Would aero bars fit on the mustache or trekking bar? Whats the cheapest place I can get aero bars for (they look pretty expensive most places....)

Nashbar trekking bars have the diameter of mountain bike flatbars. Which is 22.2mm. I believe the diameter of drop bars is 23.8. I'm guessing most aerobars are going to be made to fit drop bars. You may find spacers that would work. I'd say give the trekking bars a try, if you don't like it, or can't get low enough in head-wind, you're only out 20-30 bucks.

If they're installed level or slanting downward a little, they add a fair bit of reach when using the furthest hand position. Works ok to get lower, but steering is not very responsive.

No idea where to get cheap aerobars, that's more of a specialty item, and they charge you accordingly for it.

+1, I still have the trekking bars on my touring bike, but I have drops on my Specialized Roubaix and I do feel more comfortable with the drops.

Thanks Randochap, it did need improving.

Hi kawasakiguy37,

If you mean Brooks leather bar tape, I would not recommend it. First it has huge lumps every inch even when properly when installed.
Second they became ugly quickly even though I maintained them.

Tom

I don't want to have to baby bar tape when on tour. for me, within a thousand miles of actual touring it will probably be patched up with electrical tape and after a couple thousand it might be bad enough to replace it. A Summer long tour will see the tape replaced at least once on my bike. Kind of rules out $80 tape, for me at least.

Comfort wise I prefer cork tape. Cinnelli is nice, but the cheap nashbar stuff is about the same.

All this stuff should be chosen based on function before looks any way, and I have to think that most of the folks who buy leather tape do it because of looks. I base that on the fact that their comments usually stress the color they chose more than anything else and they are likely to include pictures.

Guys, we dont need to keep arguing about brooks leather bar tape....I never said I wanted to get it! I merely said I would put MATCHING tape for a honey brooks when I get one. Theres a lot of corks out there that come close to the color.

Interesting discussion here. Let me get this straight... Midge bars are similar to drops, but smaller and angled? Can one re-use existing brake lever shifters and cabling when switching from regular drops to midge bars?

Kawasakiguy, I agree that the look is important. I can't stomach the idea of trekking bars because they're just so ugly.

I like drop bars, especially randonneurs --I like the look, and I'm comfortable on them-- but I hate derailleurs, and it's difficult to put any kind of shifter for an internally geared hub on a drop bar; internally geared hub shifters are always 22.2 mm, while road bars are 23.8 mm. I know someone's going to recommend a hubbub, but that's not what I want either.

So now I have North Roads on my touring bike and my tandem (which is also a touring bike). Northroads offer one very comfortable hand position, but one position, no matter how comfortable, is not ideal on a long ride. You want to change hand positions occasionally. Since I got the Northroads on my tourer, I haven't had a chance to ride it more than 50 miles at a pop, so I don't know how the Northroads will be for touring.

At first I had my Northroads on upside down; that's a pretty good look, but I'm wasn't sure I want to be that low. So now I have them right side up, which is a more conservative look, and a little too high. I'd prefer something in between, like a mustache bar, but there we go again: they only come in road bar diameter. My shifter won't fit.

Damn, thats brutal.

I just won these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=140293752381

Very cool vintage aero bars, anyone ever seen them before? I may combine this with a mustache bar (should offer a fair amount of hand positions, and I can take them off for commuting to college).