Commuting - Nitto RB-018 Bullhorn - or another BH that will take brakes/bar-ends?

Anybody have the Nitto RB-018 Bullhorn and know whether it can take brake levers and bar-end shifters? In the catalog, it lists an internal diameter that should work for the bar-ends, and an external diameter of 23.8 which should be good for the brakes -- so it looks like it should work. But on the Ben's/Milwaukee Cycle website, it says it won't work with either.

There's a little upturn at the end of the bars -- maybe that's the reason -- it may be too short a distance to the curve to let me insert the bar-ends, and maybe the curve also prevents the brakes from going on.

Alternatively, does anyone know of a decent bullhorn that will accept brakes and bar-ends? Why the h*ll doesn't anybody make a decent bullhorn -- I remember having these same problems a few years ago when I tried to find a setup.

Edit: OK I did a search after posting (gotta start remembering to search first) and see people have been able to mount brake levers, so I guess all I'm inquiring about is the bar-end shifters. All the prior posts on the topic are in the SS/FG, and so mounting a shifter isn't discussed.

I run an Oval Concepts A700 with Tektro RX 4.1 reverse levers. If I had to do it again I might try the Charge Bikes Slice bar since it is so inexpensive.

I run an Oval Concepts A700 with Tektro RX 4.1 reverse levers. If I had to do it again I might try the Charge Bikes Slice bar since it is so inexpensive.

Thanks for the reply. I will use levers that clamp on, but I need the bars to be able to accept the bar-end shifters. Will that set up work with the Oval Concepts bar you mention?

ginsoakedboy,

I can't imagine that they wouldn't. Inside diameter of handlebars varies slightly but the outside diameter of every road handlebar made in almost forever is 15/16". I got the reverse levers in just fine, I think you would be fine too.

What Tabor said is basically right. I bought a random pair of bullhorns off of ebay recently to do exactly the same thing as you're describing, and it worked out fine.

What Tabor said is basically right. I bought a random pair of bullhorns off of ebay recently to do exactly the same thing as you're describing, and it worked out fine.

Maybe you just got lucky and hit it on the first try, but in general it doesn't appear to be as easy as that. I already tried a Profile bar where the shifters fit, but not the brakes. The product descriptions for that Nitto RB-018, RB-021, and many others, state that it will not take either one. I did find one -- the Nitto RB-009 -- where the description does state that it will take both. Which one do you have where you were able to fit them?

Not my bike but it sure looks like they fit to me...
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd357/mplsbornagainst/crosscheck4_a2.jpg

Not my bike but it sure looks like they fit to me...

OK - that's exactly what I'm trying to accomplish. Is that the RB-018 bar? It looks like it.

Maybe you just got lucky and hit it on the first try, but in general it doesn't appear to be as easy as that. I already tried a Profile bar where the shifters fit, but not the brakes. The product descriptions for that Nitto RB-018, RB-021, and many others, state that it will not take either one. I did find one -- the Nitto RB-009 -- where the description does state that it will take both. Which one do you have where you were able to fit them?

Do you have a link to the descriptions? The one common problem with trying to run reverse levers or bar end shifters on bullhorns is that there needs to be a long enough section of straight bar to stick them in. Some bars warn that they do not have this. I would honestly be very surprised if there were any Nitto bars that had a nonstandard outer diameter. Not trying to call you a liar, I am sure the bars you picked up were nonstandard.

The one common problem with trying to run reverse levers or bar end shifters on bullhorns is that there needs to be a long enough section of straight bar to stick them in.

Well, that's the problem exactly, and I think I stated that in the original post - so you are just reiterating the very dilemma that I stated as the subject of the post. I need one that will take both -- so a standard outer diameter for the brakes isn't going to help me if the bar can't also accept shifters.

Here's the links to the Nitto RB-018 and RB-021 that I was looking at. You will note at the end of each description that it states that it won't accept the shifters. However, the photo of the Surly that someone posted above does appear to be the 018 bar with shifters and brakes mounted.

http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5148

http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=188_232_593&products_id=2943

I've got bar-end brake levers on my bullhorns, but they aren't Nitto bars. I "flopped and chopped" some ITM drop bars that I wasn't using. My mechanic did the work, but there didn't seem to be any issues. The bars had grooves for cables, which the Nittos may lack.

Maybe you just got lucky and hit it on the first try, but in general it doesn't appear to be as easy as that. I already tried a Profile bar where the shifters fit, but not the brakes. The product descriptions for that Nitto RB-018, RB-021, and many others, state that it will not take either one. I did find one -- the Nitto RB-009 -- where the description does state that it will take both. Which one do you have where you were able to fit them?

I cheated a little bit by using interrupter brake levers as my primary brakes. You can see in the pictures how they're set up differently. The second picture shows a little more detail of the shifters/ brakes, and how terrible my bar wrapping is.

The bars that I'm using are these (http://cgi.ebay.com/ROAD-BIKE-TRIATHLON-BULLHORN-AERO-HANDLEBAR-BAR-44-26-0_W0QQitemZ290333761903QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCycling_Parts_Accessories?hash=item43993da16f&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262), from this same seller.