Change Your Handlebars, Change Your World

When I wrote about our custom tandem bike, I mentioned that we didn't get off to the best start. The bike just felt unsteady to me as the captain and I struggled for months trying to determine whether we'd ever really be able to ride the tandem together.

Before it had even arrived, we had conversations about the possibility of needing to put different handlebars on the bike. We'd asked that it be built with drop bars, but knowing that I sometimes struggle with that type of set up on a bike (sometimes it's worked well and other times it just never quite works for me), we wanted the option to put more upright bars on the bike. The builder was aware of this and told us that the bike could be easily switched to other handlebars, perhaps needing just a change of the length of the stem.

Drop bars on the tandem the day it arrived. It didn't stay this way for long!

Immediately after the first test, I was aware that the drop bars were not going to work for me on the tandem, but we gave them a try for a few rides. Being shorter and having drop bars with bar end shifters, I was struggling both with mounting the bike without shifting the gears accidentally with my thigh and the actual feel of the bike while steering. Already feeling uneasy about piloting the unsteady bike, I didn't need any extra trouble.

My instinctual thought was to put albatross handlebars on the front of the tandem. They are always easy for me to use, and with bar end shifters I figured that would help alleviate the accidental shifting when mounting. We also discussed the possibility of using trekking/butterfly handlebars because they've been a good option on some bikes too.

The easiest switch was to use the spare albatross bars, so we mounted them up with a longer stem and set to testing. This switch definitely helped with the shifting issue, and actually allowed us to ride the bike together; however, it definitely didn't make the bike feel much steadier when riding. For months, we struggled, riding the tandem this way. We were happy that we could actually ride the tandem, but the ride was still not what we'd expected. Honestly, we assumed that this is just how it was going to be and I'd have to come to terms with the reality that the tandem, while now rideable, was never going to feel the way we'd hoped.

Albatross handlebars on the tandem. We tried flipping them both ways to see if one way worked better than the other, but upright seemed to be the best position.

We had several conversations, often as we rode the tandem, that perhaps we just needed to accept that this was a mistake and that we should have just been grateful with the too-large tandem we already had. At least that one felt steady. I myself said more than once that I wished we'd never bothered because we just weren't getting what we'd hoped to out of the custom tandem and we'd invested a lot into it. We were able to ride it, but it just never felt quite like we wanted it to.

One day over the winter, I was riding the trainer (currently set up with the VO Campeur--a strange choice for a trainer bike, I'm aware-- which is built with trekking handlebars) and thinking to myself that we never actually tried putting those bars on the tandem and that maybe we should give it a try. My thinking was that at least it would provide some additional locations to move my hands around. With the albatross bars on the tandem, I always felt too shaky to move my hands, not to mention there aren't as many options for spots to move my hands to, which was causing my already bad hands/wrists to experience even more pain.

Trekking bars on the Velo Orange Campeur

I mentioned casually to Sam that we should try the trekking bars out on the tandem, who agreed it was worth the effort if it would give me more hand positions to use. He had a spare set of 3x9 trigger shifters, so he set off to get the switch done to give my hands a bit of a break.

I wasn't really sure what to expect out of the switch and had said to Sam that it might not work at all which would mean we'd be switching back to the albatross bars; but on the first little test around the neighborhood, it seemed good, great even. Suddenly, the tandem seemed stable and "right," and I wasn't having the unsteady feeling I usually get when riding it. I thought perhaps it was because I was riding it alone, but even when Sam hopped on the back to let me test it as we'd actually ride, I realized that something had dramatically changed.

It seemed insane to me that a simple handlebar could create such a difference in the way the bike felt, but here we were, having only changed those (and the shifter levers) and it felt like a completely different ride. Except for the small amount of testing around our neighborhood, our first test ride was over 50 miles, which was a little concerning having not really gone any distance with this set up.

Fortunately, the gamble paid off and as we rode, we both noticed changes very quickly. Sam commented that he felt as though the tandem was more steady, even in the stoker position, and he noted that my body position seemed to be closer to what it usually is when I ride and not as though I was driving a school bus as it had appeared with the other handlebars.

Current setup with the trekking handlebars... a world of difference!

I was enjoying having somewhere to move my hands when I needed to give them a break, and I was at ease moving my hands without feeling as though the bike would end up on the ground if I shifted positions. Strangely, I even felt as though my legs had more power. It was as though I'd been given a penalty with the other handlebars and now I'd been released to move my legs normally.

I'd thought perhaps I was imagining that I had more power until the end of the ride when we saw that we'd averaged a significantly higher speed than we had been on this bike on prior rides of the same distance/route.  It was as though the change in handlebars completely changed everything about the bike. It now behaved like a road bike and allowed me to be in a better position to use the larger muscles to push as I would naturally on a single road bike. I wasn't afraid to remove a hand or to adjust the mirror while riding because it felt steady and as though it would track forward even with one hand on the bars.

