat rode to work.
http://photos-e.ak.facebook.com/phot...01276_2463.jpg
The mothership commuter (1st love (and dirty, sorry): 2006 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport) w/ the babyship commuter (2nd love: 2006 Cannondale F600 Hardtail MTB)

http://photos-063.ll.facebook.com/ph...04395_4626.jpg
Sooner or later I decided to man-up and just ride the whole thing.

http://photos-f.ak.facebook.com/phot...08109_5114.jpg
This is a usual commute... 5:30am, Portland rain.

http://photos-h.ak.facebook.com/phot...702135_115.jpg
And one of my favorite pics :)


The bike:
2006 Cannondale F600
All components stock except:
Cateye Strada Wireless Cyclocomputer
Blackburn headlamp
Cateye cheap taillamp
Wellgo cheap mtb pedals w/ straps
SKS X-blade fenders (not my favorite look but a complete necessity)
Chrome Ranchero Messenger Pack (bought used of craigslist, 3-4years old. It's a part of every commute)


I hope to get a road bike soon to commute in the upcoming summer months! I went from a car guy with petroleum running thru my veins to taking baby steps to a car-lite (or sooner or later car-free) lifestyle.

March 2008 car miles: 1,550
March 2008 bike miles: 0
April 2008 car miles: 1,400
April 2008 bike miles: 8.5mi :)
May 2008 car miles: 800
May 2008 bike miles: 250.3 :) :)

-Ben

Today... with new bars, levers, paniers, and axle nuts for the BOB trailer.

Tomorrow I'll be pulling the BOB with about 80 pounds of gear to a ride in breakfast where I will be turning wrenches and doing free tune ups for needy commuters...it's a good thing the ride is short and the route is flat.

[IMG]http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...itto1front.jpg[/IMG]

Sorry, but you'll have to turn in that Outback Sport for a better-looking one, either (preferably) an '05 or an '08. :)

Here's my ride as of this week:

http://scvtalk.com/images/bike.jpg

But, as I said earlier in this thread, it's been far from issue free. On three separate occasions, I've broken a tooth on the rear casette, a pedal, and just two days ago, the chain broke.

On all three occasions, I nearly crashed. In occasion number 2, I stalled out (chain fell off), and I ended up on the ground with a dump truck bearing down on me.

After occasion #3, I decided to sell it and buy a more robust bike capable of transporting my 235lbs successfully without massive, critical failures to the drivetrain.

Hence, I bought, and will pick up on Monday, a Swobo Dixon.

Weird there i bought a trek 7100 new in 2002 at the time i weighed #280 the only trouble i have had other than cable stretch and operator error is the freewheel locked after about 6000 miles, bike shop said i had applied too much torque or something i figure i wore it out. I love it and if anything ever happens to it i will buy another trek.

My current commuter. Cannondale T800 with Tubus racks and Carradice Bags.

very nice xB....looks like a Planet Bike halogen and a Fenix? Those Fenix are awesome aren't they?

heres my new baby. its a GT Zum 5.0

its an 8 speed, and i love the simplicity.

Its pretty light too. So far i LOVE it.

I switched out the quick releases for some locking skewers and threw on some lights for commuting.

I plan on adding a rear rack and basket, and a splatter guard in the front.

http://photos-g.ak.facebook.com/phot...62446_5186.jpg
http://photos-h.ak.facebook.com/phot...62447_6240.jpg
http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...62448_7378.jpg
http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...62449_8591.jpg

Here is my 2006 Kona Dr Dew dropbar conversion

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...t/img_0077.jpg

Thanks. You are correct, the Fenix is a great addition and back up to the Planet Bike halogen. I run it in turbo flash mode during daylight hours and it really gets peoples attention.

OldFart: Nice ride!

Just built my 'new' ride this weekend. 13lbs. lighter than my big commuter/touring Pug. 1985 PH501 (black). I rode to work this morning in record time. Damn smooth ride :thumb:
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...Country001.jpg