I get quite a few e-mails asking me about the Albatross handlebar on my bike, so I thought that I’d write up an article which deals with the most common questions. Hope you find it helpful:
What is an A-Bar?
The A-bar (Albatross handlebar) is a modern version of the upright handlebar found on city bikes and three-speed roadsters of the olden days (and sometimes presently). You can buy one at Rivendell (they have it manufactured by Nitto to their specs—keep reading for a link) or at a bike store that specializes in comfortable bikes.
There are two different versions of this handlebar. When Rivendell asked Nitto to manufacture the bar for them, they asked them to make it tough enough for some general offroad riding. Nitto, always concerned with safety, went overboard and made the first model suitable for aggressive offroad riding. They used chromoly steel and made it 56 cm wide. Rivendell asked them to make a still-strong-but-slightly-lighter version so Nitto built a 54 cm wide model in alloy. Rivendell decided to stock both versions.
The A-Bar is designed to take standard MTB brake levers and shifters and can be used with an MTB stem (25.4 mm opening). It can also be used with a road stem (26 mm opening) with the addition of a shim. Rivendell sells a nice shim, or you can make your own from a beer can or whatever. The shim Rivendell sells is elegant and you won’t have to worry about jagged edges.
The A-Bar was thoughtfully designed by Grant Petersen of Rivendell so the inside diameter will accept bar end shifters. You can also use Rapid Fire shifters, SRAM twist shifters, or thumb shifters. Here is an A-bar set up with the brake levers at the bends (like a moustache handlebar) with some Paul’s thumbies:
Here it is set up with the more standard brake location and some Shimano bar end shifters:
Here is a close cousin (Dove handlebar) with some old school Shimano seven speed thumbies:
All these examples show the bar wrapped with tape but you can use cork, or plastic, or foam handlebar grips. It’s the same diameter as most any straight MTB handlebar but, since the inside diameter is the same as a road drop handlebar, you can also set it up with those reverse brake levers that fit inside the bar end (like triathletes use). Of course, if you do this, you can’t use bar end shifters but you can still use thumb shifters, Rapid Fire, etc. If you set up your bar this way, you can add interrupter levers by the bends to give yourself two different places to brake from. Interrupter brake levers are designed for road bars so you’ll have to build up the diameter of the bar a tad (with some tape or whatever).
Does the A-bar have anything to do with A-Rod?
A-Rod is the third baseman for the New York Yankees:
Some people hate A-rod because he signed a $250 million contract and is a poster boy. By contrast, the A-bar does not cost much and most people seem indifferent to it, so it would seem that the A-bar and A-Rod have nothing in common.
What applications is it best suited for?
Anything. Really! Some will tell you it’s only good for cruising around town, or for old ladies’ bikes but, it’s really a nice all around bar…good for touring, offroad riding, fast road riding, etc. Obviously, you may not want to ride a Criterium on it. It’s wide and you will get snagged onto somebody else’s handlebar and make a mess of the whole peloton. If you stray offroad much, you may want to put the brake levers at the bends (for better stability during braking on bumpy roads). That set up gives you a more aero position as well. So, try some variations for yourself and find out what you like.
Can I use the stem I have on my bike now?
No. Yes. Maybe. Most people will be happier with a longer stem extension when converting to an A-bar but there’s no way for me to know if you are one of them. Try it with the stem that you currently have on your bike first and see how it works out for you. If you are a tinkerer and have several different stems in your parts box, try out a bunch of them. I used cable splitters to experiment and find the best stem for my use.
What are the pros?
Comfort. The bar ends sweep back toward your body and make for a very upright position. Some people ask, “What if I get a honkin’ long stem and raise my drop handlebars waaay up? Isn’t that just as good?”
No. The key to this bar is that the end sweep way back towards you. This puts you in a position which does not require you to reach out to grab the bars and therefore places you in a much more upright position than any drop or straight bar. This, in turn takes all the weight off your hands and you don’t have to crane your neck to see the road. It also places your wrists at a more a natural angle. You’ll see what I mean by just letting your hands drop to your sides. Notice the orientation of your wrists. That’s the same angle in which you will be grasping the A-bar handles. If you experience carpal tunnel syndrome while riding, this may help. If you’ve never tried an A-bar, you will most likely be totally amazed by how good you feel after a ride that previously left you with neck pain and numb hands.
