kurtridesbikes

Hey guys,

I'm going to buy new handlebars for my commuter ('84 10-speed Schwinn Mesa Runner) and wanted to ask for some advice on size and brand.

My girl Ruby:https://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...0&d=1409065639

Brand: I'm an Amazon prime member so ideally I would order Origin8 or Fyxation and get it in the mail in two days, but if they're crap brands or not ideal for 10-speeds, I don't want to waste my money. Should I pull the trigger on Origin8 or Fyxation?

Size:I'm about 5'9" so I was going to get 42cm wide, is that right? And should I look for a certain size reach? Or are most bullhorns the same reach size?

Thanks for your help!

jrickards

I read somewhere that handlebar width should be the same as your shoulder width. For me, that is rather narrow, I prefer wider bars. It may be that this width suggestion is for road bikes where it keeps the profile of the rider narrower and thereby more aero. I've also heard that handlebars for cross bikes tend to be wider and that may be for control purposes on rough terrain. I prefer the wider bar on my touring bike over the narrower bar on my road bike.

If you have a bar that you're comfortable with, measure it and find a matching bullhorn bar.

kurtridesbikes

What's the width of your touring bike bar?

jrickards

I'm 5'8", my Kona Sutra is a 54cm size, the handle bar is 44cm.

the sci guy 

I have the Origin 8 bullhorns, also ordered from Amazon (Prime members as well). I put them on my '84 Raleigh. Shown here: https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/...l#post16911738

So far they have been great. I'm 5'5", and I ordered the 42s. I run a 40 width on my Cross-Check, but wanted slightly wider for this bike. They fit me just fine. I wish the reach was shorter though. I've seen the stubby kind of bullhorns on other fixies or SS, but haven't seen them to buy anywhere - yet. I think eventually I will replace them with a shorter reach version - mostly because I'm so short and it'll just feel better. For you they'll probably be OK.

Where do you plan on putting your shifters and brakes?

kurtridesbikes

A lot of great info. Thanks, sci guy. I've been doing a lot of research on gear/brake placement and with the current brakes and gears I think this is my best option:

https://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...7&d=1365787053

If that doesn't work, I think I'd leave the brakes where they are and put the gears on the stem. I'm very new to the bike world, so if all of this wouldn't work please call me out.

Also, I bought the 42 cm Fyxation bullhorn bars a little bit ago.

the sci guy 

That setup should work most likely - though it'll probably look kind of doofy, in my opinion. I would suggest against putting the shifters on the stem - especially since I don't know how you'd do it unless you got new shifters designed for that. I mean I guess you could just clamp them there, but I bet you wouldn't like it.

I'd recommend leaving the brakes where they are, and getting bar-end shifters to stick in the ends of the bullhorns, or get some TT brake levers like I got, and rig some downtube shifters right next to them so you can actuate them with your thumb.

kurtridesbikes

Thanks for being a tremendous help, man. All of your recommendations are duly noted. I would prefer to do it all myself, so retrofitting the things I have is ideal but understand it's not practical. I'll have to see how much my LBS charges to install new gear levers, run new brake lines and wrap my new bars. I have an 80-mile ride for the MS City to Shore ride coming up at the end of September so comfort is very important in the short term.

While I have you, someone on here told me swapping out my current wheels for slicks wouldn't work? Any truth to that? I'd like to replace my wheels before the ride too.

the sci guy 

I think you'd actually be able to do a lot of that yourself. That Raleigh I posted above - I put that whole thing together myself. First timer. Only thing I didn't do was the bottom bracket, headset, seat post. Every other piece on it is new. Tires, tubes, wheels, chain, crank, freewheel, stem, bars, levers, brakes, cables, housing. It was surprisingly easy.

Also, you definitely need to learn how to wrap your bars. At least that much. Also, it's freakin easy.

Watch a couple youtubes and think it over. I bet you'll be able to do it.

the sci guy 

here's what i was originally planning to do for shift levers, but ended up not wanting to fuss with getting a 7 speed freewheel and spread the rear dropouts

tokyobike**********???? | osamuito.com
tokyobike**********???? | osamuito.com

check both pages for pics.