Toward the end of the ride, without even being aware of what I was doing, I intuitively stood up to pedal through a rough spot and then suddenly realized what had just happened. I had never stood up to pedal on the tandem before the handlebar change because it felt like I would lose control of the bike (honestly, even coasting and standing always gave me a bit of fright); but this was something that just happened naturally, as it would on my single bike when it was necessary and without any forethought.

I feel like a whole new world has opened up with this set up, and even Sam said he feels the change in the rear position on the bike. I would never have guessed that a simple handlebar switch would have created such a dramatic change in the way this bike rides! I keep thinking that I am disappointed that we didn't try the change months ago rather than waiting, but I am also excited that this has given us a tandem that is more in line with what we hoped to get out of the custom experience. Not only are my hands doing better being able to move around, but it has given us both more confidence and power while riding.

Over the years, we've switched out handlebars on many of my single bikes, and it's made a difference in some instances, but never have I experienced any type of change that was so dramatic as this. It's definitely been a positive difference - and something that I hadn't expected. Have you ever made a simple change to a bike that made a huge difference in the way it handled or felt?

A Pelican to Revive the Past?

At the beginning of autumn last year, a search began. I was longing for a combination of bicycles that I'd had in the past - or at least the enjoyment I had found in the group that once existed in the bike fold. I have never wanted to hoard bicycles, nor do I want an excess number, but there was a point a few years back that, in retrospect, I think was actually the perfect number and combination of bikes. At that point though, I believed that if things were as good as they were, they could get even better (Why do we always believe the grass is greener?), and this thought process started a slew of selling and buying that resulted in aggravation, frustration, and in many instances physical pain.

One of the bikes that I severely regretted selling was my Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen. At the time, Sam had just experienced an emergency room stay and we had some unexpected bills. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the Rivendell, I had those thoughts of "maybe I can do better" floating through my head. That, combined with the need for cash in the moment, made the decision to sell the bike seemingly a no-brainer. After it was gone, I had nearly immediate regret, and the dissatisfaction with the bikes I was finding to replace the Hilsen grew in intensity over the years.

So, in late September/early October of 2015, I started a more serious hunt to see what I could find to re-establish a relationship similar to one of the bikes I missed. The most obvious choice would be to re-purchase the Hilsen, but I was having difficulty coming to terms with the price I had paid for the frame a few years back versus the current cost of a new frame. New prices are nearly $1,000 more than I'd paid and it just didn't sit well with me. I had a budget (meaning a stash of cash to fund this purchase from the sale of other items), and buying the frame again would mean that I would potentially need to wait to build it up. Even with extra parts waiting to be used, there are always items that are needed for a build.

There was also the possibility of buying the frame used, but I had been searching for months to find the right size and one had not popped up to date (Even before I was seriously considering buying the frame again, I'd been on the hunt - secretly hoping one would be available for such a great deal that I couldn't say no). I realized, however, no one else wanted to get rid of theirs because they were smart enough to know it was a keeper. [sigh]

While I contemplated how badly I wanted the Hilsen frame back and if I was willing to cough up the dough, I decided to start looking for something that might ride similarly, but that would give me a bit of a break in the cost department. One day as I was researching, I suddenly remembered reading about the Box Dog Bikes Pelican (as a quick note in regard to the link -- The current builder is different, the prices have increased -understandably, given the increase in cost for most things- and the smaller size that used to be available appears to no longer be made). I started looking for information on this bike, but there wasn't much to be found. There is a somewhat older article written by Jan Heine in a back issue of Bicycle Quarterly that I happened to have sitting around which was very helpful in many regards, but beyond that, the available information was down to a couple of blog posts from current or former owners and a smattering of online photos.

Ultimately, I knew that if I wanted to try out the Pelican, I'd need to buy it and just give it a go. After looking at my options, I believed this would be the best analog to the Hilsen frame. So, in November, I purchased the last of the Winter-built Pelicans from Box Dog.

The Pelican is meant to be built up with a front load, and this appealed to me for many reasons, but before I got into racks and bags and such, I knew that I'd need to feel out the bike and determine whether or not it would even work for me.

The first iteration of this bike was built up with Maes Parallel bars and bar end shifters. I regret that I never took any photos of the Pelican in this form, so I don't have any to share, sadly. However, it looked like a typical build to be found in a quick online search. The problem I was having was reach (which always seems to be my issue). In order to use this set up, I kept having the sensation that I needed to have the handlebars up quite high with a very short stem, which was causing handling issues on the bike.

It may well have been that I just haven't ridden drop bars in some time and had forgotten what it feels like, but I was uncomfortable with this set up.  Needless to say, having the handlebars so high and close made descents quite hairy and even fairly flat roads a bit intimidating when I'd remove a hand, so I was not excited to go and ride the bike knowing that I'd have a death grip any time the bike wavered in the slightest.

