bullhorns
- Thread starter defjack
- Start date
Charles.Plager
Recumbent Quant
Nice!
More pictures from more
Nice!
More pictures from more angles, please.
More pictures from more
Nice!
More pictures from more angles, please.
John Tolhurst
Zen MBB Master
Very smooth there
Very smooth there Jack.
Bullhorn bars make you ride more efficiently and therefore faster. Its a more aero position.
Very smooth there Jack.
Bullhorn bars make you ride more efficiently and therefore faster. Its a more aero position.
Charles.Plager
Recumbent Quant
very nice, Jack.
Can you get
very nice, Jack.
Can you get a close up of your hands'wrists? It looks like it supports your wrists, too (almost like Ken's wrist supports, but built in).
Can you get
very nice, Jack.
Can you get a close up of your hands'wrists? It looks like it supports your wrists, too (almost like Ken's wrist supports, but built in).
Eric Winn
Zen MBB Master
Video of Maria testing bullhorns
I'm getting more interested in the bullhorns too.
I was also wondering about the wrist positioning that she comments about at (1:11) which I think is also related to how she states she, "has to kind of sit up and crank that thing up", when shifting the front crank rings (1:39)
-Eric
I'm getting more interested in the bullhorns too.
I was also wondering about the wrist positioning that she comments about at (1:11) which I think is also related to how she states she, "has to kind of sit up and crank that thing up", when shifting the front crank rings (1:39)
-Eric
John Tolhurst
Zen MBB Master
I re-did the cabling to
I re-did the cabling to reduce tension on the FD shifter, and I've modified a pair of bullhorn bars specifically to better suit Maria's needs. I narrowed them, and let the grips turn in a little more, so the hand is now a little more flat. We'll be testing this weekend.
Ergonomics is so important. What is okay for three hours might need improvement for 24 hours, and if you get it right for 24 hours you'll get better performance for three hours. So adjustments on reach and height is very important, I believe.
I re-did the cabling to reduce tension on the FD shifter, and I've modified a pair of bullhorn bars specifically to better suit Maria's needs. I narrowed them, and let the grips turn in a little more, so the hand is now a little more flat. We'll be testing this weekend.
Ergonomics is so important. What is okay for three hours might need improvement for 24 hours, and if you get it right for 24 hours you'll get better performance for three hours. So adjustments on reach and height is very important, I believe.
John Tolhurst
Zen MBB Master
So, about the bull horn bars,
So, about the bull horn bars, most are using drop bars on Vendetta rather than the bullhorn bars. I'm confident this will change as riders get better aquainted with the ergonomics start to appreciate more the bullhorn bar solution. I have a medium and a large size in the bars, which is fine for ordinary use. But if you are building a bike for Maria Parker, you will want to find ways to improve them, as I mentioned above.
So, about the bull horn bars, most are using drop bars on Vendetta rather than the bullhorn bars. I'm confident this will change as riders get better aquainted with the ergonomics start to appreciate more the bullhorn bar solution. I have a medium and a large size in the bars, which is fine for ordinary use. But if you are building a bike for Maria Parker, you will want to find ways to improve them, as I mentioned above.
I can vouch for the favorable
I can vouch for the favorable move from dropbars to bullhorns on my V. I started with dropbars, halfway thru last season switched to bullhorns and really like them a lot better.
I'm not sure what I would have thought of the bullhorns when first learning to ride the V, but after switching to them, I didn't find any negative handling characteristics.
The only thing I don't like about the bullhorns are the tight turns that the cabling has to make. It seems like I notice the extra drag on the brake cables the most.
I can vouch for the favorable move from dropbars to bullhorns on my V. I started with dropbars, halfway thru last season switched to bullhorns and really like them a lot better.
I'm not sure what I would have thought of the bullhorns when first learning to ride the V, but after switching to them, I didn't find any negative handling characteristics.
The only thing I don't like about the bullhorns are the tight turns that the cabling has to make. It seems like I notice the extra drag on the brake cables the most.
gannet
Member
Thanks for the photos
Thanks for the photos Jack.
Now that I can see that the bullhorns angle in towards the end, I can see that they would fit me better than I had first thought. I didn't really consider them an option before.