Fizzaly

42 would be too narrow for me, but everyone is different. I had some orgin8 bullhorns on a bike a while back quality wise they were just fine, they were just too narrow for me.

Chris Chicago

assuming you mean swapping tires not the whole wheelset ..I dont see any reason why that wouldnt work. maybe very narrow slick tires wouldnt work on the wide rims but 1.5s will work

kurtridesbikes

Sorry, I'm very new to biking, so does that mean I would just switch to 1.5 tires with my current wheel/rim?

I thought they were suggesting replacing my current wheel/rim because they're heavy.

gregjones

I tried cross brake levers next to the stem like that for several hundred miles. Didn't like it at all.

I didn't like barcons at all on bullhorns too far a reach and on the stem they are..........well on the stem an not real handy. I like the TT brake levers, that's what I've been using and they work well. I did go to Shimano BB-78s (can't remember the model exactly) because they have a reach adjustment screw and they are lot's better than the TRPs that I was using.

As far as bars, I'm 5' 6-7" and use 40cm Profile Design Air things. They fit well and I like the drop a lot better than flat bullhorn bars.

Chris Chicago

you could switch to 26 x 1.5 slicks , maybe x 1.25. though the tires you have on there now seem to be street tires so I'm not sure you'd gain much by going to slicks.

if your rims are steel you could switch to aluminum wheels and they would be lighter. here's the thing though.... that bike is never going to be a featherweight bc of the frame. as you have it set up now it looks like a nice rider .. sort of a hybrid cruiser. bullhorns will change the ride and you might like them but going to slicker lightweight wheels and tires might not be worth the money as you could likely find an entire used bicycle for the money you will spend.

on the other hand if you love the frame then maybe look for a used mountain bike with aluminum wheels . then put it on your mesa runner.

my brother had that same mesa runner in hs. he liked it

the sci guy 

understandable.

OP you can always just go single speed! or put shifters on the downtube if the frame will take them.

kurtridesbikes

I would go to single speed, but I have an 80 mile ride at the end of the month and I dont think I'd survive that ride lol

Also, my commute is pretty hilly so keeping the gears would be ideal.

gregjones

They keep getting further and further away!!!

Here's what I'm in the middle of now:

That's with the TRP levers, I need to get recent pictures of the whole bike on PedalRoom. I just haven't done it yet.


OP what size tires do you have now.....I don't think you really need wheels for a 80 mile ride. Post your tire size and maybe collectively we could give you some viable options for reasonably priced tires.

kurtridesbikes

Thanks for the pic! I've been searching for all of the bullhorn bar pics to get an idea of what mine would look like. I feel like I'm more inclined to get bar end shifters and keep the brakes on the flat bar, since I think my hands will be there more. I guess I'm nervous about braking with bar end brake levers if my hands are on the flat bar.

They're 26 x 1.75. I'm not sure if they're steel or aluminum.

the sci guy 

i might move to this in the future - can you link me to a product page for those thumb shifters you have mounted there?

gregjones

It's a combo deal:

Shimano Bar End Shifters mounted on Paul Thumbies

The Thumbies work great and will work with any speed of bar end Shimanos. They make different one's for different brands of shifters.

gregjones

26".......doesn't matter the material, for tire selection anyway.

Gathering of 26" tires with street tread.

Lot of folks like these. I got a pair of these to try and haven't found a reason to change them out. $12 a tire, hard to beat.

kurtridesbikes

Alright so I'm going to do my existing thumb levers (https://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...6&d=1410183912) on the flat bar and bar end brakes.

Now that I'm decided on the configuration and looking for brakes, I can't seem to find any with the exact size for my bar. I was going to buy these:

Robot Check

But they have a diameter of 21mm and my bars have a diameter of 24mm. I can't seem to find any that fit my bars end diameter....

gregjones

That is internal diameter. What bars are you using? Those levers require internal cable routing.

kurtridesbikes

I bought 42cm Fyxation Bullhorn Rodeo bars. Also it says at the bottom under specs "All reverse levers have external cable routing."