And, since this position places your weight further back on the bike, you will find braking and turning on the downhills and on dirt roads more stable. These bars are wide and will provide you with good leverage and better handling. You will see the sights a lot better, and automobile drivers are more likely to see you. You will appear more friendly to other people you encounter because you don’t look like you’re in a hurry. You will probably get more waves and hellos as well. You will look out of place on a bike set up with these bars if you wear Lycra, so wear “normal” clothes. If you install a bell on your bike and use it, you will make a lot of new friends and you will probably get asked a lot of questions about your comfortable-looking bike.
What are the cons?
You might get called a PHRED, or a dweeb, or Grandpa, or Grandma. With more of your weight shifted to your rear end, you may need a wider, more comfortable saddle. You will be less aerodynamic. If your bike has a very short top tube, it may be impossible to get the bars as far away from your body as you like.
Does it have any cousins or other close relatives?
Wald makes many steel upright handlebars of different shapes and sizes. You can order a Wald handlebar from most any bike store. Most upright bars on garage sale bikes are Wald bars. Any Wald handlebar I have ever seen has a similar diameter to the A-bar (25.4 mm stem section, accepts MTB brakes and shifters, and accepts bar end shifters).
Other similar handlebars are named North Road, Priest, Dove, and too many more to mention. Most of these however, will not accept bar end shifters.
Opinion: The Dove and Priest handlebars are meant for road use (no rough stuff) and shaped similar to the Albatross. The Wald bars are steel, strong, and utilitarian. They come in different shapes and sizes. I have never found a Wald that is as nicely shaped or as luxurious (lots of places to put your hands) as the Albatross.
So, IMHO, the Albatross is king because it is strong, and goes offroad, and takes bar end shifters, and looks so good. When you reach perfection, know it is time to stop. I like all these upright bars and I even keep a set of Wald bars set up and ready to go. I use cable splitters to pop them on. Some would say, why, you fool? If you already have an Albatross, you got it made in the shade with an ice cold lemonade, but I have one bike and I like to switch things around from time to time. The Wald bar is nice and feels all 3-speedish. I slapped the biggest bell I could find on it (Tom Robinette sent it to me as a gift). It looks right at home on Wald handlebars. The Wald bars came off a free Schwinn that was only good for parts. It’s all free!…And it couldn’t work any better had I spent $1000! Now, that’s living the good life.
Where can I find more information?
Google, of course. But look at these messages first.
I have more questions. Can I contact you?
Sure. Click here.
What do others have to say about the A-bar?
Joel set up all his bikes with A-bars. His Riv and Surly are shown here. See for yourself how perrrty an A-bar equipped bike can look.
Click here for larger pictures of these bikes. Here is what Joel has to say about the A-bar:
To me, they are the most versatile of bars, especially for someone with lower back problems…all I know is that without these bars, riding would not be comfortable and I would not be able to ride anywhere near the miles I have been riding each year (1,500-2,000 in the warm weather months in the northeast).
Dan S., of Middleton, WI, flipped his A-bar over and uses it upside down. This accomplishes the opposite of what I would use an A-bar for, but it just goes to show you this handlebar’s versatility:
Right-side-up I didn’t care for them. This was on a trek 710, probably not the best platform to begin with, since the bike was plenty big for me, basically riv-sized (not quite a fistful of post showing). So with this setup, with this setup, the bars were swept back too far for me and I could not get any leverage on the pedals, therefore making the bike useless for anything other than riding along the sidewalk with my three-year-old twins on their trikes.
So I flipped them upside down and they were GREAT. There were two problems with this setup on the 710:
(1) was that the bar-cons were at top-tube level so if the bike fell over or some other mishap the potential was there for some serious damage, and (2) was with mountain bike levers mounted in the expected place (grip-length from the end of the bars) the clamp was right where I liked to rest the outside heel of my palm. I ended up selling the 710 because I found a 720 in much better shape and liked the drops on it. In hindsight I wished I’d kept the 710 and tweaked it some more, it was basically a great bike, but I was lucky and recently found a 700 that is basically identical.
The 700, when I get around to rebuilding it as a single speed, I am planning to get another set of a-bars and run them upside-down. I plan to avoid the problems I had on my 710 by running the brake levers like you have on your latest setup or else using road bike levers up in the same area. Also have a longer quill stem (that hopefully has enough extension) to avoid the bar-ends-hitting-the-top-tube syndrome.
