maglia_grigia

Just looking to get a range of views. I have a road bike, which I love. I'm not built for speed and don't race - use this mainly for exercise, sub 60 min rides, but hopefully with the odd longer ride when time & weather allows.

I basically never ride in the drops. Given I never use the drops.... this got me thinking if I could make the switch to bullhorns. Being honest, this is primarily cause I think they look good and I can't see that I would be sacrificing much as I won't miss the lack of drops.

I do worry the fact you see so few Bullhorn set ups.. is this due to it being difficult / expensive to set up with brakes and shifters? Or is it less comfortable / practical?

Anyone got any decent cost effective set ups that look ok?

mstateglfr 

You probably dont see many setups because there is little to no demand for them. If you dont use the drops, just dont use them. There, you are good to ride now.

You can always hacksaw off your drops if you really think the look is good. Ronan Mclaughlin did that for his Everesting record...though he is a on another level of performance than most of us.

Seattle Forrest

People will think you drink PBR!

msu2001la

Bullhorns don't really work with standard road shifters and brake levers. This is why you mainly see them on single speed/fixies and not on geared road bikes.

maglia_grigia

Yeah, I have realised that the more research I've done. Would have to cobble something together that probably wouldn't be very ergonomic. .

Might keep my road bike set up and use this as motivation to get a retro frame and do a single speed project.

the sci guy 

I just did a drop chop & flip flop just last week for my single speed - I wish the turn forward was a little longer before it started turning upward, but, it is what it is with using an existing drop bar. I've only had a few rides, but so far they feel pretty alright.
As said, they don't take standard shifters or brake levers like a road bike, so you'll need to get some triggers or thumb shifters if needed, and some cross brakes. Or i suppose you could put some bar end shifters in, like aero bars on a TT bike.

Broctoon

I have a track bike with bullhorn bar. I don’t race on a track, just do laps at the park and sometimes ride it on the road. It works because there is just one brake and no shifters. A drop bar would be a disadvantage here. But the bullhorn gives a hand position that very closely resembles the brake hoods on a road drop bar, which is my favorite place to grip. I really like this setup.

On my road bikes, I use drop bars. Even though I seldom hold onto the drops, they work best by giving an easy place to attach the levers. In other words my choice of handlers is dictated by what I need to attach to them. With both types, I have a place that’s comfortable for me to grip.

zandoval 

mstateglfr: Hey!!!... Why didn't I think of this.... Great!



Long ago, since I could no longer get into the Drops because of back problems, I went to Bull Horns. No problem as I use Friction Shifters on the Down Tube or Stem. I also use Tecktro Bar End brake levers and have had no problems.

easyupbug 

↑↑↑ This is me, now in my 70s with back issues I don't need drops. I have dozens of old bars so I use bar end shfters at the end of a cut like the sci guy shows, just a little bit higher maybe, and use Guidonnet levers. I do extra pad the up curve left on the bar with the padding appreciated. Love it so and I can not do this to my Italians so they are not being ridden. I will post photo tomorrow.

the sci guy 

Some years ago when I first built up that Raleigh I bought a set of bullhorns from Origin8 but they were pretty long in the “horn.” I didn’t think much about it then but I’m much more in tune with my fit and feel these days and I sometimes wonder how I ever was able to ride comfortably. Hilariously, I think what is like best is something between the short stubbiness of my chop & flop job, and the Origin8 horns. Not sure if they still make them or not.
I do miss those Cane Creek bar end levers though. They were awesome. Lost them in Harvey flood waters and never got another set.
Pic below

Fredo76

I made up a set I liked using new Chinese Toseek carbon bars (~$60 on ebay) plus Sram Aero 500 levers ($61 on Amazon now) and Sram Apex calipers ($58 on Amazon now), plus Jagwire cables. I included the cables and calipers so I could swap the whole setup as a unit.



quick-change handlebar setups

I used a Redshift ShockStop stem, but the bars are pretty absorbing by themselves. I liked it pretty well, and it may get its turn again.



Circus bike, for a bear!

I had it way higher than I needed, but liked it a lot that way, as it made the steep head angle steering less twitchy, and was quite comfy.

zandoval 

I laugh at how my ridding set up has changed over the years.

I can still remember slamming my stem, putting my nose on the front wheel, getting into that large gear up front and that little itty bitty gear in the back and CHARGE!!! OH... and who needs a seat anyway.

Being more beat up than I look and at 68 geezer-dom has opened new thresholds in my bicycle setups.

burnthesheep

I'd never do this with brifters.

Weird ideas I have for this:

1. 1x setup using a bar end shifter (tt shifter) in the end of one side and a front-only brake on the other side.

2. You could go really weird and go 2x with di2 using the DA TT brakes that have two buttons on each brake. Basically a TT bike basebar Di2 setup without extensions.

Otherwise, single speed with TT bike brakes or fixed with TT bike brakes would be cleanest if set on this.

If set on brifters, keep the drop bar on it and just don't use the drops. Or add enough stack in through spacers and the stem so that the drops are usable and the bar tops/hoods are higher.

tFUnK

I liked bullhorns during my FGSS days. I recently toyed with the idea of setting up a frame with bullhorns, cross levers, and TT shifters, but never went through with it and stuck with regular drops with brifters. I've seen brifter/bullhorn setups in person and on the net, and maybe it works fine but all I can do is chuckle at the idea.

urbanknight

You gotta admit, that's the most cost effective way to accomplish the OP's goal.

grant40

I used to ride home bullhorns when I was 15. I have not used any bullhorns since. I did get another set of homemade ones for free off of a fixed gear conversion that I rescued from the scrapyard but I gave those bars to my friend. She really liked their aesthetic.

Here is the one that I rescued. I did strip it completely and donate the frame.



The bike I had when I was 15. Definitely was too small for me.


Original condition when found.








lol

seypat

I wouldn't mess with them. You know the old saying. If you're wanting a radical look, why not use/flip a set of cruiser bars for the Longhorn style? Or just roll/turn the bars up into the DUI/Hobo Fixie look?

Mr Sir

95% of the time the drops are dead weight and drag for most riders.

aliasfox

Chopped drop bars would likely be closest when considering road bike brake/shift levers, but a flat bar conversion with bar ends wouldn’t be too hard, either - though definitely less grip space there compared to a true bullhorn setup. Another though could be to consider gravel bars. Wide flares and very shallow drops could be interesting too.

maglia_grigia

Glad to say I installed bull horns on a single speed project I have been putting together.
Just about there - waiting on a few parts and can hopefully get the cranks and drivetrain on in the next day or two.
Got a coaster brake rear wheel so no levers or shifters required . Will test this out and hopefully not bother with a front brake (yes i'm aware this is illegal, but if it's ok for the whole of the Netherlands, I will take the risk).

Will post a picture when I get it all assembled .

bruce19

I rode them for years back in the late '80's-early '90's on a steel bike that used friction shifters. I liked them a lot.

aliasfox

Not having a front brake is illegal in Scotland?