My hand issues have also grown over the years and I seemed to struggle with the drop bars and this set up. It was better than using a brifter set up, but again, because I was not overly enthused about the squirrely behavior of the bike, we decided to change things up. The current set up has butterfly handlebars and mountain bike thumb shifters. The bars are still set fairly high, but significantly lower than they were with the prior bars.

Aesthetically, I am not in love with the looks of this configuration, but I'm also slowly learning to give up some of my visual likes/dislikes in order to accommodate necessities. With this set up, we were able to put a longer stem (changed from 50mm to 80mm) on the bike and set the bars lower, which allows the bike to handle much better.

In some ways, the butterfly bars are just a better option for me on this bike. Made for trekking/longer distances, I tend to use all of the positions on this bar, while drops tend to be a 1-2 position bar for me at best.  Not only do I use all the possible positions on the handlebar regularly, but I still have the ability to set a little more upright, or stretch out a bit when needed or wanted.

The trickiest issue I've run into thus far is front luggage. As mentioned earlier, the bike was designed to be front loaded, so initially  I wanted to install a front rack. The rack I own that is currently going unused seemed like the perfect solution, but it does not work without using p-clamps or doing some serious bending of metal, so it's an item I'll need to purchase if I want to go that route. The problem being that the frame itself is small and the butterfly handlebars stretch to the front significantly, so there isn't a ton of room for a bag as I would like.

The temporary solution has been to use a handlebar bag without a front rack. This particular bag is a Rivendell, and I currently use it on my Hillborne (which works very well for my needs with a similar set up). It was a bit interesting trying to get this to work on this bike though. As can be seen in the photos, the top of the bag is extremely close to the shifters and brakes. It's not an ideal set up, but for the time being it works.

If I want to keep this configuration, I may need to consider switching the handlebars so that the current position in front of me is at the farther location, but I'm still testing things out to some extent to discover what works best.

I am also pondering a set up for lighting. My hope is to eventually install a dynamo-hub for lighting on this bike, which I think will be the most efficient option. For now, I can strap a battery powered light on if I am out a little too late or early and am in need of lighting.

As with most bikes we build, there were past and/or excess parts available for use on this bike, and that is what was used for the most part. I did purchase tires as all of the 650b tires have been sold, given away, or are in use currently and I wanted tires that were a bit lighter in weight than what I use on other bikes. Fenders were also purchased, along with new cabling, a chain, bottom bracket and headset. If, eventually, a dynamo hub is desired, I'd either have the front wheel rebuilt with it, or purchase new wheels with the hub already installed. I haven't quite decided which route makes the most sense.

Even though I've had this bike built up for several months now, I still feel as though I'm getting to know it. It pedals remarkably easy though, and despite the fact that it isn't an exact duplicate of the bike I was trying to replace, the functionality of and enjoyment I get out of it is seeming - at least to date - to rank quite high. The handling is much improved with the handlebars at a lower level (I would actually drop them lower, but then I definitely won't have use of a front bag for the time being) and with a longer stem - which is to be expected. I've debated the thought of going back to drop bars to see if I can get them to work at a lower set point, but since I have found better functionality with these butterfly bars, I may end up just leaving the set up alone.

As for actual parts on the bike, there's nothing particularly odd or different about this build, with perhaps the exception of the handlebars. There's a bit of a mix of things from different makers though, pulling pieces from Velo Orange (fenders, pedals, brakes), Soma (tires), Sugino (crank), and so on, but it all came together quite nicely. The front luggage situation needs to be resolved, but beyond that, I am quite pleased with the ride of the Pelican. It's not a race bike, at least not in the traditional sense, but it's no slouch either, and as long as I'm capable of going, the bike is ready to play along for whatever distance I choose.

While the Pelican is not an exact duplicate of the Hilsen (in some ways, I think the Pelican may actually be a better choice for my wants), it has thus far functioned in a similar manner, but also feels lighter in weight. Certainly, despite being a bit different from one another, either bike could function for similar purposes and with like set-ups.

It's still too soon for me to say with absolute certainty that this is the one that works best for my needs, but I think we're off to a fairly positive start. If I can get my body more functional again for long distance riding, I'll feel better about the possibilities with this bike. In the meantime, I'm enjoying testing the Pelican out and remain optimistic about the future with this ride.

*Note: A link to the Flickr album for more photos can be found here.

The Trekking/Butterfly Handlebar

When posting about the newer addition to the bike stable, the Velo Orange Campeur, I noted that I had opted to try out a set of handlebars that have awaited placement on a bike for some time. The right bike had not come along, but when the Campeur landed, the trekking handlebars seemed entirely appropriate.

*Image from Bike Touring News

While browsing, I've noted that there are a variety of manufacturers and retailers that sell their own sets of trekking handlebars. Nashbar, Dimension, Nitto, Dajia Cycle Works, Modolo are just a handful of the companies that have a version available. Since I haven't tried every style of these, I will state up front that the version I have are the Dajia Cycle Works variety. I've been told that the same handlebar sells under a variety of manufacturer names, but I don't have much to prove this as a statement of absolute truth. Most of the handlebars I've seen appear to have very similar positioning and bends (the exception being the Nitto version which appear more squared at the corners), so I'm not entirely certain that the exact manufacturer is of great importance if the products themselves are so similar.