Only other thing I would emphasize is something that has been said: use a much longer post than even with drop bars. On my 710, I used a 150 mm mountain bike stem (these are 25.5″ frames we’re talking about) when a 12 cm road stem was comfy with drops.
OK, it took me a long long time but I think I may have finally found bars I actually like!
First, let me say I am no fogy, I stretch pretty regular and do attend some yoga classes so it’s not like I can’t touch my toes or anything. It’s not that my back ever hurt me but I never liked drops. I never liked TT or bullhorn bars and I like straight bars but not on a road bike.
I like to be able to see the world, not my tire, roll by and it always seemed to me that with drops I could’t breath great. Bent over like that it was hard to take a really full breath.
What in incredibly zoomy kids bike feel these bars have! Mostly I ride around town, errands and like that, 10 miles each way to school, not to epic bit a few times a year century or near.
These bars are great, great great! Wow, this is the best thing I bought for a bike in years! How completely different from anything else! It’s really like a kids bike, and it’s give a very kid like feel. I just want to attack everything, shortcut over lawns, jump off curbs, these things rock!
They are on and AL frame with 32c cyclocross wheels and a pretty darn high stem. I have a trekking crankset 50 tooth and a 12-25 out back but will probably run an 11-30.
Amazing! If you can overcome the image thing and make your bike not serious it’s one of the best things you can do I think in terms of a usable bike. I have the AL model of the bars, the satin finish is pretty too
Wow, great!
During a moment of drunken, poetic inspiration, Richard, from Murrieta, CA, wrote:
and I am getting drunk tonight. i do ride the albatross and these are good bars. I rode flat bars for sevral years and always had hand numbness. i would never exclusively ride a flat bar alone it is too numbing. maybe not everyone would get numb. but the albatorss is a really good bar. i don’t think I could be any happier on any bar than that albatorss bar. im really really happy ont he albatross bar. poeple often look at me and say, whya re you grinning, stupid fool? and i say, hey it’s not me it’s the albatorss. and i gesture expansively. dro bars, yes, those are nice, but will they make you happy? no, not really. they are good, they are work-a-day, yes i use them often on sme bikes, but not liekthe albatross. ive been riding the labqatross every day lately. very good. i ahve left explicit instructions t=with my iwfe to ahve me buried with these handlebars.
Amy, who uses an Albatross bars on her Atlantis, writes:
Compared to what I was using on my Atlantis, 38cm drop bars, the Albatross handlebars are like a weekend away from my husband. Don’t get me wrong, I love him but I always seem to love him more after I spend some time away from him.
Mac offers an alternative perspective with his A-bar setup:
I, too, am an A-Bar fan. I have a set mounted on my Surly Cross-Check, which serves proudly as my commute / backroads / casual / wanderin’-around / camping bike. While it’s not necessarily the bike that sees the most miles, it’s by far the bike that passes through the garage door most often.
My A-bar appreciation is rooted in most of the same ideas found elsewhere on this page. However, in my case the application is a little different. I realize most people value the A-bar for its ability to put you in a sit-up-and beg, vertical-spined position. For me, though, that position gets uncomfortable after the first few minutes because it coaxes me toward bad posture, and because it puts all my weight on my undercarriage. I like leaning forward just a little and triangulating myself.
So, I run my A-bar with a 135mm 6 degree-rise stem more typical of what you’d see on a flat-barred XC mountain bike. This puts the tops of the bars just about level with my saddle and a little farther away than most of the bikes you see on this page.
Like most A-bar aficionados, I run mine with rubber mountain-style grips at the ends, with brakes levers butted up against them in classic three speed style. I then wrap the curves with tape—again common. For me, I do most of my gripping either on the tape, or on the brake lever clamp-to-tape transition. With the stem I’m using, this grip puts me in a position similar to what you used to see on mid-eighties mountain bikes, only with palms facing. Going back to the grips allows me to sit with my body at an angle much like riding a road bike on tops-o’-the-drops, but with a wider, parallel, grip, and with better brake access. This is nice because when I’m in a hairy spot my weight is back and my fingers are on the brake levers.
Overall I find this range of positions pretty comfortable and versatile. One of my goals for this bike was to be able to do my 17-mile commute in a relaxed way even the day after a century or some other foolishness. This set up has provided that. Like I said above, I am leaned forward more than usual for an Albatrosser, but it’s a much more mellow lean than what I get on my road bike, which is in itself, a much more upright position than most of my friends have on their road bikes.
