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-   -   In search of Handlebar Nirvana - the VO Crazy Bar? (https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/1003259-search-handlebar-nirvana-vo-crazy-bar.html)

Trevtassie 07-10-17 02:50 AM

The VO's aren't bad, but the bull horns are round the wrong way IMHO. They should have a short horizontal run then a long angled up bit. I made some extensions for the angled bit, but they are still too far away. I might get them welded the other way.
Those Molokos look pretty good, pity they are only in CrMo.

BigAura 07-10-17 09:48 AM


Originally Posted by shaye (Post 19707560)
Which make is the frame on the white bike? Also, which make the handlebars on the black one?

The white bike is my old 1970-Paris-Sport originally an old-style-ten-speed and now a fixed-gear. The bullhorns are the original steel-drop-bars --> flipped & chopped.

The Surly's bars are Nitto Northroads. I did customize them by cutting about 1" off of each end for more cockpit space.

snafuspyramid 07-17-17 12:08 AM

So, an update since my initial post. I've spent a good deal of time on these now (a year or so?) and they are definitely keepers. Unlike other posters here, I've found the bar extensions useful - both for stretching forward into a headwind and more commonly for pulling out of the saddle. It took quite a bit of trial and adjustment to get the angle just right though (flat didn't work for me). I recently also moved to Ergon grips - the model specific to swept-back handlebars - and feel close to handlebar Nirvana. I'd consider trimming them down one of these days but - despite the annoying clamps for shifters and brakes - I find that leaving them long gives me an additional comfy position where the angles intersect. This only works because I'm partial to padded gloves though. There's not much of the bar I don't use.

Coldhands 07-23-17 06:09 AM

I've found them to be fantastic! I use them on my 650b tourer with ergon grips and bartape. The horns provide a great position for headwinds and for those days when you just want to get low and go for it. I spend time with my hands resting on the inside of the 'L' shape and find this not dissimilar from riding drops. I used a fairly highstem for these and found my setup to be very comfortable. For the price I highly recommend them and can't see myself changing anytime soon.

jdut 07-24-17 06:08 PM

I have H bars and Crazy bars, and I prefer the Crazy bar. The Crazy gives you more hand/arm positions. the H bar can't really be used in a "hoods" style because the shifters are right under the junction where you want to put your hands. The crazy bar design permits this use and so you really do get the best of both worlds. Plus you can reach further up the bullhorns for a more aero position that comes close to feeling like being in drops, although not quite, and then using the flats as well. They aren't very aesthetic, which is why many people resist them and have a bias against them, but they perform brilliantly for mixed riding (road, gravel, mtb terrain).

Budgielord 07-27-17 10:36 AM

I also found that the extensions were very usable. That said I am using a bar end shifter on the extension in place of the more common mtb shifter. Forces me to use the extensions as my main position and only shift, when climbing or braking, to the swept back portion. This set up works great on my Bikepacking bike (rigid MTB). I am using the Cromo version.


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