An all-around bar good for road riding and touring, probably good for garvelling, too. It's an alternative to drop-bar that allows more uprightness and a better climbing grip. It has the curves and speedy look of a drop bar, but with a few advantages and only one disadvantage. The advantages:

• A slightly wider stance than most drop bars, really natural.

• A better grip for climbing. Drop bars are pretty good that way--you grab the hoods, and all's well. But grabbing the rear grip portion of this bar feels even better.

• A more rearward grip option. With a drop bar, it's all level with or forward of the stem clamp. With Albastache bars it's easier to sit upright.

• Less drop than a drop bar. Most drop bars drop 3 1/2 to 4 inches. Albastache bars drop only one. Less leaning, and less weight-shift to the front wheel when you brake. Better braking.

• Super comfortable "hands on the hoods" position. The hoods lie flat, so your hand lies on a wide, comfy bed.

It fits road brake levers and bar-end shifters. We recommend a stuffy stem. Try a 5cm to 8cm max. Get a long-quill Tallux or something else so you can raise it up. You don't have to buy a whole new stem.

The disadvantage:

If you use road "brifters" (integrated brake levers and shifters), maybe you'd hae to get used to pushing the levers down, rather than sideways. You could probably get used to that easy enough, but we don't have any personal experience with that combo, and have received no reports from the field.