Whatever position you choose, give the Albatross a try. I can’t image anyone not liking this bar on a non-race, non-gnarly-singletrack-specific bike unless they’re someone who’s just a slave to mainstream bike fashion. If you try this bar and you don’t immediately fall in love with it, try relocating it a couple of times before you give up. I did, and I couldn’t be happier that I did. Happy riding.
Joseph Collins contacted me about the Surly Cross Check with Albatross bars and shellacked handlebar tape that he was building…and here is the stunning result!
Comments 59
Hi. Great site. Can anyone offer their experience on the differences pros/cons of Albatross vs. Moustache bars ? Thanks.
Len
Posted 13 Apr 2006 at 10:10 am ¶Len: I was not crazy about the m-bar. You have to get it really high if you like an upright position and there just isn’t as much room on the bar (for various hand positions) as there is on the A-bar. I much prefer the A-bar overall. YMMV.
Posted 13 Apr 2006 at 10:35 am ¶I just ordered Albatross bars for my Bleriot because of this site. I was dazed and confused and now I see the tipping point.
I’ll send pictures when the bike is complete.
Posted 25 Apr 2006 at 9:11 pm ¶Sheila: Nice to hear from you. I am glad this helped you with your decision. I seriously doubt you will regret going with the Albatross bars. I’d love to post the pics of your Bleriot when you have them so please send them along.
Posted 26 Apr 2006 at 5:34 am ¶Hi All: I’m using this bar on an All Arounder but want to put on a Romulus. Does anyone have a reccomendation for a brake lever for side pull brakes?
Posted 25 May 2006 at 11:54 pm ¶Thanks
Steve
Steve: Unfortunately, my favorite lever is out of stock at Riv. It’s the Dia Compe SS-5 MKII. I was lucky to snap up a set of the black/silver version when they had them. The good news is that any MTB brake lever designed for cantis will work fine with your side pulls. You can just get whatever appeals to you at your favorite bike store, online store, or ebay. There many choices for very little money. Just make sure the levers are not designed for V-brakes. Those will not work due to a different cable pull design. Some are designed for both (Tektro makes a cheap pair that is decent).
Posted 26 May 2006 at 5:39 am ¶I, too, after decades of cycling, have seen the light with Albatross bars. Many of my “modern” bikes (I own 64 bikes total) have them, even those you’d not expect to. Being 6-6″ tall, I always had an uncomfortable position on most bikes, despite extra long seat post and stem. No more. A-bars rule. See my A-bar-equipped, one-of-a-kind MERLIN single speed on its (hidden) own Web page below @ http://www.californiaclassix.com/Bernard/Merlin.html
Posted 21 Jul 2006 at 10:57 am ¶Bernard, that’s a great bike you linked to. Thanks for sharing the link. Also, 64 bikes?! That’s stupendous! If the rest are as nice as that Merlin, it must be hard to choose which to ride.
Posted 21 Jul 2006 at 2:00 pm ¶I just finished my first ultra on Albatross bars. Not a bad way to go, especially on a fixie: http://www.sabertoothsalmon.com/adventures/2006/ROF.html
Posted 10 Sep 2006 at 11:23 pm ¶Qs. on the A-bar: I keep thinking the most natural position would be for the grips to be a bit more angled to the sides, so there’s something to pull on when accellerating from a stop, etc. In practice, do you like the grips being almost parallel to the top tube? Also, are there bars something like this with a broader area on either side of the stem, approximating the “tops” position on a drop bar? What positions are you riding in on these bars?
Posted 15 Sep 2006 at 1:49 pm ¶Yours in the search for alternatives to drops,
Sherri
Sheri, I find the position of the grips perfect. When starting out or to get extra leverage, I find that I am pulling up on the grips and that works fine. The angle is very natural for my wrists and anyone who’s ever had carpal tunnel syndrome from computer use will appreciate that aspect of the bar. For a more aero position or for rougher offroad riding, I ride with my hands near the bends. If you’d rather have a bar like the A-bar with a flatter front section, the only one I know off is the Nitto Promenade. Cheers.
Posted 15 Sep 2006 at 3:14 pm ¶Does anyone have any experience putting grip-shifters on an A-Bar? That’s what’s on the bike presently, with Trekking bars. I really loved having up-sweeping bars when I lived in Amsterdam, and now I want those times again. Thanks everyone. Great page!