I still haven't settled on a bar tape color... but I will, eventually. 

These handlebars are made of an aluminium composition. The 25.4mm stem clamp diameter may make them a challenge for some setups, but I've found if the diameter is too small, using a shim is helpful (and necessary) to get them to work with a variety of stem diameters. Since the bike these are set on has a 26.0mm clamp diameter, the shim works perfectly to make them snug.

This particular set measures 57 cm at the widest point, providing a broad stance. However, there are also lots of positions on the bars that are much narrower. For a mountain biker, the distance may not seem very wide at all, but for someone used to drops or more standard upright bars, there is a definite difference.  If a rider prefers a narrow position in a handlebar, there are positions on this bar that fit that need, but the widest points of the handlebars would likely go unused perhaps making them not an ideal option.

I'll admit, at first I was a little put off by how wide the bars ride, but over a relatively short time, I came to appreciate this quality. It's nice to get some leverage once in awhile and I feel a bit more in control of steering as well. Whether this is the handlebars themselves or a quality of the bike is up for debate. There are many positioning options available on these bars though and a rider doesn't have to live at the extreme outreaches of the bar.

While there are technically four hand positions, I find that I use a broad spectrum of space in between each of these, depending on the day and/or task. It seems a natural place to put my hands at the sides (the widest point) of the bar, much as one would with a northroad style or albatross handlebar, and I do spend a fair amount of time here depending on where I'm riding.

In traffic, it's a little more difficult to rely on that position as the brakes have been placed at the furthest position on the bars directly in front of me. So, while riding in higher traffic areas, I have found it more comfortable to be in the most outstretched positions with my fingers at the ready when braking becomes necessary.

If I have a little more space in traffic or I'm out on back roads, I find that my hands naturally tend to want to move around the corners/bends of the bars. When I feel the need to sit more directly upright, I use the portion of the bar directly in front of and closest to me.

As someone who needs to move her hands frequently when riding, having so many possibilities is really ideal. Even for those who don't have injuries or ailments that require position changes, it's a good idea not to stay in one position for too long to prevent strain, injuries, and just simply pain.

When these handlebars were set up, I wasn't entirely sure how to place them. They can be flipped over to ride on either side (neither side is really considered upside down), and they can be changed so that the opening point is closest to the rider (as in the first photo above) or flipped so that the opening is at the farthest point in front of the rider. I have seen these set up in each of these possibilities and they appear to work well, regardless of set up for the individual riders. I think it's more a matter of preference or what feels natural to the rider more than anything else.

I will note that I have tried these bars on a couple of different road bikes too. Both of these bikes were quite stable using a drop bar set up, but I didn't necessarily appreciate the trekking bars on each of these bikes the way I do on the Campeur. More specifically, the set up with the trekking bars worked decently on one of the road bikes, but the other seemed to make the bikes' handling more squirrelly. This could be a result of different body positioning on each bike, however.

Sitting more upright on a bike intended for speed doesn't seem to be a good combination with these handlebars - at least during my limited testing.  Granted, these are handlebars meant for long distance, multi-day cycling, so using them on a bike meant for faster rides is perhaps not ideal, depending on the situation and again on the riders preferences.

There are a lot of handlebars on the market to choose from for a variety of riding purposes, so I often find myself wondering what the benefit is of one type over another. As pointed out earlier, I think the biggest asset with these is the number of hand position possibilities. Beyond that, it becomes a matter of likes and dislikes as well as aesthetics. If a drop bar set up is working well for the rider, I see no true advantage to these handlebars. However, if the rider struggles with utilizing all the positions available or if one additional position may do the trick, these may be a set to try out.

After several months of near-daily use, I am really appreciating the qualities of these handlebars and finding them to be quite useful. I have not been able to take them on trips of great distances (yet), but for commuter/errand purposes and rides under 40mi/64km, they have worked well. They may not be a handlebar that meets every riders needs, but they are a nice alternative for those looking for multiple hand positions and perhaps even a wider handlebar.

If you've tried these on your own bike, I'd love to get your feedback in regard to what you've liked or haven't with this style of handlebar. Likewise, if you have questions, I will do my best to answer, or perhaps others can offer their expertise.

A Handlebar Conundrum

In our bicycle-centered household, I have been dubbed the "Handlebar Queen." The title has come well-earned I would say, as I don't think there's a bike I've owned that hasn't had multiple handlebar changes upon arrival or after a few quick test spins. In part, I am fascinated by different handlebars and the way they can change ride quality, but on the whole most changes take place to try and alleviate hand issues.

