Moustache Brompton

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12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
I've had my S type Brompton for 5 or 6 years now but have always had hand discomfort when riding after 10-15 miles. I tried Ergons with bar ends and modified North Road bar, but the North Road rotated and the Ergons helped but the hand positions even with bar ends were too limited. Having found a set of Soma moustache bars for 10 bucks in s bike co-op I gave them a try and they have worked well. Because they have the same diameter as drop bars I went with some old Dia Competition road brakes which have the additional benefit of a quick release to aid in wheel replacement. I replaced the stem bolt with a QR, which allows rotating the bars for folding, which is perfect. The horizontal brakes also allow for the big shopping bag to work well on the front clip without hampering brakes or shift cable. I think I will put a few miles on to see how it goes, but so far so good.
 

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alicat

Legendary Member
Location
Staffs
How does it affect the reach?
 
OP
OP
12boy

12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
I release the QR and turn the bars up and it folds fine. I run my cables loose and the front with a v-brake noodle (not the Brompton way) and they allow the bike to fold easily. Although those bars have a little drop, because the hand position is a bit closer to the saddle it feels as upright as the flat. However, if I grasp the bars just behind the brakes, or I grasp the brakes, themselves, I am bent over as with bull horns or drops. Lot of hand positions with this set up, which is what I need. It is curious, though, that having hands further in works very much like having them higher up. I suppose that those who like the M bar position could flip the bars which come closer to that height. Soma fab, the source of the bars, makes them in flat bar diameter (22 mm) so the Brompton brakes and shifters will fit. It may be wishful thinking, but it feels like the handlebars may soak up some road vibe since this is more a cantilever set up than a flat bar.
 

Kell

Veteran
I release the QR and turn the bars up and it folds fine. I run my cables loose and the front with a v-brake noodle (not the Brompton way) and they allow the bike to fold easily. Although those bars have a little drop, because the hand position is a bit closer to the saddle it feels as upright as the flat. However, if I grasp the bars just behind the brakes, or I grasp the brakes, themselves, I am bent over as with bull horns or drops. Lot of hand positions with this set up, which is what I need. It is curious, though, that having hands further in works very much like having them higher up. I suppose that those who like the M bar position could flip the bars which come closer to that height. Soma fab, the source of the bars, makes them in flat bar diameter (22 mm) so the Brompton brakes and shifters will fit. It may be wishful thinking, but it feels like the handlebars may soak up some road vibe since this is more a cantilever set up than a flat bar.

I would have thought that both the length and curl of the bar would reduce vibrations. Combined with a less aggressive stance which puts less weight on your hands, it should all combine to help.
 
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OP
12boy

12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
Just got back from a 25 mile spin and my hands and wrists did much better than with the flat bars and Ergons. Kell, the bars do soak up a lot of road chatter, but the young ladies on the path still laughed at me......so nothing changed from the flat bars in that regard. Just another example of how the one-size-fits-all Brompton still is fertile ground for all sorts of tinkering snd tomfoolery.
 

Kell

Veteran
Unfortunately, there's nothing that you can do to stop people laughing at you.

I never get comments while riding in London, but i live about 30 miles outside and people are less used to seeing Bromptons, so I do still occasionally get people shouting stuff out of car windows in High Wycombe.
 

Kell

Veteran
My only thought about this set up is that with a QR holding the bars, I'd not be massively happy about that.

As my seat post still continues to drop by a couple of cm over a ride, I'd hate if the bars had the potential to slip. I'm sure it's all fine, but it would always be in the back of my mind.
 
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12boy

12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
I found a really stout QR, which I had used to "cure" a seat post sliding problem by using it just above the normal one. The post can't slide because the second QR stops that. I had the plastic seat post sleeve replaced and the seat post no longer slipped. I do clean the post with an alcohol wipe before folding completely, which I rarely do unless travelling. I have used a QR on the stem clamp for many years and it has never slipped, allthough I have had slippage with a bolt when using bars that cantilevered back. Neither the moustache or straight bar do, though.
 

Kell

Veteran
I did buy a second QR to use on my seat post. Funnily I found it again a couple of weeks ago as I never got around to filing it down to fit.

I pretty much eradicated the slippage problem, but it’s come back again recently. Must have got some grease on the post somewhere.

Got some brake disc cleaner, so that should sort it.
 
I did buy a second QR to use on my seat post. Funnily I found it again a couple of weeks ago as I never got around to filing it down to fit.

I pretty much eradicated the slippage problem, but it’s come back again recently. Must have got some grease on the post somewhere.

Got some brake disc cleaner, so that should sort it.
Un-burdening my saddle at transitions, driveways, and on bumpy surfaces cured my seatpost slippage issue.
(a side benefit is that all my “stuff” falls comfortably back into place when I do that)
 
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12boy

12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
Here's some pics of the fold
 

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