Posted 12 Dec 2006 at 5:05 pm ¶kco, there is no trick to using grip shifters on an A-bar. They will work fine. The A-bar is the same diameter as your trekking bar or any MTB bar, so all the components are completely interchangeable.
Posted 12 Dec 2006 at 5:12 pm ¶Sweet! I think I just might try them out. I’ll let you all know how it goes once I’m all done.
Posted 12 Dec 2006 at 5:17 pm ¶http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2006/cc092r2-josephcollins1206.html is the latest series of pics of my surly xcheck/shellacked albatross bars and (cody’s wooden) fenders.
Posted 29 Dec 2006 at 7:06 pm ¶Joe, excellent build!
Posted 29 Dec 2006 at 7:44 pm ¶I hope this is the proper way to reply, but in response to Len’s question on moustache v A bars, I currently use both. I am 60 yrs old and my hands are the weakest link. With the m bar, I extended the steerer, and use the stock Shimano brifters (on a Lemond road bike). I put the A bar on my hybrid bad-weather bike with a longer-reach stem. Both are a similar reach, with the m bar a bit lower. The concave surface of the m bar helps with pressure on the nerves in the palm of the hand. Both are excellent solutions with slightly different emphases.
Posted 05 Jan 2007 at 10:53 am ¶Richard, your observations re; M vs A bars are welcomed and appreciated.
Posted 05 Jan 2007 at 11:07 am ¶Anybody know where I can get an elegant pair of bars, like the Nitto Albatross, but narrower at the bar ends (around 50-52 cm) and with a longer sweep back and straight section (at least 17cm) to fit a leather grip, SRAM twistshift and a brake lever?
The Nitto Dove looks about the right width, but just doesn’t sweep back far enough for me.
3TTT used to do a great one, but it’s since been discontinued. Also, it was just a wee bit too short in the grips to accommodate modern shifters.
Posted 29 Jan 2007 at 8:59 am ¶I see many people talk about the Albatross and the North Road as the same thing … are they wrong? If so, what are the differences? Authorized rivendell distributor Hiawatha also can’t tell the difference (see the description at the following page:
http://tinyurl.com/2rfw9r “Whether it’s called the “Albatross” or the “North Road” (I can’t tell the difference), this bar should get more respect.”) The Albatross is $55 at Hiawatha, the North Road is $29 at Harriscyclery (http://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=411)
Joe C., you make me want to give up because I can’t compete; that bike is amazing and the work you’ve put into it really shows. I completely bow down to you and you’re incredible bike. Classy, really classy.
Posted 04 Feb 2007 at 5:53 am ¶Abe: I doubt that the Albatross and North Road are the same bar. The bar in the first link looks like an Albatross. The one at Harris looks like a North Road. I don’t have a North Road in front of me to compare the two but I am betting that there are differences in the shape and finish. Also, I doubt that the North Road accommodates bar end shifters. If I am wrong, someone please chime in.
Posted 04 Feb 2007 at 5:12 pm ¶I too am confused by the differences in the the various Nitto “upright bars”: the Albatross, the Dove, the North Road, and the All Arounder. I have the North Road on a cruiser:
http://velospace.org/node/751
I am building up another fixed gear and was considering the Dove but I really have no clue as to the differences. Please enlighten me!!
Posted 10 Feb 2007 at 12:24 am ¶HOLD THE PHONE! Someone on another board pointed me to a handlebar discussion that answers many questions, has lots of photos and is a must read. [Link].
Posted 10 Feb 2007 at 8:52 am ¶I have North Roads on my Kogswell P/R and they certainly took the sting out of not finding the perfect drop bar/stem combo for the bike. I still hate the threadless stem but at least now I love riding the bike.
Posted 27 Feb 2007 at 10:39 pm ¶They’re not A-bars, they’re NR-bars, and they work abut as well for a tiny bit less money. Ever the cheapskate.
for wooden fenders see http://www.woodysfenders.com
cody is a great guy (also sells alot on ebay and his stuff is 40%-60% less than the price of the competition…and just as good…say hello to him for me.
second: for the ultimate all round bar (windy days, fast riding, touring, commuting, randonneuring) what of putting extenders on the albatross? has anyone done so? I want a more crouched down option (but don’t want to get a longer stem)…while I do want more upright positions I also want to get down deeper at times…..either that or I’ll try trekking bars on my atlantis with extenders for such (i’m finding noodles/drops not as comfortable in my 40s)…
Posted 09 Mar 2007 at 3:15 pm ¶I am also considering getting naked bikes (quadra island bc) to make me a custom bar…but don’t want to spend a $200-300 if I don’t have to of course.