When this handlebar switching started years ago, I started to think that there was only one type of handlebar that would work for me, but as I quickly learned, the bicycle itself was a huge factor in what actually worked and more importantly what did not. I was never really able to determine what factors led to a better position for me without changing the way the bicycle rode, but I continued to experiment with handlebars.

As handlebar queen, one would think I'd be an expert by now on what works and what doesn't for me personally, but I still struggle with finding the right fit any time a new bike arrives.  So, it shouldn't be surprising that after riding the Rodriguez for a bit, it was time to experiment with these handlebars as well. I have to say, playing with handlebars on this bike was more than just an effort to get my hands in a proper position to eliminate pain, but I'll get into that as we go along.

When the Rodriguez arrived, it came equipped with a fairly standard drop bar. The builder had recommended a compact FSA K-wing bar, but I couldn't bring myself to drop the $300 USD that it would cost. That's a lot of money to spend on a handlebar, I thought, and I just couldn't justify the expenditure at the time.

*Image from FSA
FSA K-wing Compact

Of course, this recommendation came knowing that I have a lot of hand issues when riding which stem from injuries off the bike. Over the years, these injuries seem to be getting worse instead of better, so any time something will help my hands while riding I should probably take note.

After riding on the standard drop bars for a number of rides, I was still experiencing hand pain and I wanted to attempt to figure out a way to alleviate this as much as possible. Perhaps I needed to pursue the FSA bar that had been recommended. So, I started a second-hand search to find a set that wouldn't cost so much.

As luck would have it, a set turned up on eBay for less than 1/6 the price of new, so I figured it was worth a shot. Everything was set up on the new handlebars and I set off to test these, believing that they were the answer to my pain.

I very quickly discovered that I really did not like these handlebars. After several rides of trying to get used to them, I was beyond annoyed and decided that they needed to come off. Even with the pain I was experiencing with the regular drops, it was not nearly what was happening with these new handlebars.

So, back we went to the original drops.

Then, one day as I was out on a ride, I made the realization that perhaps another recommendation that had been made by the builder was one I should pursue. It had been suggested that I outfit the bike with bar-end shifters, but I had fought this as I am not fond of using them with drop bars. Instead, I pushed for brifters, but was now coming to the realization that having bar-end shifters would likely help my hands as it would force me to move them regularly for shifting purposes. With brifters, I tend to sit in the hoods the majority of the time, but when using bar-ends, I am forced to regularly change position.

This meant another purchase of Campagnolo-compatible bar-end shifters as the bar ends we have would not work - at least not without a lot of experimentation. While the bike's drivetrain is a mix, the rear derailleur is Campagnolo and thus the shifters would have to work with this set up (unless, of course, I wanted to replace the back end of the drivetrain - which I did not).

*Image from Velo-Orange

I was happy to discover an option in Dia-Compe, at which point the brifters were replaced with bar-ends and separate brakes on the tops.

Then, a new problem arose. Being short and wide is not really a good combination for road bicycles. With a shorter top tube needed for proper riding it creates a situation in which I am crammed into a space that feels too small when standing at a stop over the bike. This isn't specific to this bike, but really any bike with a shorter top tube. Since a lot of my weight is carried in my lower body, I was struggling to mount and dismount the bike without jamming my thigh into the bar-ends.

While I can endure the pain of such happenings (after all, bruises will heal), being a less-than-coordinated individual does not combine well with abrupt shifts that were taking place while stopped.  As I'd start to pedal off at signals and stop signs, the chain would suddenly shift and throw me off balance. This really started to unnerve me. I began worrying every time I had to start or stop and that's certainly no way to encourage a person to ride.

*Image from Bike Touring News
Nitto Grand Randonneur

The next experiment was to try my old Nitto Randonneur bars from the A. Homer Hilsen. I did well with these handlebars on that bike after a ride the necessitated using them, and it had been set up with bar-end shifters, so perhaps this would be the solution. They are a bit wider at the bottom too, so it would give me more room to start and stop without having the interruption of my thighs jamming into the bar-ends.

Something just felt off about these handlebars and after a quick spin around the neighborhood on the Rodriguez, I decided to remove them. After this brief trial, another standard drop bar that was much wider overall than the originals was put on the bike. This, we assumed, would provide the thigh clearance I need but still offer the hand positions to move around.

With this alteration, the bike felt a bit twitchy on the front end, which is something I hadn't expected at all. Additionally, I felt as though my hands were too far apart and I started thinking that perhaps I needed to go to my standby or default handlebar: the Albatross bar.

Nitto Albatross bars set up on the Hillborne

So, off came those handlebars and on went a backup set of Albatross turned upside down as is the set up on the Hillborne. This configuration was even worse with the twitch-factor on the front end and they were very quickly removed.

All of the changes were beginning to send me into a tailspin. It was all too familiar as I've gone through this multiple times with bikes while attempting to find the right set up. Maybe I'm just not meant to ride a road bike, I thought. It is very difficult to maintain positivity when everything seems to go awry.