And it would solve any questions as to what shifters to use. A nicely adjusted set of bar ends can be a delight. Not at all happy with the Uletgra sti brifters that I currently have.
Thanks for the photos Jack.
Now that I can see that the bullhorns angle in towards the end, I can see that they would fit me better than I had first thought. I didn't really consider them an option before.
And it would solve any questions as to what shifters to use. A nicely adjusted set of bar ends can be a delight. Not at all happy with the Uletgra sti brifters that I currently have.
psychling
Well-Known Member
Handlebar types very individual
My comments:
On bullhorns:
Just my take.
My comments:
On bullhorns:
- Shifting effort is stressed bc the bar is too straight-out forward. A 60 degree increase vertically can reduce wrist stress;
- Brake levers pointing forward make braking more difficult. To brake the rider uses the fingers that are weakest when gripping. Reversing the brake lever and increasing the angle of gripping handlebar (above) will provide rider with greater strength and less stress on wrists;
- On mountainous / hilly terrain with many, many ups and downs in short order, combined with switchbacks from 70-190 degrees the bullhorn bars don't offer the rider the chance to really, firmly control the steering.
Just my take.
John Tolhurst
Zen MBB Master
The design idea of the
The design idea of the bullhorn bars is to let the bars follow the arms and disappear into the hands, so that from an aero point of view, the arm, hand and bar become one entity. One entity is always better than two for aerodynamics, because the air is stopped from 'vibrating' between them. Every bit of turbulence that can be avoided is a plus. Time trial bars used in professional cycling indicated a path forward. On those arrangements, gear shifting is at the bar end, while brake levers remain on the conventional handlebars. I wanted to integrate shifting and braking together on one bar, with the bar pointing forward and strangely I discovered almost no precedent for this. And I wanted to have the grip area properly round, without the ridge caused be running a cable housing under the bar tape. All this was resolved in the Bullhorn Bars accessory we sell at Cruzbike. They have a specially designed set of shifters that run the cable inside the bar, and a set of lightweight brake levers. For one or two hour time trials, or for your usual morning ride, these have worked out very well.
Ultra marathon events like RAAM however bring a new challenge - finding the ergonomic solution for a rider who is on the bike not two hours a day but twenty hours a day.
If this is your riding mode, then specailly modded bars and alternative levers can assist, as I prepared for Maria Parker's RAAM bike. I'll discuss those in a blog in the coming days.
The design idea of the bullhorn bars is to let the bars follow the arms and disappear into the hands, so that from an aero point of view, the arm, hand and bar become one entity. One entity is always better than two for aerodynamics, because the air is stopped from 'vibrating' between them. Every bit of turbulence that can be avoided is a plus. Time trial bars used in professional cycling indicated a path forward. On those arrangements, gear shifting is at the bar end, while brake levers remain on the conventional handlebars. I wanted to integrate shifting and braking together on one bar, with the bar pointing forward and strangely I discovered almost no precedent for this. And I wanted to have the grip area properly round, without the ridge caused be running a cable housing under the bar tape. All this was resolved in the Bullhorn Bars accessory we sell at Cruzbike. They have a specially designed set of shifters that run the cable inside the bar, and a set of lightweight brake levers. For one or two hour time trials, or for your usual morning ride, these have worked out very well.
Ultra marathon events like RAAM however bring a new challenge - finding the ergonomic solution for a rider who is on the bike not two hours a day but twenty hours a day.
If this is your riding mode, then specailly modded bars and alternative levers can assist, as I prepared for Maria Parker's RAAM bike. I'll discuss those in a blog in the coming days.
Eric Winn
Zen MBB Master
Jtek Engineering Aero brake?
Hi John and Dan,
To address Dan's points about the orientation of the brake levers - how about the Jtek Engineering Aerobrake - same as the HED 3rd lever which Alan (Mr. V) used on his modified Deda dropped bullhorns.
Seems like these might be better than the reversed brake levers in your kit.
There are some interesting comments about these on slowtwitch.
-Eric
Hi John and Dan,
To address Dan's points about the orientation of the brake levers - how about the Jtek Engineering Aerobrake - same as the HED 3rd lever which Alan (Mr. V) used on his modified Deda dropped bullhorns.