Joe: I tried the Nashbar trekking bar and was unimpressed. Other than that, i have no opinion but if you do try some sort of extensions on the A-bar, please post a comment and send me a photo or two.
Posted 09 Mar 2007 at 4:51 pm ¶Albatross bars sound great, but what about speed, are they slower? Do they change the pedaling position to be less optimal?
Posted 25 May 2007 at 8:39 pm ¶Hi all, when I ride my bike, my hands go numb quite quickly. I have tried special grips, no improvement.Will the Albatross handlebar setup help?
thanks!
Posted 15 Jun 2007 at 4:23 pm ¶Janet
Hi — I had the Dove (a close relative of the A-Bar, also manufactured by Nitto) on my hybrid for a long while, and found it wonderful for around town, though the couple times I took it out for rides longer than 20 miles, the limited number of hand positions lead to a lot of discomfort. I’ve since switched to moustache bars on the hybrid and moved the Dove bars to my old three-speed, where they are an improvement on the original North Road bend bars (which were narrower between the grips). I agree with those above: everyone should have at least one bike with these bars!
Posted 17 Jun 2007 at 10:28 am ¶Hello,
I wanted to ask Joseph Collins about his tape and shellac: What bar tape is that? It looks slick, is it? any other info. on how it is done would also be appreciated.
Thanks!
Posted 06 Jul 2007 at 1:52 am ¶Hi Everyone,
I wanted to get into the comuter scene and I have an old Fat Chance Wicked Lite and I was thinking about using Nitto periscopa stem and Nitto Albotross bars.
Any thoughts
Thanks Patrick
Posted 17 Jul 2007 at 3:45 pm ¶I have spent the past dozen years trying various recumbent bicycles in an attempt to still ride with a partially disabled wrist (shattered in a MTB race over 20 years ago.) For rides longer than 50 miles a recumbent may still be my only choice. But I no longer ride over 30-40 miles anymore, and I had never beeen fully happy with any recumbent I had ridden.
But I can not ride a standard road bike with drop bars. In fact, unless I have some type if suspension on the front - forget it. So, I pulled out my old 14″ Titanium MTB frame, built it up with higher end parts (including Paul’s Thumbies), added a light weight 80mm travel fork, fitted 28c x 559 tires, and a Nitto Dove bar to a medium rise stem.
I set off on my usual 35mile loop to the Pacific Ocean and back. The Dove bars allowed for a couple of very natural hand positions that did not bother my wrist while riding. The bike road like a dream and was quite fast. Two hours latter I was back home. To my supprise, my wrist did not hurt, in fact even hours latter I felt no pain. I don’t know if an A-bar is much better, but I am very happy with it’s cousin the Dove bar.
Andy
Posted 21 Jul 2007 at 4:35 pm ¶Thanks Andy
Posted 13 Aug 2007 at 6:19 pm ¶http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22051
I bought a pair of A bars for my bike (see above) but before I go and put it on, how do I know if it will be high and far enough on my stem? Can you put more spacers on this bike?
Posted 05 Oct 2007 at 11:38 am ¶(I’m just a baby at this..)
I’m getting back into cycling after a long hiatus (got hit by a car, had my bike stolen…) and am looking at a (used) Bianchi Volpe as possibly my next bike. I’d like to change the drop bars to Albatross though, but don’t know if that would work on this bike. It’s not something I’d do myself, I’d take it to a shop. I thought ask here and see if anyone had suggestions.
TIA
Posted 06 Oct 2007 at 12:58 pm ¶Tia, no reason why you can’t put an a-bar on the volpe. When the shop does the job for you, just have them check your position on the bike and determine if you need a longer stem or not. A lot of it depends on personal preference (whether you like to be more upright or more stretched out). Good luck and let us know how it works out.
Posted 06 Oct 2007 at 4:32 pm ¶Had an alu Albatross w/bar ends on my commuter–LOVED it. Then I did a longish go-fast ride and I found my hands didn’t like the Albatross bar as much as they liked my road bike’s old Cinelli 42cm drop bars (for that sort of riding).
So, I put my Albatross bar on my suspended mtn bike–the bike I ride up and DOWN overly-difficult trails–and now I really LOVE my A-bar again.
