Mountain Biking - Bullhorns on a mountain bike?

Just got some bar-ends for my Rockhopper, loving the extra hand positions, and the ease of climbing now. I was wondering if anyone has ever used bullhorns handlebars (as seen on many uban fixed-gear bikes) on a mountain bike, either for built in bar-ends, putting the shifters and brake levers on the flats, or traditionally, with a single speed mountain bike, with the brakes integrated into the ends. Are there any mountain bars specifically with built in bar-ends? I know that Steely Dan (on the Commuting boards) put bullhorns on his recently deceased Raleigh M-80, for city use, but has anyone used them for off-road adventures?

Summon LesserofPuppets!

I don't see any reason not to if you like bar-ends. It would be pretty much the same thing put into one bar rather than a bolt on solution. You'd save a little weight if nothing else.

I used Bullhorn bars back in the early 90's on my first MTB. It was a rigid Trek that I rode everywhere I could and they worked fine. From what I recall the bars I purchased were being marketed for mountain bikes at the time.

Bar ends were the shiznit back when people used words like "Radical" to describe their riding style.


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a10/Zanetti7/490hballOnza.jpg

How to set up mechanical disc brakes - from the "most radical mountain biker in the world".



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1kezXQVnLY

ohmygod, I want a mountain bike that says SRAM on the side now... :lol: :lol:

Have them on my commuter bike but wouldn't want them on my MTBs- I ride in a lot of brushy areas and wouldn't want to hook one on a branch. I'm clumsy enough as it is.

I've got controls on barends so I can keep my hands on the ends most of the time.
It's a great setup for smoother trails and fireroads! I like flatbars better for rough stuff, though.
I had to shave the ends of these Sette barends down quite a bit as their grip diameter was greater than road bar grip diameter to start with.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5270/5676124568_28a4a03d2e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesterofpuppets/5676124568/)

I love it ^^^

I don't see any reason not to if you like bar-ends.

the main reason is you have to find new brakes and shifters because bullhorns (and drop bars) have a wider diameter than mtb bars

if you wrap the bar ends with bar tape they look pretty close to bullhorns
http://velospace.org/files/P1010017.jpg

http://velospace.org/files/P1010024.jpg


Bar ends were the shiznit back when people used words like "Radical" to describe their riding style.

i'd like to think my bike is radical :D

I had an old norco bushwacker for years that had them. They were a hoot and definitely helped on the climb. But I found them.. awkward for any flow or speed.

Kinda like toe clips. Fun to hop on and get lots of flashbacks to more innocent times, but I don't find them useful for very much.

I saw Scott AT-2 bars on a thriftstore bike for $30 a couple weeks ago. Thought I'd wait for half-price day, but it was gone by then.

Basically bullhorns that fit MTB controls. Well, you can't get Gripshifts on 'em, but pretty much all other MTB controls.

http://www.bikepro.com/products/handlebars/hndlbars_jpg/d1d_scott_at2.jpg

I have 2 Scott Thermoplastic bars just like those. At 160 grams probably one of the lighter bar/bar end combinations out there. Mine are from the 90's. When ever I see them on E-bay I try to buy them.


I saw Scott AT-2 bars on a thriftstore bike for $30 a couple weeks ago. Thought I'd wait for half-price day, but it was gone by then.

Basically bullhorns that fit MTB controls. Well, you can't get Gripshifts on 'em, but pretty much all other MTB controls.

http://www.bikepro.com/products/handlebars/hndlbars_jpg/d1d_scott_at2.jpg

http://www.myfixedgear.net/wp-content/photos/crazy_soft_ride_bullhorn_fixed_gear/reg/3.jpg


". . . and the cow goes, SHAZOO!"

Just imagine if this guy ran into the back of that girl that stopped in the middle of the trail. (video post a couple weeks back)

". . . and the cow goes, SHAZOO!"

:lol:

the main reason is you have to find new brakes and shifters because bullhorns (and drop bars) have a wider diameter than mtb bars


the diameters of road and MTB bars are typically different (unless you find a rare bullhorn with MTB diameter as shown in this thread), but it's possible to stretch out the hanger bracket of a rapid fire style shifter to fit around a road diameter bullhorn bar. it's exactly how i made it work on my MTB w/bullhorns conversion. MTB brake levers would be harder to do with this method, but when i put bullhorns on my now deceased MTB, i just went with some reverse pull levers on the horns.

http://img852.imageshack.us/img852/3184/raleighbullhorns002.jpg (http://img852.imageshack.us/i/raleighbullhorns002.jpg/)

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/6291/raleighbullhorns001.jpg (http://img59.imageshack.us/i/raleighbullhorns001.jpg/)


as to whether this set-up would be appropriate off-road, per the OP's question, i have no idea. my hybrid-converted MTB pictured above was only ever ridden as a back-up/foul weather/winter urban commuter before it met it's fate with that effing bus 2 weeks ago (RIP buddy).

Just imagine if this guy ran into the back of that girl that stopped in the middle of the trail. (video post a couple weeks back)

she still wouldn't have felt it with all of her armor :D