Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Best Bullhorns?

So I will be building up one of the bfssfg iro's and have been debating on risers, drops, and bullhorns. So far I think the horns make more sense as I ride on campus mostly, and I feel most comfortable on them while avoiding those obnoxious flesh pylons.

that said, what bullhorns would people recommend. The nitto RB-021 listed on http://www.hubjub.co.uk/nitto/nittorb021zm.htm seem nice, but I hear they are kinda long (see pic)

http://www.hubjub.co.uk/nitto/nittorb021zm.jpg

Suggestions? Main concern is that whatever I get takes a brake on the end. (yeah yeah... i know... we can get into breaks another time)

well you can put a "break"[sic] in any hole in your handlebars, so to speak. (please no dirty jokels) or just use a cross lever.\

edit: $10 nashbar bullhorns or chopped drops ftw!

I think Nitto bars are ugly looking. Check out the Syntace horns. 26mm diameter, nice looking, but a bit more pricy.

anyone have the soma urban pursuit bullhorns? i'm intrigued by them i might want to try them out

those are nice. but i LOVELOVELOVE my nitto rb018's.

I still love my profile Airwings. Not so good with my busted up arm, but when i'm healed they'll be nice as ever.

i wont make any dirty "jokels" [sic].... i have nothing to add really. I like the rb 018s though if you dont like a drop

I really like the RB-021s, though they take some getting used to. I have them on two of my bikes and I almost switched them out for something with wider flats, but I came to like the drops the way they are and now I'm glad I didn't switch. I even feel awkward on the flats on drop bars now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Deda-Akros-31-7Low-Profile-Road-bike-Handlebars-New_W0QQitemZ170095145823QQcategoryZ27951QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If you do like drops...

Nitto b-123 drops, flipped and chopped.
Unbeatable for comfort.
I think they look good too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Deda-Akros-31-7Low-Profile-Road-bike-Handlebars-New_W0QQitemZ170095145823QQcategoryZ27951QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If you do like drops...
clamp is 31.7...watch out for compatibility issues...probably can't find a 31.7 quill stem..

I like my profiles. Mavic bullhorns for looks, but definately not for comfort

I have those bars, and I really like them for their curled up ends while climbing.

Usually i never use the "down drop" area and just the little tiny top section when I feel like riding high.

Don't get nashbars. Just don't.

profile airwings
but wouldnt mind trying out those deda's

anyone have the soma urban pursuit bullhorns? i'm intrigued by them i might want to try them out

I have these and I'm happy with them. I chopped about 1"-1.5" off the ends though.

I've been running the RB-021's 42cm for quite a while and love them. I'm going to try out the RB018's if I can find the 38cm size.

Not all bullhorns take the type of brakes that inset in the end. This is a pretty personal decision, I would try other people's bikes and see what you like. Flop and chops tend to be short. Many people think sloping tops look better but I think if you're ever going to ride the tops they should be straight. RB009's are the shiz. Thank you that is all.

depending on your setup, the sloping 'shoulder' on the RB021 or airwing might actually be more comfortable for your wrists. I get wrist pain from flat bars, or the tops on my road bike, but having my hands in a less rotated position is pretty comfortable. the nitto alloy horns are all 26mm, and most nitto quills you'll find are 25.4 (although it isn't difficult to find a 26).

I've been running the RB-021's 42cm for quite a while and love them. I'm going to try out the RB018's if I can find the 38cm size.

Ben's has them in stock.

So I will be building up one of the bfssfg iro's and have been debating on risers, drops, and bullhorns. So far I think the horns make more sense as I ride on campus mostly, and I feel most comfortable on them while avoiding those obnoxious flesh pylons.

that said, what bullhorns would people recommend. The nitto RB-021 listed on http://www.hubjub.co.uk/nitto/nittorb021zm.htm seem nice, but I hear they are kinda long (see pic)

http://www.hubjub.co.uk/nitto/nittorb021zm.jpg

Suggestions? Main concern is that whatever I get takes a brake on the end. (yeah yeah... i know... we can get into breaks another time)

Those are my fav bullhorns. You don't have to put a brake on the end of the bar. You can use a cross lever, just make sure you get one with a 26.0 diameter since for 2" on either side of the stem those Nittos have a 26.0 sleave. Salsa or Paul make good 26.0 cross levers. the 25.4 levers will work but you need to stick it after the sleave which puts the lever smack in the middle of one of the best hand holds on the bar. Reverse mounted or otherwise.