The trick for my 40-something achy hands, I think, is not to be stuck on an A-bar for too long. Commuting, mtn biking–that’s great. Long windy endless hammers down a road… Not so good. With a drop bar I can rest my hands on the brake levers, and distribute some of my weight on my wrists–which is pretty comfy.
Just yesterday I found a ridiculously tall and short stem, so put M-bars (w/bar-ends again) on my commuter (and took off the flat bar that I’d been using since moving my A-bars to my mtn bike–I’m so happy to see those flat-bars go away. They’re awful to use, after the fun of A-bars.
Will they be better than the A-bars for long road hammers? For some reason, perhaps because the curve is slightly sloped downward on either side, they seem like they might be. But finding a tall-enough, short-enough, stem was a chore, and it looks ridiculous.
Still, they seem fun, like the A-bars, and different enough to keep things interesting as I switch between bikes.
Conclusion? The A-bar is by far the best all-around mtn bar I’ve ever ridden, and it’s the best all-around road bar as well–if the task is not simply to hammer, but to enjoy.
Nice site!
Posted 23 Oct 2007 at 12:11 am ¶Charles, thanks for dropping by and contributing to the pool of comments and experiences. Enjoy your A-Bar and keep the rubber side down.
Posted 23 Oct 2007 at 7:23 am ¶Can anybody tell me how far the A-bar reaches back from the stem clamp (center of stem clamp to back of A-bar measurement)?
Posted 04 Nov 2007 at 10:37 pm ¶I’m trying to figure out a TT and stem length measurement. Would I want the same approximate TT/stem length that I use with a Nitto promenade bar (my only personal point of reference)?
Thanks!
nv
Can anybody tell me how far the A-bar reaches back from the stem clamp (center of stem clamp to back of A-bar measurement)?
7 inches [at least that is what it measures on the 56 cm. cro-mo version]
Posted 05 Nov 2007 at 8:40 am ¶Perry, do you know the sweep on an A-bar? The link you provided comparing all of the upright bars claims the A-bar has 90* sweep - the pictures on the Riv site seem to clearly contradict this as they definitely do not have 90* sweep.
Posted 15 Nov 2007 at 11:24 am ¶Thanks!
nv, they appear to be a little short of 90 degrees, but I am not sure how much exactly.
Posted 15 Nov 2007 at 3:34 pm ¶Check this link out that documents my continuing albatross saga:
http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/01/27/rainy-day-projectsor-the-bar-saga-continues/
Posted 27 Jan 2008 at 10:09 pm ¶I have a similar Nitto All-rounder on my rain bike (old Giant Boulder mtb with a Sturmey-Archer 3 spd) and I love it! I never ride upright; all my other bikes have drops or long stems. These things are so comfy for tooling around. It’s my new favorite bike!
Posted 10 Feb 2008 at 3:07 pm ¶Why do folks recommend a stem with a long extension for Albatross bars?
Posted 22 Feb 2008 at 5:16 pm ¶@russell: Because the bar ends sweep back so far to begin with.
Posted 22 Feb 2008 at 5:23 pm ¶anyone looking for northroad style bars on the narrower side should go to any bike shop that sells low end stuff and check out some pyramid brand bars (pyramid makes a large variety of widely available inexpensive bike components). they are chromed steel, about 42cm wide, 1″ clamp, and take mountain brake levers and bar end shifters. they have the classic north road (3 speed) bend and they should cost $20 tops. bars this narrow are great for hectic city riding, slipping through small gaps & all the benefits of the upright riding position. i need to get another as I gave away the bike i had set up with them.
Posted 10 Jul 2008 at 8:43 pm ¶i like the nitto promenade bars. is there no way of setting up bar end shifters for them? thanks, nick
Posted 11 Jul 2008 at 9:39 am ¶Here’s another budget alternative to the nitto albatross & dove bars: the kalloy al-081, $16.99 at bens cycles. More like a 3 speed bar than the albatross, but it’s cheap and it’s aluminum.
http://www.kalloyuno.com/uno/Handlebar/AL-081.jpg
Posted 01 Aug 2008 at 5:34 pm ¶http://shop.vendio.com/benscycle/item/931216721/index.html
Here’s another budget alternative to the nitto albatross & dove bars: the kalloy al-081, $15.99 at bens cycles. More like a 3 speed bar than the albatross, but it’s cheap and it’s aluminum.
http://www.kalloyuno.com/uno/Handlebar/AL-081.jpg
Posted 01 Aug 2008 at 5:36 pm ¶http://shop.vendio.com/benscycle/item/931216721/index.html
A year 1/2 ago I wrote about using Albatross and Moustache bars. Since that time I turned 62 and the old wrists and thumbs got more painful. I stopped riding as much, and used my 1980 Yamaha 850 triple to commute with (bars are “buckhorn” types, low hand pressure, the m.c. equivalent of albatross).
