Mustache Bars - break positioning
 

My next fixie project is a 1975 Raleigh Super Carlton and I am using Mustache bars on it. Wondering where is the best place to position the brakes. Anyone have any pix they could share for ideas? I guess it depends on the feel and comfort but I am looking for ideas.

Sit on the bike, put your hands on the bars like you're riding. Place levers so that you can reach them. Probably will be somewhere near the most forward part of the curve.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2197/...7883a1.jpg?v=0
i like them towards the outside

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1405/...1ba0dc.jpg?v=0
some prefer them towards the inside.

b-r-a-k-e

I like 'em on the inside:

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...1&d=1206907173

...because I like the hand positioning when I'm gripping the brake hoods. With them set up like this, I get an upright, wide riding position with hands on the outside/ends of the bars; a less bent, but still angled position riding with my hands up in the hooks (80% of my riding); and a slightly more aero and forward position when gripping the brake hoods. The brakes work well where they are for me since I spend so much time with hands up front of the bars--I can easily reach the levers from that position, and the brakes would actually be in the way if they were on the outside of the bars.

Figure out how you're going to use them and where your hands are going to be most of the time. On the outside flats? Place the brakes on the outside of the bars. Up front in the hooks? Brakes go more toward the inside.

Here's some reading (link from Sheldon's Harris Cyclery site):
http://www.stanford.edu/~dru/moustache.html

Just ride them without tape for awhile and move them around until you find your comfort spot.

FWIW, I ended up putting them on the outside, but that's neither here nor there when it comes to what you'll end up preferring.

Lol, that's the link that I was going to look up and post. :p

-Rob.

Here is a good place to put the break:

http://blog.rd2inc.com/files/handlebars_broken.jpg

Outstanding XO-1.

Hobart - Whoa! Not good! How did that happen, and exactly what bar is that?

Has anyone ever used brakes like this on mustache bars? Well not vintage ones but you get my drift. This seems more rational than using drop bars brakes, but hey I've never even ridden a bike with mustache bars so there you go.


http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mags/...bike_brake.jpg

I put mine at the very front of the bars. My logic was that I would need the brake most when I would be going the fastest, i.e. leaning the most forward. Stupid reason, but I like it anyways.

It may not be possible as most moustache bars are road diameter, and MTB levers may not fit. I have seen them with the levers you would put on bullhorns or aero bars.

-Rob.

IDK just found the pic online

Yup. Previous commuter had too long and low a stem for the moustache bars, so I flipped them and ran them like the city bars pictured above. Because I was not using the forward part of the bars and because the original setup was typical mtn bike with straight bars, I put the existing flat bar brake levers right where this photo has them set up. If you're going to use the ends of the bars most of the time, this is a great way to go. In my case, I'd lose a viable hand position by swapping where my road brakes are for these, and the levers wouldn't be where I need them most of the time.

Many moustache bars on the market are mtn diameter rather than road diameter... which is one of the main reasons I used them on my commuter, to fit the Alfine trigger shifter that won't fit on typical drop bars.

I don't have a great pic but I have mine on the inside, bottom of the lever lining up with the outside of the bar. I kinda want to move them a bit closer, maybe when I retape.

anyone have pics with cross levers? if so, how did you do the grips/tape?

I use a pusuit lever reversed, cable run under tape.http://www.banjohangout.ws/users/pho...3198102008.jpg

one thing to watch for when reversing levers, either like the above or by using a cross lever near the stem: you're putting your strongest fingers at the point of greatest leverage, which changes the brake feel considerably.

chase: true that, thanks for the info.

daddybland: that looks good, what lever is that? all the TT levers i've come across so far seem super long, but it could be just the pics. ideally i'd like a relatively short one, kinda like a cross lever maybe a little longer.

BRAKE

ok?

Thats what I've had on my pista for well over two years. Best because you have unlimited hand positions. I think that drop bar levers do not belong on stash bars.

Is that a bottle opener on the seat tube? Very nice!

Here is my Raleigh:

Ok, are these moustache handlebars? I really like these and the brakes as well. Does anyone know any details on the brake levers?

http://velospace.org/files/Raleigh_R...rwasser_XX.jpg