WTB Bullhorn Handlebars
- Thread starter Leif
- Start date
I am interested to hear how your setup works out as I have the same issue as well. Also if the bullhorn handlebar can work with existing road brifters without having to buy new brake and derailleur shifters.
Who sells that? I have never seen one like that.
Leif
Active Member
Yup!
I've actually been searching for drop bars with a longer reach too. Even bought a couple that looked promising (including a salsa cowchipper) but nothing comes close to what I need. This is really my only criticism of the CB design. For me, there seems to be no way I'll get a proper arm extension w/o thighs hitting the bars, particularly on the S40. On the V20, the adjustment is more tolerable which is still a difficult realization for such an expensive bike.
Maybe I'll revive one of the older related threads to see if there's been any solutions to this particular fit issue.
Oh darn!
Bentas
Well-Known Member
https://goo.gl/images/v6in7e
These look interesting
These look interesting
Leif
Active Member
These are very similar to drop bars I bought from specialized. Both have the raised tops which I thought would address the thigh clearance issue. Unfortunately, they did not work. Seems I need at least an inch, preferably more to get the reach I'm looking for. And yes, 46cm is preferable (which seems unlikely with bullhorns).
Thanks for the suggestion, though. Great minds think alike!
Good to know that the raised top doesn't work for leg clearance. Thanks. Will keep looking.
How about this? It has a little curve up on both ends. Reach is 120mm. Width can go up to 50cm. $60 is not bad.
https://velo-orange.com/collections/handlebars/products/grand-cru-rando-handlebar
https://velo-orange.com/collections/handlebars/products/grand-cru-rando-handlebar
billyk
Guru
Every time you add a joint, you add flex. The big difference between the early Quests and the Q45 (and S,V) is those extra joints between the BB and your hands. That wasted some fraction of your work: bending metal instead of moving pedals. I think the extra connection in this otherwise-nice idea comes with a power cost.
ReklinedRider
Zen MBB Master
Hey, Leif, any luck with your quest for more thigh clearance/straighter arms?
What helped me more than anything with that was changing to shorter cranks, which I did based on the recumbent crank length calculator and not with any thought for improving leg clearance and straighter arms. But, the happy side effect was a lot more room for leg clearance along with straighter arms—nearly straight in fact.
I’ve mentioned this elsewhere, but crank length change results in ‘double dipping’ at the handlebar end. For example, when I went from 175mm cranks to 145’s, I needed to move the bottom bracket 3cm further out to keep the same leg length, which meant that on the backstroke, I had gained 3cm clearance at the bars just from moving the bottom bracket further out; PLUS, now my cranks were 3cm shorter, so I gained 6cm total of thigh clearance. If I had lengthened my cranks, I would have lost 2cm thigh clearance for every cm that I lengthened them.
I don’t know what length cranks you’re running now but if you could go shorter at all it will help with the thigh clearance and most likely allow you to get your arms straighter also.
Combining that with handlebars with the deepest drops and longest reach you can find (example Deda Newton) should get you at least close to where you want to be. (My bars are short reach/shallow drop since the shorter cranks alone gave me what I needed)
Hope that makes sense, I know it sounds counterintuitive but I do think it’s correct. If my logic is faulty I’m sure not averse to correction but it sure worked for me
Kline
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Lief
Guru Schmuru
@Leif
I was on vacation when this came in.
Back now and despite the interesting options (IMO) that @cpml123 and @ReklinedRider have provided already it seems you’ve not settled on a solution.
I have two bullhorn bars I’ll ship you if interested.
The longer option tho is the thinner clamp sizing - probably not useful for riding but you might try it for prototype sizing and fit?
I second @Bentas opinion with bullhorns though. Using brifters in the pistol-grip style left me, on V20, with too little strength in my ring/pinky finger around the base of the hood when braking in street riding conditions.
I MIGHT do it (likely) when I ever try to get this bike on a track/controlled race scenario but potholes and cars and hills at 45 mph was too sketchy.
I was on vacation when this came in.
Back now and despite the interesting options (IMO) that @cpml123 and @ReklinedRider have provided already it seems you’ve not settled on a solution.
I have two bullhorn bars I’ll ship you if interested.
The longer option tho is the thinner clamp sizing - probably not useful for riding but you might try it for prototype sizing and fit?
I second @Bentas opinion with bullhorns though. Using brifters in the pistol-grip style left me, on V20, with too little strength in my ring/pinky finger around the base of the hood when braking in street riding conditions.
I MIGHT do it (likely) when I ever try to get this bike on a track/controlled race scenario but potholes and cars and hills at 45 mph was too sketchy.
Eric Winn
Zen MBB Master
Nope. I like mine. I'm keeping them.
Did you check with Cruzbike? They might have some squirreled away somewhere.
Leif
Active Member
Thanks for the advice, Kline.
I think that before I go the shorter crank route, I'll continue with my quest for longer reach drop bars or bullhorns.
Interestingly, I was a little nervous at first when discovering that both the V20 and S40 are spec'd with 165 cranks. I'm used to 170 or longer on all my other bikes. But with the CB, I never really noticed any significant difference at all. Climbing, sprinting, cruising along... all seems just fine! I imagine at some point, I might notice something with really short cranks but for now, like everything else CB, I'm pleasantly surprised.
Leif