This weekend I made some changes to the bicycles. My better bike (a Lemond) now sports the albatross bars, extended steerer, cork grips and very inexpensive friction thumb shifters ($10). I rode to work today first time in almost a year. Excellent! I found the friction shifters far better than the Shimano SIS brifters–more fun and just as easy! The bars are well above the seat height, and I extended the stem. Brooks B17 saddle.
I had given my hybrid to my daughter, but acquired a 70’s Japanese roadbike. Added a tall Nitto stem and very cheap Wald northroads. They are also excellent. Using a B67 on this one, with a rear rack and front basket. I was able to transport a whole meal’s-worth of groceries plus a large bag of charcoal.
The albatross bars have given me back my “good” bike. Far better now than the moustache bars, at least for me. Is the riding position “efficient”? Well, more efficient than not riding!! The view and comfort are superb. Highly recommended!
Posted 04 Aug 2008 at 3:04 pm ¶Richard wrote: Is the riding position “efficient”? Well, more efficient than not riding!!
Spoken like a man with his priorities firmly in place.
Posted 04 Aug 2008 at 3:12 pm ¶I bought my husband a Bianchi Volpe and he is having a hell of a time with the drop bars. I have an A bar we could use on it…but can we use the shimano brifters *tiagra on the A bar?
I’ve read you can use them on an M bar…but I think the more upright postition the A bar allows would suit him better….
DOes it mean we need to switch out the brifters and the derallieurs?
Posted 24 Aug 2008 at 12:23 am ¶@el andres: You should confirm this because I am working from faulty memory.
If you stick with Shimano shifters, you won’t have to swap the derailleurs. They should mix and match.
As for the drifters on the A-Bar, you’d have to shim them to get them secure because the A-Bar diameter is slightly smaller than a road bar.
Other than that, I don’t know how well they’d work in a different position (contort hands to change gears?). My favorite shifters for the A-Bar are the Shimano bar ends. Nothing better IMHO. Some people like to plop onto the Paul thumbies but I like them as bar ends the best. Still other options are rapid fire and some of the SRAM twist shifters will work as well (but not all).
Good luck.
Posted 24 Aug 2008 at 8:45 am ¶Regarding Shimano brifters on the A bar…I tried it, but the angles are such that they are difficult if not impossible to use (they work fine on the M bar, however). As I mentioned above, the simple friction thumb shifters really work very well, you would be surprised at how quickly you learn to use them. Mountain bike levers (for caliper brakes or cantilevers, not v-brakes) give excellent stopping power.
Posted 29 Aug 2008 at 2:02 pm ¶Got the bar cons & brake levers to swap with the brifters on the volpe…now…on to the task, which will be a totally new experience for me…but I figure with Zinn, I can do it. !!
thanks for the help.
Posted 06 Sep 2008 at 3:44 pm ¶How much weight difference between the AL and steel versions? Anyone recommend one versus the other? I know the steel is a little wider.
Posted 14 Oct 2008 at 5:06 pm ¶Been wanting an Albatross for some time now. I have an old steel POS bike that is nevertheless very comfortable and I ride it most every day. Tried bidding on a bar every time it came up on ebay, but they always seem to end up going for MORE than you can get ‘em for new from Rivendell. Got lucky this last time and won at a decent price; yesterday my new steering post came from Harris Cyclery (did I mention that it is an old 7/8″???!) and when I went home for lunch I had to start mechanic-in’. Rode in to work this morning on a bit-nippy 27 degree (F) and I am already satisfied with the Albatross. Just gotta do a bit of quick-tweaking to my brake set-up and stuff, and may go to some bar-end shifters but right now am sticking with the old stem shifters. A great bar!
Posted 05 Dec 2008 at 9:53 am ¶Jimmy R, I have some shifters that I will probably never use if you want them send me a note patrick121@att.net
Posted 05 Dec 2008 at 8:41 pm ¶Trackbacks & Pingbacks 6
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