Great GREAT bars! I tried many bullhorns (home made ghetto chops, profiles stokers, nitto flats, SOMAs) and those RB-021s are amazing!

i <3 my syntace. you can find them for pretty reasonable prices on ebay. i have the bars with no drop, wish i had the 5* drop, but that's alright.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/trisports_1939_99950415

i had a set of the profile airwings for a little under a year. they're pretty comfy, but the amount of flex they offer is frightening. i finally switched them out because i was afraid they were going to snap on me. if it helps, i weigh around 140lbs and went back 'n forth brake/no brake a few times.

now i've got nitto b-021's. very, very nice, and about 10 times stiffer than the profiles ever were, although definitely not as light.

profile stoker bars are my favorite bullhorns so far.

Those are my fav bullhorns. You don't have to put a brake on the end of the bar. You can use a cross lever, just make sure you get one with a 26.0 diameter since for 2" on either side of the stem those Nittos have a 26.0 sleave. Salsa or Paul make good 26.0 cross levers. the 25.4 levers will work but you need to stick it after the sleave which puts the lever smack in the middle of one of the best hand holds on the bar. Reverse mounted or otherwise.

Great GREAT bars! I tried many bullhorns (home made ghetto chops, profiles stokers, nitto flats, SOMAs) and those RB-021s are amazing!

All of the standard cross levers that I know of are 26.0, so any of the tektro, nashbar, whatever will work on the nittos. Still, many people (like me) are going to prefer a TT lever on the grounds that we want the brake to be where we're most likely to have our hands when the feces hits the fan. I rode a cross lever on drops for like a year because I usually rode on the tops in traffic, but it felt like a suicide mission on the bullhorns where I was almost always out toward the ends so I bought a TT lever.

As you can see from the guy who disagreed with me about sloping shoulders, there is a lot of room for personal preference here. I wouldn't buy anything new without being able to ride it for a while, bars are just way personal.

All of the standard cross levers that I know of are 26.0, so any of the tektro, nashbar, whatever will work on the nittos. Still, many people (like me) are going to prefer a TT lever on the grounds that we want the brake to be where we're most likely to have our hands when the feces hits the fan. I rode a cross lever on drops for like a year because I usually rode on the tops in traffic, but it felt like a suicide mission on the bullhorns where I was almost always out toward the ends so I bought a TT lever.

As you can see from the guy who disagreed with me about sloping shoulders, there is a lot of room for personal preference here. I wouldn't buy anything new without being able to ride it for a while, bars are just way personal.

I've never seen a cross lever that fits a 26.0 bar until I found the Salsa. I saw alot that were advertised as 26.0, but when fit to the bar, none fit...tektro, nashbar, etc....so try before you buy if you can (or care). The salsas do fit, as will any 31.8 cross lever with shims.

The nitto RB-021 listed on http://www.hubjub.co.uk/nitto/nittorb021zm.htm seem nice, but I hear they are kinda long
Buying handle bars online is like buying shoes online. Unless you've tried them on before, you won't know how they will fit.

Also, like buying shoes online. One guy's rating of "Awesome fit" might not be so awesome for you. So, take these suggestions with a grain of salt. Handle bars come in 1-2cm increments for a reason...because 2cm can mean the difference between feeling short, narrow, just right, too long, or too wide.

If you can, try before you buy.

i have those exact bullhorns and i love them. been using road drops since forever. so when i built up my fixie i was looking at bullhorns tried these and loved em.

on my road bike i ride on the hoods so riding these were really familiar, the drop is nice for getting aero when its windy and the tops are comfy when in traffic. if i were to change one thing about it i'd pick up ones that werent so wide.

https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/photo/photo25/34/ef/fdcf99258b6d.jpg

I've never seen a cross lever that fits a 26.0 bar until I found the Salsa. I saw alot that were advertised as 26.0, but when fit to the bar, none fit...tektro, nashbar, etc....so try before you buy if you can (or care). The salsas do fit, as will any 31.8 cross lever with shims.
One of the models of Tektros comes in 24, 26 and 31.8.

Edit: The RL720/721. And the RX2s come in either 24 or 31.8.

I ride with Profile Design Stokers, and they work really well.

If I had it to do over, I would like to look at the Syntace Stratos bars because they offer some subtle differences in shape that might have merit.

http://www.syntace.com/index.cfm?pid=3&pk=360

One of my friends has some Bontrager (http://www.bontrager.com/Road/Components/Handlebars/5710.php) bullhorns on his tri bike, they are perfect (for me). He cut the angled part off the end of the bullhorns so they are completely flat and such, they look pretty nice and feel happy on my hands. I am definitely getting some for my IRO.

