There was also a bar in the 70's called "all rounder", I think. I don't know if it was sold universally, but remember seeing it as a youngster in Proteus Bikes in College Park. You could have it as a substitute for drop bars on new bikes, providing a more upright position. Anybody remember seeing these as a common option? They were straighter than a moustache bar, a slight simple curve.
You didn't have to bend over far to use them, making that sport-touring bike feel more touring- Odd looking at the time I thought, but said to be comfortable.
Mark(who has a hunch) Cutrufelli Laurel,MD
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Jan Heine Sent: Monday, April 21, 2003 10:51 PM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]Age of moustache bars
I think moustache bars are too old for our time frame. At least in France, they were superseded by the "3 position" bars, which we now call drop bars. I read somewhere that cyclotourists started using the "3 position" because they offered more hand positions, and that racers later followed suit. Must have been in the 1920s or earlier...
All the classic French touring bikes (1930s onwards) were equipped with either "drop" bars (became popular after WW II), randonneur bars (rarely after 1960), or (for less performance-oriented riders) swept-back bars.
Jan Heine, Seattle (who likes randonneur bars a lot and moustache bars not)
P.S.: This isn't to say that moustache bars are bad, or shouldn't be used on a classic bike, etc. etc.