Thanks to all for the great input on different bars and their applications.
When I first tried Albatross bars on my Bleriot, I could not get comfortable with them. Fifteen years later the Albatross bars are my favorite. I use them on a 58cm LHT. I recently experienced shoulder pain when I tried (much) wider upright bars. I swam long distances for decades and am now careful with my worn shoulders. Somewhere I read that it's important to keep the arms 'in the box' (i.e. within the width of the box established by the shoulders) during exercise. It seems to work very well with this scrawny six-foot-tall person. I'm fairly upright on the LHT, with the bars about 2.5" above the B68 saddle. I'm curious to try some of the narrower Toscos sometime. The way the bars can be tilted so that the grips tilt toward the downtube is intriguing. No rush, but someday. On Monday, December 4, 2023 at 1:02:28 PM UTC-8 brok...@gmail.com wrote: > If you were to overlay Toscos (the 650mm version) over top of some Orthos > like that, you would find them nearly the same in just about every way... > for anyone pining for some unobtainable Ortho bars. > > On Mon, Dec 4, 2023 at 3:46 PM Richard Rose <rmro...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> I am late to this party & I may not be much help but… I’ve been running >> Bosco bars on my two bikes - a Clem & a Gus. They are pretty much perfect. >> Except that the Gus begs to be ridden harder on singletrack than I was >> comfortable with. After much deliberation I took a flyer & installed a >> “Albacore” handlebar from Hope Cyclery. It’s wide @ 785. It has a forward >> sweep before coming back & a very comfortable & confidence inspiring 50-60 >> degrees. It necessitated ditching my 90mm stem for a 35mm one. These >> changes transformed the Gus. The part of this that might apply to your >> situation; wide bars feel great on the trails, experimentation can be fun & >> rewarding. >> [image: image0.jpeg] >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Dec 4, 2023, at 1:35 PM, Chris K <cmka...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> J, question about your mothbars - do you find yourself ever using other >> hand positions? >> >> Intrigued by this bar but it looks like holding on anywhere but the ends >> would be awkward with such a wide bar. >> >> On Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 4:20:31 PM UTC-6 J wrote: >> >>> I've always had problems with swept back bars, tried many over the years >>> from Riv, Velo O, Soma and the Albatross bar lasted the longest (6 months?) >>> on any bike but they were never really comfortable either. Everything >>> always felt too narrow for my shoulder width and gave me neck pain. I had >>> an opportunity to try the Tumbleweed Persuader bars on my hardtail, and >>> even though the back sweep threw the fit off it still got my gears turning >>> about wider swoopy bars. I widened some Albatross bars in a vice and really >>> felt like I was getting somewhere but started having saddle comfort issues >>> from riding upright again, an issue I've always had. Last year I got to try >>> Ron's Ortho bars on his Atlantis and they felt ridiculous in the moment, >>> but a day later I was still thinking about them. They'd been sold out for >>> so long I gave up and sourced some Magic Components Mothbars, and they've >>> been great! They turned an old aluminum mtb I wasn't riding into a bike I'd >>> happily take for a casual ride under 30 miles. >>> >>> [image: 2xzuKpol[1].jpg] >>> [image: JMRTj5Ql[1].jpg] >>> [image: 6ySLdfsl[1].jpg] >>> [image: TPvZVebl[1].jpg] >>> >>> On Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 3:01:00 PM UTC-4 exliontamer wrote: >>> >>>> The Albatross is my favorite upright bar. I'm a fairly tall guy with >>>> fairly big hands and it really only has 1 1/2 hand positions for me but I >>>> love the feel of it. It's stiff enough for trails, upright enough to >>>> commute on, etc. They live on my older Toyo Atlantis. I do think the newer >>>> revisions like the Billie work a lot better for newer Rivs with longer top >>>> tubes. The Billie in particular is incredible. It would just have too much >>>> sweepback for me on the Atlantis without using a comically long stem and I >>>> would lose that forward bend position without having to lean a lot. >>>> As to Ortho bars I don't know how well they work for smaller statured >>>> riders. I just put a pair on my Cheviot and they feel good out of the gate >>>> but for someone who doesn't have broad shoulders they could be overkill. >>>> On Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 11:22:34 AM UTC-5 Glen wrote: >>>> >>>>> I'm a Billie Bar convert thanks to a kind list member and prefer them >>>>> for the extra hand position in front of the brake levers. Yes they could >>>>> look nicer with some extra rise, I'd prefer to look at a swooped up bar >>>>> than a tall stem but that doesn't impact my ride only my gaze when >>>>> looking >>>>> at my bike instead of riding it. >>>>> >>>>> Regarding the usability of the front hand position. I find myself >>>>> there when I need one of two things, getting out of the wind while >>>>> fighting >>>>> a head wind or giving myself a good long stretch while still seated. With >>>>> a >>>>> 13cm stem and Billies I can get a really good stretch without getting off >>>>> the bike. >>>>> >>>>> FWIW my Billies are on a 64cm Atlantis >>>>> >>>>> On Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 6:00:25 PM UTC+2 kirkebc...