Nomad bars and family hassle???????

[Pedaldog]

I got my latest Nomad with the Modolo Trekker bars on it.
After a trip with full camping gear left me feeling overly worn out I blamed it on not being right with the bars.
I went and spent a load of money with the SJSC people and bought drops and changers, brakes etc to reconvert it.
I then gave said Trekker bars to big brother number 2 who uses them on his daily commute.
After a thread on another forum brought it back to mind I am tempted to ask (Demand with menace![}:)]) the bars back and try them again for myself.
ANybody got any thought either way on these bars for use on a slow and fully loaded camping trip?

[Dude]

Donīt be cheep! You done something stupid, you pay for it, not your brother!!!
Only way of making a mence is to buy yourself something better, like the 3T Morphe or Nitto moustache handlebars!;)

I have used Scott-bullhorn bars with integrated barends but got rid of them. This was due to the pain caused by resting once hands to far out onto the bend for to long. Probably got some nerves pinched and think the same problem could be caused with these "Butterfly-bars".
I also think that Butterfly bars are to wide and flexi. Canīt get my head around the idea of having an extra forward grip that are higher, when a low and more aerodynamic position is what I really think is needed for touring.

I have just made the conversion from straight bar/barends/thumbshifters, to dropped bars(3T Morphe, recommended!) and barcon-shifters and really like this new set-up. The Barcon-shifters have a friction mode that is useful when I swap with my older wheels and might save the day if I experience a blow to the rear derailleur. I use a Aheadset stem with a generous rise so that I don't have to look at the wheels but can enjoy the surrounding landscape.

The problem with straight bars/barends I used before is that there is no one available with a ergonomic 7-9 degree back sweep anymore. They are all 3-5 degrees. I asked Andy from SJS at Cycle 2003 about this and he suggested their new ergonomic handlebars that he designed in conjunction with his girlfriend that is a physiotherapist. Why they made them with a rise, like the currently so fashionable riserbars, and thereby wasted lost of valuable space that one need for computers, handlebarbags etc, he could not say...! He did how ever mention that he did not like barbags, so maybe they work for him!!!
If you really want a new handlebar I would suggest the Nitto Moustache handlebar previous mentioned. They seem to be the beeīs kneeīs and I have tried to get a pair at a resonable cost for some time now.

Here is a very nice bike equipped with these bars:
http://todd.cleverchimp.com/bike/paccoast/pages/loaded.html
http://todd.cleverchimp.com/bike/notes.html
http://todd.cleverchimp.com/bike/
More info:
http://www.mindspring.com/~d.g1/motobecane2.htm
http://www.sjscycles.com/store/vIndex.htm?cat591.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/~dru/moustache.html
http://www.handlebarclub.org.uk/
;^3)

[Pedaldog]

Cheers Dude,
I like the bars, they look wierd!
Any info on their awailability let me know thanks,

[Dude]

I see you have not looked at the links I included?
Shame on you!
Try third link from bottom and scroll down...
Yes, SJS do sell them at a heafty price!!!

[Pedaldog]

Found 'em.
Price is too big for this month, I need to save money for a planned (?) trip!

[Dude]

Same here! I am trying to save up for an upcoming trip and will make do with my new droped bars. But the Moustache is sweeet!
Did you reed about Todīs Sysip? 5 years old and still lightyears from the porky Raven, in my view!

[Pedaldog]

Decided to keep the drops on there for this year.

P.S. Dude, I am looking at Stavanger for a starting point in the beginning of July![8D]

[Chris Land]

Hi PD - I finally found a second-hand pair of modolo bars for Ģ20, not the Trekkers but Yuma?

Fitted them last week and used them to go to the garden centre this weekend: Kiddy trailer on the back with the 2 littles in it, and four panniers with various fruit bushes growing out of them on the ride home.

Bars worked fine, but I have to say that I preferred the drops and end-shifters.  Think I will stick with them for the summer and if things don't get better, put the old bars back on with a pair of diacompe 287s.  The main problem, as Dude notes above, is that there is no long-and-low position to get into when facing a wind or descent.  The other positions give a nice change, but I don't feel that I have the same amount of power when setting off either...  

Still, it's kind of fun changing things around and trying something new.

[Pedaldog]

I had to leave the bars with the big brother, he was not receptive to threats of violence etc!
I'm okay with the drops but you made me think again, thanks!

[Chris Land]

Hmmm...  I too am thinking again.  The modolo bars are ok and I have yet to do even a long-ish ride with them, but I definitely feel slower with them.  I was even overtaken on the way to work this morning [:0], though admittedly I had two full panniers and a trailer [:I], but it was a chap on a cheapo MTB with tractor-tyres, so [B)]...

Perhaps I need to change the stem around too, but I am thinking I will go back to drops before long and run the v-brakes with dia-compe levers.  The modolo bars can go on my old MTB, which needs fixing up anyway, and can do as a bike for teaching cycle-training on.  The more upright position is really useful for that kind of work...