If you really want bling, I reccommend Easton Delta Force (http://www.all3sports.com/product_info.php?pName=easton-deltaforce-cnt&jsenabled=1&osCsid=066a116b2ccaa6d1e712663aeb0c7a3b) bullhorns...yummy.

One of the models of Tektros comes in 24, 26 and 31.8.

Edit: The RL720/721. And the RX2s come in either 24 or 31.8.

I'm talking about the variously rebadged ones that fit 31.8 and come with shims for 26. I had them on a 26 bar until a couple weeks ago, they worked for me.

I tried a dozen different kinds of bullhorns, but I always end
up back with my old Schwinn flip'n'chops I made a few years
ago.

i really like the cheapy nashbar ones. great shape, gots a little drop, nice ends, available in many widths, cheap

Nitto b-123 drops, flipped and chopped.
Unbeatable for comfort.
I think they look good too.
+3 my favorite ever!

Don't get nashbars. Just don't.

As much as I hate mail order and house brands in particular, the Nashbar bullhorn bars I bought way before I worked in a shop have performed swimmingly (2 years). Granted they're not the stiffest things, they get the job done.

+3 my favorite ever!

Yes, im not sure why more people dont try it really. Theyre so much more comfortable than regular bullhorns ive felt. This is an old pic but...

http://velospace.org/files/makside2es7.jpg

As much as I hate mail order and house brands in particular, the Nashbar bullhorn bars I bought way before I worked in a shop have performed swimmingly (2 years). Granted they're not the stiffest things, they get the job done.

I went from nashbars to Nittos mentioned in the original post, and it was like night and day.

Okay, maybe not that much, but I'm 170ish (probably around 180-190 with the crap I carry) and it was a very clear and noticeable difference in stiffness from Nashbar to Nitto.

If you're lighter, the difference probably isn't so much.

im looking to get bullhorns too after riding my brothers the other day. what nashbar bullhorns are you talking about? these (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=92&subcategory=1050&brand=&sku=14760&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Road%20Handlebars)?

those are pretty cheap too

im looking to get bullhorns too after riding my brothers the other day. what nashbar bullhorns are you talking about? these (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=92&subcategory=1050&brand=&sku=14760&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Road%20Handlebars)?

those are pretty cheap too

I have those and find them pretty uncomfortable. They would be find, except they have this really narrow spot on the bends that really hurts my hands if I'm not wearing padded gloves.

im looking to get bullhorns too after riding my brothers the other day. what nashbar bullhorns are you talking about? these (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=92&subcategory=1050&brand=&sku=14760&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Road%20Handlebars)?

those are pretty cheap too

The ones I'm referring to had no holes and were the rounded kind. They clearanced their stock a while back selling them for 12 bucks each.

I used to have the Nashbars until a drunken accident left me with a good 25degree bend in one horn.
Right now I'm rocking profile design horns, they aren't much better than the nashbars in terms of flex. I'd spring for the nitto's if you have the dough. or the flipped 123's.

I have a set of Oval Concepts bullhorns that I love to death:

http://www.ovalconcepts.com/img/dettProdotti/8__main_big.jpg

They're pretty stiff, my Cinelli Alter stem flexes before the bars do. Slight bit of drop gives me 4 hand positions that let me relax my hands on long rides. They're 26.0 and I have a Salsa cross lever on it which I'm happy with, as well.

http://velospace.org/files/makside2es7.jpg

finally some bullhorns that actually look like BULL HORNS....

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1514991/2/istockphoto_1514991_bull.jpg

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1514991/2/istockphoto_1514991_bull.jpg[/QUOTE]


Haha, a liveStock Photo

deathare,

did you chop those yourself?

If so, how did you go about it?

Hacksaw?

deathare,

did you chop those yourself?

If so, how did you go about it?

Hacksaw?
pipe cutters work well if you cut in the right spot.

anyone have the soma urban pursuit bullhorns? i'm intrigued by them i might want to try them out

Yep. I have them and like them very much . . .

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j52/drexgal/100_0269.jpg

i <3 my syntace. you can find them for pretty reasonable prices on ebay. i have the bars with no drop, wish i had the 5* drop, but that's alright.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/trisports_1939_99950415

qfawesomeness.

nitto 021....gotta have hand positions and some drop to please me.

topclips.com has the urban pursuit bars

i think im going to buy those soon