*Image from On One
On One Midge

I am not a quitter though, so I kept looking for possible solutions. One day, as I was browsing the net, I was reminded of another possibility: a set of On-One Midge handlebars. Perhaps this was the solution?

The problem was finding them in the US. The few places I could locate them were in the UK and the shipping costs alone were not worth the effort to try them. But, I soon learned that there is a somewhat close facsimile available with more ease here in the US: Origin8's Gary bar.

*Image from Origin8
Origin8 Gary 2

These handlebars seemed to be a combination of a rando bar and a drop bar, with wider ends, so perhaps they would be the combination I needed. As I quickly discovered, these handlebars had the same problem as my upside down Albatross bars (which should've been obvious had I really thought it through) in that they were too wide to keep the front end of the bike stable. I was also struggling to use the bar end shifters because every time I'd reach down to shift, the entire bike would shimmy out of control, particularly at any sort of speed.

I was giving up now. I couldn't believe that handlebars and shifters were going to be the demise of the Rodriguez in my life. I began to think that this just wasn't going to work. I love my pedaling position on the Rodriguez, but if I couldn't find something to work for the upper half of my body, we were going to have to part ways.

I started lamenting the decision to sell the A. Homer Hilsen, upset that I let it go and wondering why I had to be so concerned with the weight when it actually seemed to serve me well. Really, it had met my needs splendidly, but I had been wrapped up in the idea that I needed to travel faster and because we were in a tough spot with an unexpected and expensive ER visit, I let it go. In retrospect, it was a horrible idea.

As I sat contemplating my decisions, Sam was off thinking up another idea. When he came in holding two bar end extensions like these, I must've looked a little perplexed. His plan was to attach these to the drop bars, kind of like a mini-aero bar set up. He explained that he'd attach the extensions and put the bar end shifters at the end, keeping them away from my legs and hopefully this would make them easier to reach and eliminate the twitch that develops with wide handlebars.

This poor handlebar tape has been wrapped and unwrapped so many times.

From the photo, you can see it was a slightly odd look, but I was willing to give it a try. The set up was an interesting one, and while in some ways it made things better, I still found it an odd position to be in for shifting, since I cannot actually rest on the additional short stubs as one would with true aero bars. Additionally, wrapping the bars created its own snag, and while I would've got over the messy factor, it was very bulky and the set up was just not working properly for my needs.

Now what?

With all of the switching taking place, nothing was feeling right any longer. Even things that sort of worked initially felt strange now - and how could they not? I wasn't giving myself very long to adjust to anything and instead continued to do changes pretty quickly looking for the solution.

I decided that I had to pick something and just stick with it for awhile in order to make a true evaluation, but which one? Since I hadn't really given the Randonneur bars a fair shot, and they'd worked well in the past, these were the pick.

Now, the Randonneur's haven't been on the bike long at this point (a couple of weeks), and I've been riding other bikes because of current Seattle-like weather, so it's not really fair to make a judgment call as to whether or not these will be the answer.

However, I've realized that nothing is going to work if I don't allow time and riding to take place. Although some of the handlebars had several rides to determine whether or not they would work, I realize that there were also a number that were just quick switches without really allowing an opportunity for true testing. With some, there was good reason, but with others, perhaps they just needed a few more rides to see if I would or could adjust.

I also understand that there are other factors that could be affecting my hands (tires are one of these possibilities), and while the pedal position is great on this bike, I need to get my hands settled in order to get everything dialed in properly. Things are coming along, so hopefully the set up is on its way to being great. I'm looking forward to a summer full of long rides that are (at least relatively) pain free.

Re-Learning What I Thought I Knew: I CAN Ride Drop Bars!

In the summer of 2009, my darling Sam picked up a road bike for me from a Craigslist ad. At the time, I had been riding upright/city style bikes and enjoying my slow pace around town. When I started daydreaming about long rides for exercise, touring, and so on, Sam decided to take matters into his own hands and found me a mid-70s Raleigh Super Course to try out, rather than spending hundreds or even thousands on something that, potentially, I may not have ever touched. When he brought it home my initial reaction was split: I was thrilled at the opportunity to ride a road bike (I hadn't been on one since childhood), but I was terrified of the position on the bike and the handlebars. Surprisingly, things went pretty well... except, that is, for the drop bars.

The bike was large for me, so we chucked it up to sizing issues and moved on down the road to the next choice. Even though the bike that followed was sized properly for me, I just couldn't seem to make any kind of drop bar work. I tried a variety of them, but every time I would be in so much pain, that I'd end up not riding for a week or more. I had tried classic style (code: old) drop bars, noodle bars, randonneur bars, but nothing seemed to help me find a position that worked. Ultimately, I gave up on the idea and just started looking for an alternative. The one that worked best for me was the albatross handlebar, and so, for the last couple of years, that has been my go-to choice for any bicycle - even road bikes. I've done just fine with them and travelled well enough that I came to the realization that every bike I'd ever own would have these bars. I even have a "spare" set -"just in case." Sick, I know.

