Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Homemade bullhorns- how do you do it?

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Hobartlemagne
05-16-06, 02:29 PM
To those who have done the ol flip and chop. Could you please share your experience?
How do you decide where to cut? Best type of saw? Getting the plugs to fit? Where you
place your brake handle? (if using one) Thanks!

shishi
05-16-06, 02:32 PM
To those who have done the ol flip and chop. Could you please share your experience?
How do you decide where to cut? Best type of saw? Getting the plugs to fit? Where you
place your brake handle? (if using one) Thanks!


Flip it, go for a short ride, then you'll know where you hands will go, mark, cut.
bbattle
05-16-06, 02:33 PM
Hacksaw, file. Bar tape and plugs.

ka12na
05-16-06, 02:35 PM
I hear that pipe cutters work well.
1fluffhead
05-16-06, 02:37 PM
used a pipe cutter which I think is much easier then hacksaw to get a straight cut
pixel
05-16-06, 02:39 PM
+1 on the pipe cutter
$0.00/Gal
05-16-06, 02:40 PM
Make sure to buy a good quality pipe cutter. Most are made to only cut copper, which is soft. It'll work on aluminum but by the time you're done the cutter will be trashed.
brunning
05-16-06, 02:43 PM
dremel cuts quickly and grinds down the edges so they're nice and level and smooth.
Cynikal
05-16-06, 03:31 PM
Marked with a pipecutter, cut with a hacksaw, and rounded the edges with a file. Before you do anything, mark with tape or something.
B10Cycle
05-16-06, 03:39 PM
I could just see marks right where I wanted to cut from the old brake hoods. I used a pipe cutter then a grinding wheel with a polishing attachment thing at my dad's shop to smooth down the edges. I then slid a MTB lever down onto the flat section and that's all she wrote.
gregg
05-16-06, 03:45 PM
I used a sharpie to mark off the cut, wrapped a rag around the bars and dropped them into a vice. Hacked off one side with a hacksaw, used it to mark the other side so they would come out the same length. Took about 10 minutes over all
roadfix
05-16-06, 03:47 PM
How are ya gonna get a pipe cutter to twirl squarely around the bends?
Moximitre
05-16-06, 03:48 PM
I used an angle grinder... not easy, I'd recommend pipe cutter.

edit. I hated my chops, get real bullhorns, they rock.
crushkilldstroy
05-16-06, 04:00 PM
I used an angle grinder... not easy, I'd recommend pipe cutter.

edit. I hated my chops, get real bullhorns, they rock.

same here. loved the sparky goodness. made me feel powerful. not terribly clean though.
Grunk
05-16-06, 04:27 PM
How are ya gonna get a pipe cutter to twirl squarely around the bends?

Listen to this man and use a hacksaw.
killsurfcity
05-16-06, 04:49 PM
How are ya gonna get a pipe cutter to twirl squarely around the bends?

take your time and start easy. i've done it multiple times and never had a problem.
Ceya
05-16-06, 05:04 PM
Not to bust your bubble here but do a search also . We covered the best ways pro/con of this.

When you flip them but your hands where you think you will be holding and cut above there. It would suck that you cut too low and is uncomfortable.

S/F,
CEYA!
zelah
05-16-06, 05:11 PM
i used a pipe cutter with no filing and plugs arent really fitting so well, the last two cracked when i put them in (by hand)
killsurfcity
05-16-06, 05:21 PM
you may have the thinner diameter bars that some 70's bike have. you can make the plus fit but it requires cutting the plug prongs down some to thin them out, or removing a couple prongs.
trons
05-16-06, 05:33 PM
i had to cut the bottom half of the bar plug off to get them in my bars. but it works.
huhenio
05-16-06, 05:55 PM
Hacksaw for me ... I like it better.

Dont tape it for a while to see whether you like it or not.
cavit8
05-16-06, 06:19 PM
Another vote for Sharpie and hacksaw. I adjusted the bars a few times to get an angle I like and hacked away. Measure twice, cut once. For brakes, I flipped a road lever to the underside - not particularly elegant but I'm too cheap to buy a cross or BMX lever for the flats.