Seems like these might be better than the reversed brake levers in your kit.
There are some interesting comments about these on slowtwitch.
-Eric
John Tolhurst
Zen MBB Master
Thanks Eric,
I have thought
Thanks Eric,
I have thought about those. For the moment I am going with my early testing that told me that a bar with housings under the take is not a good shape to grip properly, particularly for small hands. But this set up is definitely worth testing. How does the lever power compare to a regular road brake lever?
I have thought
Thanks Eric,
I have thought about those. For the moment I am going with my early testing that told me that a bar with housings under the take is not a good shape to grip properly, particularly for small hands. But this set up is definitely worth testing. How does the lever power compare to a regular road brake lever?
John Tolhurst
Zen MBB Master
Oh, and for Maria's RAAM
Oh, and for Maria's RAAM bike, the bullhorn bars are quite close to her knees, so we might get some interference with the jtek levers.
Oh, and for Maria's RAAM bike, the bullhorn bars are quite close to her knees, so we might get some interference with the jtek levers.
Eric Winn
Zen MBB Master
I don't really know anything
I don't really know anything about them, just trying to research and I remembered Alan's post so I was trying to find out more about them myself. I figured you might have already experimented with them.
The Jtek page I linked to above includes a short Q&A at the bottom that says this, " The power of the brake levers has been intentionally reduced to help people avoid over braking while using them. A firm grip however, will still cause rapid de-acceleration. "
I think this statement is aimed at being in an areo bar tuck on a DF with the levers on the ends of aerobars using a brake cable splitter to accommodate regular brake levers in addition to the aerobrakes. Using them with Vendetta bullhorns would obviously be differentbut perhaps the form or lever action would prevent these from being 100% effective as primary brake levers.
However, in his post about them, Alan said they were "<i>very minimal in size with plenty of stopping power"</i> but I'm not sure how much riding he did on his Vendetta before he got rid of it.
See http://cruzbike.com/custom-v-setup
I don't really know anything about them, just trying to research and I remembered Alan's post so I was trying to find out more about them myself. I figured you might have already experimented with them.
The Jtek page I linked to above includes a short Q&A at the bottom that says this, " The power of the brake levers has been intentionally reduced to help people avoid over braking while using them. A firm grip however, will still cause rapid de-acceleration. "
I think this statement is aimed at being in an areo bar tuck on a DF with the levers on the ends of aerobars using a brake cable splitter to accommodate regular brake levers in addition to the aerobrakes. Using them with Vendetta bullhorns would obviously be differentbut perhaps the form or lever action would prevent these from being 100% effective as primary brake levers.
However, in his post about them, Alan said they were "<i>very minimal in size with plenty of stopping power"</i> but I'm not sure how much riding he did on his Vendetta before he got rid of it.
See http://cruzbike.com/custom-v-setup
Eric Winn
Zen MBB Master
Hmmm, yes knee and leg
Hmmm, yes knee and leg clearance could make these levers a non-starter. I ended up flipping the Quest stem around to get more clearance for my right knee because I was unconciously flexing my right ankle too far to keep my right knee from brushing the IGH shifter assembly that sits below the right handlebar end.
I will pay close attention to this area when I assemble my Vendetta.
Hmmm, yes knee and leg clearance could make these levers a non-starter. I ended up flipping the Quest stem around to get more clearance for my right knee because I was unconciously flexing my right ankle too far to keep my right knee from brushing the IGH shifter assembly that sits below the right handlebar end.
I will pay close attention to this area when I assemble my Vendetta.
Andrew 1973
Zen MBB Master
Hey Eric...Stopping Power
You're right on money about the levers not being 100% effective as primary levers. The trend in use of these kinds of levers in TT and Tri events is that they are used to scrub off speed rather than be capable of bringing a bike to a quick, complete stop. Yes, they will stop you, but not as fast or effectively as a full-sized lever.
You're right on money about the levers not being 100% effective as primary levers. The trend in use of these kinds of levers in TT and Tri events is that they are used to scrub off speed rather than be capable of bringing a bike to a quick, complete stop. Yes, they will stop you, but not as fast or effectively as a full-sized lever.
