I just purchased a Fuji Absolute 2.0 2009 I prefer straight bars to drop-downs any day, but I'm thinking that a bullhorn/pursuit bars may offer me more positions and the ability to place some of my weight onto my forearms. Also, moving my body forward would be good when going for some speed. I looked into bar-ends but its just not the position I want.

Are these a good idea for commuting? Would I need new break leavers etc? (I want them on the straight portion of the bar, not on the "horns")

Thanks!

Get Nitto Albatross handlebars. They're the perfect all-round commuter bar!

1. You would probably need new levers.
2. There are those around here who do use bullhorns, but they are mostly either fixed gears or single speeds, so they only need brakes and not the shifters.
3. Check out the Hybrid section here on BF. Member Timber_8 has a set-up that's rather unique. He mounted aero bars to his butterfly bars. I don't have the time, or I would have found a direct link to one of his pics...

Those really aren't what I'm looking for. This isn't a comfort/upright bike... and I hate albatross bars with a passion. I want an option to move more forward into an aerodynamic position while giving myself more hand positions. Really what I need to know is if I need new leavers etc so I can at least give it a shot and see if I like it. If I need those, than it isn't worth the effort.

'love my bullhorn bars. 22 to 30 mile commute (round trip) trek soho S fixed.
i tired the stock straight bars and bar-ends... bleh. drops were not what i wanted for commuting.
with the bulls i can be upright or stretched out it's a nice balance.
i don't remember the bars i bought, but i did get canecreek break levers. you'll possibly need new brake cable(s) and housing... depends on what you have.

If the leavers and shifter are placed on the straight/flat portion of the bar, do they really need to be replaced? If the diameter of the tubing is identical, is that still the case? I'm still a bit new at this so I'm trying to understand.

You can use Pauls Thumbies and put bar ends on the flats.

Alright.... a mustache handlebar might be the ticket. You get both more hand positions and can lead forward if you want to. Or you can get a Nitto Noodle Bar if you want a drop bar.

Not exactly what I'm looking for, but worth a shot. The local co-op probably will have a member with mustache handlebars so I can take a look. Kind of disappointing though...

I bought the Fuji Absolute 2.0 last year too. How do you like it? I don't know much about handlebars but I too wish I could get a little more aero. I rode this bike in a triathlon last year and I'm doing a duathlon in a couple of weeks. After that, the fenders go on and I plan to commute regularly this summer.

Handlebars are tricky. It can be rough trying to find the "perfect" set up. I went through about six different set-ups before I got my trekking bars. I even tried aero bars on my trekking bars.

I am still using my original brake levers, I didn't have any problems mounting them on the bullhorn bars that I used for a while.

I deep sixed the original indexed shifters in favor of stem mounted friction shifters.

I used to ride Scott AT-2 cowhorn bars exclusively. You do not need new shifters if you get the right size bar. Just be sure it has the same diameter as your flat bars and is not tapered. I made the mistake of getting some Easton cowhorns on super discount, and they turned out to be road time trial bars. Shifters did not fit past the bend.

Those are the first bullhorns I have seen that would take mountain size shifters and brake levers. Then I scroll down the page and see the Scott AT-4 Pro bars and fall in love. However that web site seems to be lost in the 1990's with its product listings, it has no contact information, and there is no way to order anything from it. Is the company still in business or is it just a web zombie? Oddly enough it does contain links for iPhone and iPod repairs. Since I can't find them anywhere else I suspect the Scott handlebars have not been available in a while and unless this company is still in business and has NOS I/we are out of luck.

The OP might be interested in these bars I see mentioned in another thread.

Ken

While I wouldn't necessarily keep the OEM brake levers or shifters, you can get gears and brake levers on bullhorns. I haven't done it (yet), but I've seen it done. There's a number of ways to do it.

1) Keep your finger bits and just swap the bar. Pending the brackets for your Brake levers and shifters are the correct size, it should work if you put everything on the flats portion of the bar. Moving it else where, like more on the horn area then you'll be looking at running new cables and cable housing.

2) TT (Time Trial) brake levers and Bar End shifters with Paul's Thumbies brackets. TT levers are only about $25 to $35 unless you're looking for carbon levers. Paul's Thumbies are brakets that allow you to mount Bar End Shifters elsewhere on the bar. What I've seen done in these arrangements (and it's a personal favorite of mine), is using TT levers and mounting the Bar End Shifters on Paul Thumbies as close to the end of the horn as possible. This will give you a lot of the benefits of STI shifters, the main one being that you have your braking and shifting in one single hand position at only a fraction of the price of STIs or "brifters".

3) Using Bar End Shifters in the bar-ends and either drop-bar levers mounted in reverse on the horn portion, or cross levers mounted on the flat portion or the horn portion (it's up to you).

(and Bonus Option 4) Use the brake lever options from #3, Bar End shifters on Paul's Thumbies from #2 and now you have your bar-ends open for thing like mirrors or a bell or something. I've been considering to this to my new bike once I take delivery of it.

OP -- with all the requirements (forward, multiple hand positions, going for speed, weight on forearms (??)) and all the things you don't want:

1) how can you say you like straight bars and don't like drops?
2) are you just looking for someone to say bullhorns are a great idea?

I put drops on my commuter. I considered bullhorns, was having a tough time finding some on the wide-ish side (many come only in <=42), and eventually just got some drops to get 'er done. As I expected, I spend almost no time in the drops, coulda gotten bull horns. The shifter / brake lever issue would be the only driver for a change for me.

So, bullhorns are a great idea.

I just got the Nitto RB-021. Nice handlebars and not very expensive.

This is my bike. If memory serves I have the Oval Concepts A700 Cow Horn TT Bar with Tektro reverse levers and Dura Ace downtube shifter(s). I wouldn't change a thing (I used to have brifters on drops).