arex

Is there any standard or accepted placement of brake levers on moustache handlebars? I see them mounted all over the place along the bar and, while I realize that a lot of it is personal preference, is there a consensus on what generally the best? I need to figure this out before I start cutting cable housing.

nlerner

I think the consensus is that what's best is what works for you! That's why you see such variation. I'm not currently riding m-bars, but when I did, here's how I had the brake levers positioned:

arex

That's where I've tried them, but it feels weird...dunno why, whether it's simply a new position to me, or if there's something between it and the way I fit that's not right.

I've been thinking about putting them under the bars out toward the ends, which seems logical but I don't see that arrangement very often.

Squeeze

I've always wondered that too - why not pull them back around to where they'd be on an old 3-speed tourer with North Road or similar bars?

peugeot mongrel

I liked the position on the U08 better. It was a little farther out on the curve. I think a lot depends on where on the bars you ride most of the time. The trick with using road leavers on moustache bars is both having enough travel and being parallel to your grip area. I think riding moustache bars is an acquired feel and getting them to feel right is a bit fiddly. When I started riding after many years of not riding they felt much safer to me than drop bars. Now everything I have is drops.

bconneraz

This is how I've got mine set up- same way on my single speed. I love the "aero" hand position when holding the hoods.

Grand Bois

This is the usual setup, and the way I have mine oriented, but you can put them wherever it feels best to you.

The Moustache Handlebar

Velocivixen

Don't mean to change the topic but this thread is perfect timing. Thinking of replacing my short/shallow drops for Moustache. I see then mounted as in the above photos where the sides drop down. Has anyone mounted them the other way - as risers? I would love to know & see photos. Also I've read it's recommended to get a stem perhaps 20-30 mm shorter when instating Moustache bars. Would appreciate guidance.

Pompiere

When they are flipped, the position is similar to the North Road bars found on many British 3-speeds.

Bianchigirll 

I put mine upside down or as risers and it works out OK but then again this is an errand/grocery bike. I also use reserve brake levers.

@arex, I think your best bet is to set them up and ride around for a bit and try them in different places.


** this frame was sold and the components moved to a different bike, but I strangely do not have any pics of it.

squirtdad

you would need to you different levers....standard road levers would not travel enough before being stopped by the bar

Velocivixen

@Pompiere & @Bianchigirll - thanks! That's what I needed to know.
@squirtdad - thanks for that info. I never would have thought of that!

gaucho777 

Here's a couple version of the same bars in two iterations. Not sure if these officially qualify as mustache bars, but you get the idea.

First one is more of an upright, errand-bike set-up. I do like the aero brake levers.



The second one was just an oddball idea I wanted to try out. I know some of you have seen this before. It actually worked pretty well and offered a lot of hand positions. I used what I had in my parts bin.





If I were to do it again as a more permanent solution, I would use Dia-Comp knob grips with aero brake levers and ditch the MTB bar-end attachments. I've never grown accustomed to the look of standard drop bar brake levers turned on their side.

jyl

I have a Bridgestone XO-1 with mustache bars. If you want, we can take a ride on it and you can see if you like the bars/setup. Should fit you okay enough for a short ride.

Mine is set up as stock, see below. It is a pretty long reach to the curve of the bars where the brakes are. Fine for me, but some might want a shorter stem.

Grand Bois

Interesting cable length on the first one and routing on the second.

randyjawa 

Motobecane Grand Jubilee...




196? Legnano and how I installed/modified bars and shifters to work and look good.

Grand Bois

Those are not moustache bars. What's your point?

Velocivixen

@jyl- thanks! I've got the long legs/short arms situation going in. My Cross Check is 52 with 80mm +/- 17 degree stem. I've read that getting a stem that is 20-30mm shorter is often a good route with Moustache bars, but that would give me a very short stem & I'm uncertain as to if or how a stem that short might affect handling. Part of why I want to change bars is just for the sake of trying something that I might enjoy better than drops. I'm heading over to Universal & City Bikes tomorrow to check out bars.

hairnet

I like them to be wider apart to feel close to how I would be positioned on drop bars.

Bikedued

Here's how I had mine. I like it better when the lever is matched to the curve of the bars just like a drop bar. Having your hands in the curve of the inside of the bar and the ends of the levers easily within reach of two fingers(index and middle) is the key to the comfort of moustache bars.,,,,BD


Well, this is embarrassing.... My dual core Mac has suddenly lost the ability to copy and paste... I will try again later... Just a word of warning. Unless you like your Mac slow and twitchy/quirky/buggy, do NOT download Mavericks.

hairnet. Nice tire choice, but the front one at least is mounted backwards.

dandypony

I have both moustache bars and inverted north roads set ups. On the moustache I have the standard set-up, (along the curves w/bar end shifters). The north roads have cork grips and mountain brakes, trigger shifters. Both work for different types of riding. I like the moustache for longer distance and north roads for more casual riding. I also have drop bars on one of my bikes but prefer the moustache bars for most riding. Stem is critical with moustache bars, (yes the stem always matters, but...), b/c it's such a unique ride it sometimes requires trying a few stems.

Velocivixen

@dandypony - Hi! Welcome. I'm about to go check out handlebars and wonder your thoughts on stems with Moustache bars? I've read, and it seems to be accepted that shorter stems might go best with Moustache (vs longer stems for other bars). What have your experiments told you?

Thanks.

dandypony

Hi @Velocivixen,

I am assuming you are using quill (threaded)? If so, then I have had success with dirt drop stems and technomic stems. Nitto makes the prettiest and most expensive of either, but Kalloy and Origin8 make decent knock-offs. I prefer shorter reach, like 80mm but they also make 100mm extensions for both, I believe. You can find pics of both online to get a sense of the differences in style. If you are using threadless you have more options by using spacers and can find a variety of angles. Hope this helps.

Grand Bois

I'm in the process of replacing a moustache bar with a Cinelli Priest bar, an upright bar that takes road brake levers. I'll post a picture once I get it mounted.

"Cinelli Priest, designed 1980 on demand of Pope John Paul II for his white Colnago."

I just discovered that they are on Velobase, so you can see them there if you're interested.

jyl

Also check out Community Cycling Center, they may have some short road bike quill stems in the used parts bins.