I don't really use the drops on my road bars, and because I like a bit more upright position I have the bars angled up, which also makes using the breaks a bit difficult.

I just received a bike nashbar moustache bar in the mail and wondered if it makes more sense to put them on upside down (more like a north road bar) or just raise up the bar using an extender and put them on as "normal"...

anything else I need to know?

Yes, those gizmos that you use to slow down are "brakes".

Why not install the moustache bars as designed & give them a try?
One can always modify if that doesn't meet your requirements.

-Bandera

Handlebars are a personal decision. We can give you suggestions, but the decision is yours. Last time I checked there were about 4,000 styles of bars and combinations of bar/bar ends to choose from. Depending on what you choose, you may need to get compatible brake (not "break") levers/shifters, so there could be some extra expense involved - but it's your cockpit, your choice. I have generic mountain-bike flat bars with long(er) bar-ends pointed out, and it gives me about a thousand available hand positions and allows me to sit up so I can see everything.

yup brakes... good catch and sorry to step on a nerve...

Hahaha! Wasn't a nerve - some of us just like to terrorize people that accidentally spell a word wrong. No offense intended -

I had the Nitto bars on my bike for a while , old cable out the top brake levers on the front,
and bar end shifters in the rear..
( couldn't imagine using STI brake levers laid flat .. )

the slight angle down is a good wrist angle, where fitted angled up is not.

One thing to think about is wear you will install the breaks. If on the flats, ewe could go either way. If on the bends, yew might prefer the non-North Rode position. At least I dew, YMMV.

Save yourself a little trouble and test fit the bars before you go two the effort of pulling off the old ones and installing the knew. Duct tape the gnu bars onto the old bars. Sit on the bike (lean against a wall or something for balance) and position your hands where they'll be when you ride. How does your back feel? How is your neck? How would it feel to really have to grab a handful of brake from this position? Then tare off the duct tape, flip the bars over, and try it the other weigh. Try your hands in the different positions that these bars will allow.

Also think about where you will attach the breaks - their are a couple of options (flats or bends). I have a rode bike with nitto moustache in the non-north road/drop position and brakes in the bends, and a mtb commuter with a Soma North Road copy in the standard North Road orientation with the breaks on the flats.

Obviously you can't put your full wait on the bars with just duct tape holding them on, but I found it really helped me in choosing the position for my bars.


*content above is entirely serious, but all misplaced homophones thoroughly intended to provide aid and comfort to the OP.

Here's a pic of Nitto moustache bars on my town bike.
Nitto technomic stem to get the height/reach correct, barcons for shifting and Campy NR brake levers.
Works a treat.

-Bandera

Beautiful bike!

Thank you.
40 years in service & going out in the fog & mist this AM while the "modern" CF hangs on a hook.

-Bandera

Pictures of various installations might help you.


Breaks are what you get when those gizmos fail.

That bike is gorgeous.
May I ask who makes the back seat bag?
I think Im ready to go Moustache on one of my clunkmuters . . .

Im going to research some bends and try it, I think

hmm ok, I guess, but I do have a "pop top" stem (which means I can take it out of the stem without changing anything on the original handle bars), and I decided to put the bike into a trainer I had so that I can "play" with the setup (obvious once I thought for a few minutes as I don't use it much because I like being out on the road) so I think I will be trying out a similar setup to bandera (on the road).

um I guess thanks for the "homophones" but I think we can move on from my earlier transgression... eh?

Thank you!
Best bicycle $ I ever spent, built it up new out of the shipping carton.

The seatbag is a 1970's "Schwinn Approved" model made in England w/ a contemporary bag support.
A lot of the kit that I use on a daily basis is decades old, the alloy shell AW hub w/ Cyclo 3-cog is from the 1950's.

-Bandera

Thanks!
I try all types of bikes for commuting just because Im addicted to tinkering,
but in the end, its always old stuff that I rely on for my day-to-day riding.
When I see bikes and attitudes like yours, it validates my affliction!

I switched to Nashbar moustache bars last year on my commuter, a little mixed on how I feel about them. I like the width for control, but I miss being able to rest on the tops. All-in-all, it's ok for my 16-mile trip. I installed cane creek scr-5 levers, they work very well.

I have tried riding on the hoods but the bars tend to stretch me out more than normal road bars so it makes it more uncomfortable to ride there... your thoughts?

Measuring your reach w/ the moustache bars is quite different than road drops.
To compensate I run a Nitto technomic 70mm stem w/ less drop than the 100mm Cinelli 1-A/#64 I replaced.
That being said I only extend to the hoods when riding into a headwind, elderly folk must preserve their dignity while plootering about.

-Bandera

I don't spend a lot of time on the brake hoods, but it's not uncomfortable for me when I do. On long descents I will stay on the brake hoods in case I need to stop, or if I need a more aero position.

Reach?, higher and closer .. laying my hands on the bend [10:00/2:00]

about like the reach to the brake hoods was on the drop bars seemed appropriate.