dabac

Hi guys,

I've used the search function, and got a few hits - but in all they left me just as confused, but at a higher level. So a new post it is, with hope of enlightenment.

Can you put Campy Ergos on a bullhorn bar?

Opinions seems divided, with "no" as an indecisive majority and the posts I've found rarely states if people have tried themselves, or are merely passing someone else's opinion along...

Here's the why and what about it:

I commute on busy streets, so I want to have brakes and shifters within easy reach. Flat bar would have been the obvious choice, but I like the thumbs-forwards position from the drops or the hoods better. But hoods give poor braking, drops are awkward in traffic and raising drop bars to flat bar height just look plain silly. Campy Ergos/STI on bullhorn bars would give me the position I like, with controls within easy reach - if cable routing would allow it.

Bar end shifters and aero brakes would perhaps be the next best thing, but would still require moving the hands about more than I'd prefer. Normal flat bar levers run in reverse would put brakes and shifters closer together, but still not as close as Ergos/STIs.

Comments / suggestions?

Cheers

ärjy

I have tried to use STI levers (Sora) with bullhorn bars and it didn't work well. The brake lever hit the bar before there was enough pressure between rim and brake pads. You will probably need brakes with very low mechanical advantage (wide profile cantilevers) to make those levers work.

roadfix

A lot of us commute on busy streets and drops seem to be just fine for most. For STI's and Ergo's I think nothing is as efficient as running them on drop bars.

Having said that I ran my Record Ergos on moustache bars for a while. Shifting was a little awkward at first but got used to it after the first ride.

sean3089

maddmaxx 

The alternative (bound to raise eyebrows) for bullhorns is bar end shifters with 24mm clamp size cyclocross brake levers around the end of the bar. This puts the shifter and brake adjacent to each other and gives a position similar to riding on the hoods of a dropbar setup.

The shifters need to be rotated in just a little and the brake levers need to be flaired out just a little so the cables from each can run side by side under the bar tape.

24mm cyclocross levers are available from Tektro/TRP and one or two other manufacturers and should not be confused with the 31.8 or 26mm versions that clamp onto the bulge in the middle of a drop bar. They work just fine a stand alone levers.

anti.team

The problem I see with STI or Ergo is that the cable routing is all wrong. The cables are intended so come out the top of the drops, right where you don't have a bar anymore. Probably not insurmountable (I may have seen it done) but it seems like it would be awkward.

operator

So put bar end shifters and tt brake levers at the end of your bullhorns. Problem solved.

maddmaxx 

How are you going to put bar end shifters and TT brakes both into the ends of the bullhorn. Too many parts, not enough holes. Something has to clamp onto the outside!

Joshua A.C. New

Hey, has anyone tried putting "Cyclocross" levers at the end of bullhorns facing backward? That leaves the ends open. It seems like that should work, but I haven't seen a pair of those levers off a bike so I can't tell if the housing-stopping part would also stop the cable end.

SweetLou

Cyclocross levers backwards would pull the cable the wrong direction. Unless you put a loop in your brake line. Jtek Engineering has the Areobrake.
https://jtekengineering.com/AeroBrake.htm
It looks like it screws into the bar end.
They also have a clamp on one, https://jtekengineering.com/Jtek_Brake_Levers.htm
But that is for a 7/8" bar.

ärjy

It works, but there is another minor problem.

My bar supports internal cable routing for aero brake lever cables. However, the hole for the cable housing is so close to the end of the bar that I can't route the shifter cable housing internally because the bar end shifter expanders block the cable housing hole.

Of course, this is not a big problem, but routing the shifter cable internally would result in a little bit cleaner setup.

Edit: Brake cable cannot be routed under bar tape very easily if the brake levers were moved near bar ends.

dabac

Bu they also say [i]The power of the brake levers has been intentionally reduced to help people avoid over braking while using them.[/]
I think I'd like full stopping power at my disposal when I'm sharing the road with people equally intent(if not more!) on their ipods and cell phones as they are on where they're going.
- so no room for bar ends. As the saying goes - close, but no cigar.

The areobrake came close though, thanks for suggesting that.

Cheers,

David

SweetLou

I didn't read the page that closely, since I am not really interested in them, but that reducing of braking power sucks. I agree with wanting full braking power.

How about using the reverse brake levers and Kelly Take-offs?

dabac

Look, I've done a lot of MTB riding over the last decade or so, and I've gotten really used to having both shifters and brakes literally at my fingertips. Call me spoiled if you wish. But I also prefer the thumbs-forward position of riding on the drops so I'm trying to get BOTH at the same time. Bar end shifters and tt brake levers won't quite give me that.

Flat bar controls on a really curved back moustache bar maybe?

AHemp

Badass. I want that set-up on my bike.

SweetLou

Well, moustache bars won't work with flat bar controls, wrong diameter. But, North Road bars have the same diameter as flat bars.

dabac

If the easy solution works for you - congratulations! But I don't want this merely to be contrary, I want it because I'm not altogether happy with the other options.

dabac

Those were kinda nice, another take on the same theme as paul's Thumbies. It still wouldn't give that immediate fingertip integration though.

Joshua A.C. New

No, no. I mean, take the Cyclocross levers, turn them around, and put them at the ends of the bars. Like this:


... only the ends of the bars are open to take the barcons.

maddmaxx 

Read post #5. Really does work well.

slushlover2

Howe about using Campy flat bar Ergos?

operator

Don't make me pull out the thread where somebody did this. They obviously used a seperate mount to install the shifters but it works just the same.

maddmaxx 

please pull........this I'd like to see.

enigmagic

Maybe paul thumbies and aero brake levers?

CdCf

I've got a suggestion for you. Actually, I've got three...

#1 - The Easy Option: Get drops and get used to them. Really, they're more comfy than flat bars in the long run, and I like them better in traffic.

#2 - The Quick and Dirty Option: Get said drop bars, but flip them over and cut off the last part of the bend. Install STI/Ergo and ride.

#3 - The Expensive Option: Find a good metalworker/welder and have something custom made. You'll get exactly what you want.