The "usual" bicycle for long or organized rides

Still, I couldn't help but have some drop bar envy when I'd see folks pedaling by. In reality, there are simply more hand positions on this type of handlebar, and knowing that I do have hand/wrist issues to contend with, I stubbornly kept trying to make some kind of drop bar work for me. After each attempt and subsequent failure, I would return the set up to the albatross bar and let out a huge sigh. "I guess this is just what I'm destined to ride," I'd constantly try to reassure myself. I had switched out the handlebars on the newer Homer bicycle at least half a dozen times, convinced that I could make the drop bars happen. With my last attempt I told Sam, "Let's just put them on and leave them for an extended period of time and see what happens. I'll start riding them on short trips and just see if it's all in my head, or if there's some possible way to make these work." And so, we did. We set up the Homer with the randonneur bars, and I figured I'd slowly allow myself to try them out without the pressure of having to do a long distance ride.

Ah, but fate had other plans. The evening before my recent Venus de Miles ride, we had an incident with the Hillborne which left me without a saddle/seatpost. As we desperately tried to figure out how to resolve the problem so late on the eve prior to the ride, Sam and I looked at each other already knowing what this meant: I'd be riding the dreaded drop bars on an unfamiliar bike for the 51 mile ride the following morning.

"I'm a big girl," I said, trying to reassure the slightly-flustered Sam that I would manage this on a bike I wasn't completely used to riding. "It will all be okay, I promise." After having joked just days prior that this would happen, I honestly didn't expect it to actually be coming about (talk about speaking things into existence). Frankly, I was terrified that I would get 10-15 miles in to the ride and not be able to finish because of hand pain, but I wasn't about to worry Sam with such thoughts. We took a few minutes and did our best to get the Homer set up in a manner that would keep me as comfortable as possible, and while doing so, the handlebar stem was dropped significantly lower than it had been. I took it for a quick ride down the street and said, "Well, I think it's as good as it's going to get with the time we have."

In the morning, we agreed that Sam would come out and meet me at or near the first refill station/rest stop in case there were any problems.  When he arrived to meet up about 11 miles into the ride, I was doing great. "My hands don't hurt at all," I proclaimed with glee. "We'll see what happens as time wears on, but I'm really doing fine." We were both in a bit of shock knowing my history with this type of handlebar, but I wasn't going to fight it. We decided to meet up again close to the half way point, and off I went to continue the ride.

To make a long story short(er), I made it to the end of the ride (including the ride to and from the starting/ending point) and I wasn't dying or in extreme pain. There was a bit of fatigue, though that was to be expected as it was a longer distance than I typically ride, but I survived and even rode again the following day and rest of the week.

Perplexed by all of this, we attempted to figure out what had changed about the set up, but the only item we could definitively point to was the act of lowering the handlebar stem. While this had always seemed counter-intuitive to me (to lower the stem, thus putting greater pressure on my hands), it actually had the opposite effect. Rather than making the ride more painful, it actually made it easier and more pleasant. When I rode, I used my core muscles more frequently, which kept a great deal of the weight off of my hands. The stem is still high by roadie standards (it currently sits just a tad higher than the saddle), but lowering it seems to have solved the problems I was experiencing with drop bars in the past. The lesson? I'm not entirely sure, but I believe continuing to experiment and try different ways of setting up a bike is important. I may have driven poor Sam absolutely batty with my constant requests to change handlebars, stems, etc, but in the end, I think we've managed to find a way to make this set up work.

Bike Updates (or, my laziness has set in, so I'm combining posts into a quick update)

I don't know what has happened to my blogging schedule. Somehow, I've found myself in near melt-down mode over the last several weeks, and have been avoiding any "unnecessary" activities, which apparently includes writing here. Oddly, I have little to say these days, so I thought perhaps a simple update on the bicycle happenings would be an appropriate catch up for today.

First, like many areas across the States, it's been fairly mild weather-wise. It does make it a lot easier to get out and ride because it generally means simply adding an extra layer (or two) depending on the temperature. We have had a few dumpings, but fortunately, they have (mostly) melted quickly. I am quite certain we are in for a good snow bath sometime in the next 1-2 months, but that remains to be seen. Temperatures, however, have been on the warm side, staying fairly consistently in the 25-40 degree Fahrenheit temperature range.

The Bella Ciao is in the process of being sold to a lovely woman in Chicago who is excited about getting the bike. If all goes well, she should be riding it around very soon. I am happy that it's going to someone who will enjoy it, and that it will get regular use... and if it doesn't go to her, I remain positive that the right individual will come along.

