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Bullhorns are just for looks

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Bullhorns are just for looks

Old 09-11-23, 07:33 PM
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Bullhorns are just for looks

They look great but are probably the worst handlebar design to actually use.

The flat section is narrow of course so you don't get the leverage of a typical wide handlebar.

The long sections you have to hold with your wrists at an angle and that can get pretty extreme.

They might make sense of they were curved upwards, almost like an inverse road bike without the drops.

But they're angled away and downwards.
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Old 09-11-23, 07:35 PM
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Originally Posted by adlai
They might make sense of they were curved upwards, almost like an inverse road bike without the drops.

But they're angled away and downwards.
Did you install it upside down?
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Old 09-11-23, 07:43 PM
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Lance uses bullhorns installed backwards. You can see them briefly as he tears it up around the 2:10 mark in this video

They are good bars, great name
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Old 09-11-23, 08:46 PM
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They are available in different widths. I'm seeing up to 46cm wide without looking hard. The way I look at it, they are basically the top half of a drop handlebar. Since I have my hands on the top part of the bars 90% of the time Bullhorns make sense for me. In my case, when I tried them, I didn't like the look on my vintage bike.
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Old 09-11-23, 09:09 PM
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But they are curved upwards!
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Old 09-11-23, 10:19 PM
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I'm curious about bullhorns on my fixie for commuting, then adding aero clip-ons with risers for the occasional 100k or 200k. For commuting, I'm never in the drops. For the 100k+ I'm either on the hoods or on the aero bars. The drops are just hanging down there catching air.

Curious enough to check out the co-op handlebar selection next time I'm there.
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Old 09-12-23, 12:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Velo Mule
.... they are basically the top half of a drop handlebar. Since I have my hands on the top part of the bars 90% of the time Bullhorns make sense for me.
Pretty much. For a lot of riders bullhorns give almost exactly the same riding experience as drop bars.

Maybe when I have dropped a few pounds the drops will get more use ... but I don't see where bullhorns are worthless or useless or impractical regardless.
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Old 09-12-23, 01:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
Pretty much.
Heck, I knew people who actually cut up a set of drop bars and turned them upside down to make bullhorns for their TT bike.
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Old 09-12-23, 03:43 AM
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This thread is just for looks.
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Old 09-12-23, 03:56 AM
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Originally Posted by adlai
They look great but are probably the worst handlebar design to actually use.

The flat section is narrow of course so you don't get the leverage of a typical wide handlebar.

The long sections you have to hold with your wrists at an angle and that can get pretty extreme.

They might make sense of they were curved upwards, almost like an inverse road bike without the drops.

But they're angled away and downwards.
Not sure I follow. They come in different widths and they are "curved upwards, almost like an inverse road bike without the drops".

I am not a fan myself, but I can see why some folks like them.
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Old 09-12-23, 04:46 AM
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Originally Posted by downtube42
I'm curious about bullhorns on my fixie for commuting, then adding aero clip-ons with risers for the occasional 100k or 200k. For commuting, I'm never in the drops. For the 100k+ I'm either on the hoods or on the aero bars. The drops are just hanging down there catching air.

Curious enough to check out the co-op handlebar selection next time I'm there.
Bullhorns plus aero clip-ons: exactly what I use on my main fixed-gear bike. It's my favorite setup among my bikes---fast and comfortable. I'm tempted to convert my dropbar bikes to bullhorns plus clip-ons. Otherwise, they'll continue to just sit there unused.
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Old 09-12-23, 05:35 AM
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I've never had or desired bullhorns, and maybe they aren't the best for most people for daily riding. But, they have their place.
- Single speed/fixed, where you might be climbing out of the saddle a lot and need leverage that allows you to pedal out of the saddle in a more upright position (for breathing) than is available in the drops.
- TT bikes, where you'll mostly be on the aero bars, but need a wider bar for better control in sharp turns, and for short climbs out of the saddle.
- City riding, where you want another hand position/a wider position for better control, that allows you to keep your head up farther than you could in the drops, so you can monitor traffic more easily.
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Old 09-12-23, 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by adlai
They look great but are probably the worst handlebar design to actually use.

The flat section is narrow of course so you don't get the leverage of a typical wide handlebar.

The long sections you have to hold with your wrists at an angle and that can get pretty extreme.

They might make sense of they were curved upwards, almost like an inverse road bike without the drops.

But they're angled away and downwards.
Good info! Knowing now that they're no good, I'll take mine off and replace them with something that works. Thanks for the tip.
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Old 09-12-23, 11:09 AM
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Drop bars are just for looks.
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Old 09-12-23, 11:21 AM
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I can't reach the drops anymore. Bullhorns work way fine for me. It's my bike and I really don't care what anyone else thinks about the way it looks. Not to mention that they are half the weight.
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Old 09-12-23, 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by LarrySellerz
Lance uses bullhorns installed backwards. You can see them briefly as he tears it up around the 2:10 mark in this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNCPEzdZs5s

They are good bars, great name
Lance had mustache bars. Agreed they're great bars, if only there were levers designed specifically for them.
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Old 09-12-23, 01:58 PM
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I'd be using bullhorns exclusively if they made brifters for them. Drop bars are pointless as the most aero position on a drop bar isn't in the drops, but rather with forearms on the hoods, which you can do with a bullhorn.
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Old 09-12-23, 02:03 PM
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Originally Posted by tFUnK
I'd be using bullhorns exclusively if they made brifters for them. Drop bars are pointless as the most aero position on a drop bar isn't in the drops, but rather with forearms on the hoods, which you can do with a bullhorn.
Every drop bar has a pair of bullhorns locked inside ... you can free them with just a hacksaw.
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Old 09-12-23, 02:12 PM
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I like bullhorns. Beats the heck out of that little bell.
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Old 09-12-23, 02:24 PM
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Originally Posted by tFUnK
I'd be using bullhorns exclusively if they made brifters for them.
You can attach barcon shifters to the ends.
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Old 09-12-23, 02:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
Every drop bar has a pair of bullhorns locked inside ... you can free them with just a hacksaw.


“I’m a bullhorn trapped inside a drop bar’s body.”

At least the OP’s trolling is mildly amusing this time.
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Old 09-12-23, 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by adlai
They look great but are probably the worst handlebar design to actually use.

The flat section is narrow of course so you don't get the leverage of a typical wide handlebar.

The long sections you have to hold with your wrists at an angle and that can get pretty extreme.

They might make sense of they were curved upwards, almost like an inverse road bike without the drops.

But they're angled away and downwards.
Whatever you do, don't try to adjust them.

If you mess with the bull...............you'll get the horns.
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Old 09-12-23, 03:37 PM
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Old man yells at cloud, brought to you by member adlai.
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Old 09-12-23, 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by urbanknight
Heck, I knew people who actually cut up a set of drop bars and turned them upside down to make bullhorns for their TT bike.
Bunch of fixie kids did this in the late 2000s.
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Old 09-12-23, 04:28 PM
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Originally Posted by icemilkcoffee
You can attach barcon shifters to the ends.
True; but I like brifters 😅
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