Patrick, I'll play with saddle position as well (as I said, I'm experimenting). Thanks for the idea. Although my issue is less with arms and more with the neck. Using typical drop bar position feels similar (to my neck) to watching a TV mounted 25 ft above the floor during the entire ride.
Also thanks for bringing up safety part. It might be a significant factor for some riders out there who are thinking using stem extender. For my use though it does not *feel* like there is a safety issue. The upright position significantly reduces the amount of weight that goes on the handlebar. Also, my rides are mostly on flat roads. I never exceed 15mph. With the stem and the extender both tucked all the way down, the setup is probably sturdy enough. (which won't be the case I were to be climbing hills or riding fast downhill). A better suitable bike frame is on the way, btw. I've ordered an Appaloosa frame. Nitto Dirt Drop stem + ChocoNORM bar combination works great for me on that (based on the test ride). I acquired a Raleigh Record Ace from a friend, which I'm planning on using for occasional fast rides. Chees, -Ash On Wednesday, 28 December 2016 07:14:03 UTC-8, Patrick Moore wrote: > > I'm glad the bar is comfortable, but it's too high: first, is it safe? I > ask that question very seriously. With the extender and then the long quill > toward the end of its travel, you are going to torque those joints far more > than usual, and perhaps to the point of some sort of failure. > > Second, if you want a bar that high, you really need a very different > frame, one with a much higher head tube. When you go to such an extreme > measure as on your Bianchi, you know right away that you are trying to make > a silk purse out of something else. > > And third, there are other ways of getting torso/neck/arm/hand comfort > than merely by raising the bar to an extreme height. It goes against the > imagination, but often (I don't say always), putting your saddle further > back, so that your core takes over the work of holding up your shoulders > and head, is the first step in setting up a bicycle comfortably. You'll > notice that bikes designed for very high bars, like the Dutch city bike, > also have very, very slack seat tube angles, and I don't think that this is > merely coincidence. > > All of this is entirely removed from any question of a "racing" position. > (Note too that the drop bar design is among the oldest around because it > has been proved one of the most comfortable when properly set up.) > > I chose the 2 images below at random and only afterward noticed that both > show Velo Orange bikes. > > I don't mean merely to be critical. You will do yourself a real favor by > finding either a more effective way to get comfort, or else, a very > different design that does safely allow such an extreme bar position. > > [image: Inline image 1] > > [image: Inline image 2] > > On Tue, Dec 27, 2016 at 9:35 PM, Ashwath Akirekadu <ash...@gmail.com > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> When I wondered about usability of brifters on Albastache/Mustache >> type bars sometime ago, I couldn't find much info on interwebs. >> >> I decided to get an Albastache anyway and give it a try. Turns out it >> works ok with Campy brifters. Shimano/SRAM brifters aren't likely as >> suitable since they don't have the thumb button. >> >> I was happy to trade slightly reduced brifter usability for increased >> usable handlebar positions that Albastache offers (in 3 years of riding >> this road bike, I had never felt the need to use the lower part of drop >> bars. I did, however, frequently looked for ways to be upright). Folks >> optimizing for speed may feel differently. >> >> Next experiment was handlebar height. >> >> I've never felt uncomfortable to grab a spoon or use fingers, if I >> thought those options were more optimal when everyone else was using >> chopsticks or forks. Proliferation of skinny fashion didn't make me change >> my jeans. And so on. I rank usability/practicality way higher than >> coolness. Still, when it came to bike, somehow, I wasn't at ease raising >> handlebar above saddle level, regardless of how stupid (and >> pain-in-the-neck-inducing) the default setup felt. Last weekend I raised >> the bar like no one was watching. Picture attached. It does look >> more comical than giraffe and lama, IMO. After several short and couples >> of long rides, I'm concluding that this is how it is going to be now on. >> Don't care if other bikers in the neighborhood cringe. My neck is >> already thanking me. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> www.freerice.com >> play and feed a hungry person >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>. >> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com >> <javascript:>. >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > > > -- > Resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and letters that get interviews. > By-the-hour resume and LinkedIn coaching. > Other professional writing services. > http://www.resumespecialties.com/ > www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmooreresumespec/ > Patrick Moore > Alburquerque, Nouvelle Mexique, Vereinigte Staaten > ************************************************************************** > ************** > *The point which is the pivot of the norm is the motionless center of a > circumference on the contours of which all conditions, distinctions, and > individualities revolve. *Chuang Tzu > > *Stat crux dum volvitur orbis.* *(The cross stands motionless while the > world revolves.) *Carthusian motto > > *It is *we *who change; *He* remains the same.* Eckhart > > *Kinei hos eromenon.* (*It moves [all things] as the beloved.) *Aristotle > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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