@gmail.com >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> I've been riding Billie bars on my 90s Novara mtb for about two years >>>>>> and absolutely love them for all the reasons Eric mentioned. >>>>>> I have two critiques: I wish they had a little bit more rise and they >>>>>> just aren't quite as aesthetically appealing as Albatross bars, which >>>>>> just >>>>>> seem to have a smoother overall curvature and shape. I'd love it if >>>>>> someone >>>>>> made a handlebar that was an Albatross with essentially the same width >>>>>> and >>>>>> extended sweep back of the Billie bars. >>>>>> On Friday, August 25, 2023 at 2:34:41 PM UTC-5 eric...@gmail.com >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi David — I've run Albatross, Billie and Ortho bars on different >>>>>>> bikes and have enjoyed them all. I think that the Billies are the sweet >>>>>>> spot, more sweep back and wider than the Albatross and not out there in >>>>>>> mutant territory like the Orthos. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> All three bars have a similar shape but each has more sweep back >>>>>>> than the next and they get wider along the scale as well. I do like >>>>>>> having >>>>>>> more sweep back to accommodate levers, thumb-mounted shifters *and *to >>>>>>> have a nice long grip position in the hooks which I find good for >>>>>>> spirited >>>>>>> riding and climbing out of the saddle. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I don't think I'll run *Albatross* bars again, despite their beauty >>>>>>> and the classic shape. Just not enough room for levers, thumb shifters >>>>>>> and >>>>>>> the hooks grip position for me. I'd consider it with bar end shifters >>>>>>> but >>>>>>> don't see myself running swept back bars and bar-ends together anytime >>>>>>> soon. The image below, from Rivendell Catalog No. 20, is how I fell in >>>>>>> love >>>>>>> with the Albatross bar. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> [image: Screenshot 2023-08-25 at 3.12.33 PM.png] >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I don't have any pictures handy but I ran mine just like this on my >>>>>>> Surly LHT. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I had the *Billie* bars on my Appaloosa for a while before I >>>>>>> swapped to the Ortho bars. Great hooks position, nice shape, plenty of >>>>>>> sweep back. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> [image: Screenshot 2023-08-25 at 3.30.59 PM.png] >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The *Ortho* bars are very flexy and the long sweep back requires a >>>>>>> 12cm or 13cm stem to get them far enough away from you. This will >>>>>>> depend on >>>>>>> how big your frames are. They're 69cm wide, mine measure 29" outside to >>>>>>> outside. I sometimes struggle to fit the bars through my shed door but >>>>>>> it's >>>>>>> only a 2-8 (32") door. I think on a smaller frame they might teeter on >>>>>>> true >>>>>>> absurdity. I've found mine to be overall pretty comfortable though not >>>>>>> life-changing. I won't rant or rave about them. I think I'd be just as >>>>>>> happy with the Billie bars. The Ortho is based on a set of Bosco bars >>>>>>> that >>>>>>> Ron bent and flattened out, you can sort of see it in their overall >>>>>>> shape. >>>>>>> Here's a picture of the bike with the Ortho bars. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> [image: Appaloosa-updates-3-scaled.jpg] >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Here's a quick overlay with my Billie bars strapped to my Ortho bars >>>>>>> for comparison. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> [image: IMG_7187.JPG] >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The last round of Orthos were out of stock for over a year and then >>>>>>> quickly sold out. I haven't heard any rumors about how soon Crust will >>>>>>> have >>>>>>> another shipment in. If they're unavailable I think the Billies would >>>>>>> be >>>>>>> worthwhile. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Best of luck and let us know what you do! >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Eric >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Friday, August 25, 2023 at 1:51:07 PM UTC-4 David Pulsipher wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hi there, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I've been using the Nitto Albatross now for over 13 years - and >>>>>>>> love it immensely. But recently I've been intrigued by the idea of >>>>>>>> going >>>>>>>> wider, much wider. Was wondering if any one had made a similar >>>>>>>> transition >>>>>>>> and would mind sharing their thoughts, reflections. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Thanks hive mind! >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >> 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. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/f3c76411-0bc1-4084-89a7-504c22746ea0n%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/f3c76411-0bc1-4084-89a7-504c22746ea0n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- >> 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. >> > To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/B6A426D2-165A-4A89-96AF-04694B6534E0%40gmail.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/B6A426D2-165A-4A89-96AF-04694B6534E0%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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