Although it went largely unreported here, I actually purchased a Soma Buena Vista mixte frame some time ago and have been attempting to get that built up; however, it's yet another project that has gone by the way side with too many non-bike projects taking place these days. So, it will be sold to avoid the gathering of "extra" stuff around the house. It was just one of those projects that started strong and then, unfortunately, fizzled out. I am trying my best to avoid these "deals" that seem to come my way. It seems I am quite incapable of saying no to a project when the price is right. I'm working on it, but I believe it is some sort of personality flaw that needs some repair.  Secretly (or not so - as I've just typed it out here), I have hopes of another project bike, but I think I need to wait and make sure it's the right one, and that there is the time/funds to devote to it.

So, the bicycle herd is dwindling once again, and not too many changes have taken place with the remaining rides. One fun change was the handlebar tape on the Hillborne. I felt that it was looking to masculine, and needed a bit of a feminine splash of some sort, so a couple of months ago I decided to switch out to a raspberry colored bar tape. I have to admit, it's a bit of a different look, but it's growing on me. What do you think?

Other than these few changes, life continues on. Hopefully, your winter rides are going smoothly. Before we know it, spring and warmer weather will be here. Happy riding!

The Albatross Handlebar

Over the past several months, I've had a few individuals contact me with various questions about the handlebars on the Sam Hillborne, so I thought perhaps a post was in order. I did write about them briefly when changes were made several months ago, but because I've had time to ride with them now, I feel a little better equipped to evaluate how they are working for me. The most common inquiry asks if they are Nitto Mustache handlebars. To put this misconception to rest, they are not. I did briefly try mustache bars, but found the stretch on a bike that's bordering on being too large for me was just too much. The handlebars are in fact Nitto Albatross bars. Before I get into it too much, if you are looking for these particular handlebars, I would advise doing some research for the lowest cost. Depending on your preference for aluminum or chromoly, I've seen price differences of up to $45 (just on new handlebars - I imagine it would be even greater on used), so there is some savings to be had if you look around.

I believe the reason that these handlebars are mistaken for mustache bars on the Hillborne is because they are mounted unconventionally (or upside down), which gives them more of a similar look to the mustache bars. Why did I do this? Well, I really didn't want to ride in a position so upright that I felt like I was on more of a city-type bicycle. I wanted to use this as a long-distance bicycle, and while the bars aren't that much lower turned upside down, I do think it provides enough that I get some lean into the handlebars. I'm sure they would work just fine mounted as intended though. Of course, these feel nothing like a drop bar on a bicycle, so the rider should be prepared for a completely different feel. While I wouldn't recommend them for those looking for extreme aerodynamics, if you're looking for an alternative that places you in a manner to see the road from a more upright position, these could do the trick.

I should point out that if your bike requires a 26.0 handlebar, from what I've found, these bars come only in a 25.4 size, which will require the purchase of a shim to make up the size difference. I have these handlebars on two bikes (the Hillborne and the Surly) which both take 26.0 bars. On the Surly, the shim was needed to make the handlebars secure, however, the Hillborne was barely able to squeeze the bars in to the stem. I don't know if it's the difference in stem types, or if I just happened to get a handlebar that was a bit larger, but I was warned that it isn't safe to ride without the shim because of the size difference, so I pass along the same to you.

One potential hazard of note is the length of the side portion of the bars. I have found that mounting these bars upside down has created a bit of a problem with "thigh strike." If I am trying to make a turn and the leg in the direction I am turning is in the up position, there is often an issue with the bar hitting my thigh making it difficult (sometimes impossible) to complete tight turns. It's particularly bothersome on this bike because it has bar end shifters and I often unintentionally move the shifters while turning. Perhaps this would be less of an issue for riders who 1) have bigger bikes, and 2) have less substantial thighs, but I suspect regardless of these two possibilities there could be an issue for other riders as well. We did remove a good portion of the end of the handlebar to help with this problem, but in reality I still need to take another inch to inch and a half off to avoid the problem completely. I don't really want to remove the handlebar tape again, so it has stopped me for the time being from doing what needs to be done. However, it is a bit unnerving when trying to take a tight turn, so I find I get off of the bike and remount after the turn to avoid any potential for a crash.

The albatross handlebars work well for both city riding and longer distances. I haven't done a tour with these handlebars, but for me I am relieved to have a position that allows my hands to be comfortable and change positions without needing the drop bars. I enjoy the positioning so much that I opted to do the same for the Surly Pacer. I haven't regretted the switch, so I do think it's possible for these handlebars to work on a variety of bikes since the Pacer has a bit more of a compact feel than the Hillborne. I will note that I don't have the same problem with "thigh strike" on the Pacer, however, we did need to remove a portion of the ends on this bike as well.  It could also be that the shifters are a part of the brake levers on this bike, or that it just has a different geometry.

Ultimately, these handlebars work for me, but hopefully this is beneficial to anyone else looking for a switch. I don't dislike drop bars, but personally I found it difficult to utilize each of the places for my hands because of the sizing on the Hillborne. For me, it was about finding comfort over long distances, and these albatross bars seem to have done the trick.