Bull handlebars or traditional Drops

[ayceejay]

The drawback when riding fixed with drops with only one brake is the lack of a 'on the hoods' hand position especially now with the Avid type brakes. Bullhorns give you that position but denies you the full drop so you have to decide which is the most useful. You could also add tandem rear brake levers to drops. I use keirin type bars and one brake lever on my fixed but I only use it for a specific purpose.

 

[Rob3rt]

The drawback when riding fixed with drops with only one brake is the lack of a 'on the hoods' hand position especially now with the Avid type brakes. Bullhorns give you that position but denies you the full drop so you have to decide which is the most useful. You could also add tandem rear brake levers to drops. I use keirin type bars and one brake lever on my fixed but I only use it for a specific purpose.

I have only a single brake but installed both brake levers, I just locked the redundant one in the out position.

 

[thegravestoneman]

When I was riding fixed In the eighties I used upturned North road bars. They will be going on my next fixed when I find a suitable frame at the same time as I have a suitable cash flow.

 

[edindave]

While I was out today I got overtaken by a couple of riders at one point, and I made an effort to keep up with them. One was on a road bike and one on a fixed.
At first I thought the guy on the fixed was riding in the drops the whole time, but when I got closer at a junction I saw that he was on bull horns. It looked like a pretty efficient riding position. I'd have sworn he was on the drops. Perhaps he has the stem really low but when I was close to them at the lights it didn't look disproportionate. I think it might have been a Fuji feather but I didn't get close enough to eyeball the make.

 

[Rob3rt]

While I was out today I got overtaken by a couple of riders at one point, and I made an effort to keep up with them. One was on a road bike and one on a fixed.
At first I thought the guy on the fixed was riding in the drops the whole time, but when I got closer at a junction I saw that he was on bull horns. It looked like a pretty efficient riding position. I'd have sworn he was on the drops. Perhaps he has the stem really low but when I was close to them at the lights it didn't look disproportionate. I think it might have been a Fuji feather but I didn't get close enough to eyeball the make.

Some bullhorns (typically pursuit types) have a small amount of drop from the clamp area to the bullhorn section, this puts them somewhere between the hoods type ride position and the drops, see the below example (you can find more extreme examples).

 

[edindave]

I might look at something like those when I swap out the bars on my Macinato.

 

[getinthevan]

I took a hacksaw to my drops and turned them into bullhorns. I find it a lot more comfortable.
Holding the very ends of the 'horns' puts you in an aerodynamic position, and also makes hill climbing out of the saddle easier.
I kind of miss my drops, but purely for aesthetic reasons, which is stupid.

 

[Kies]

I'm on the lookout for some cheap (oversized) drops. The plan is to chop them and attach to my flat bar road hybrid. I prefer riding on the bar ends when braking not required so bullhorns look ideal (and very very cool)

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I took a hacksaw to my drops and turned them into bullhorns. I find it a lot more comfortable.
Holding the very ends of the 'horns' puts you in an aerodynamic position, and also makes hill climbing out of the saddle easier.
I kind of miss my drops, but purely for aesthetic reasons, which is stupid.

There you have it. I use bullhorns on fixed/ss on the road. I use the horns to get into a tuck when cruising or when 'honking'. I have a tt brake lever for the front brake on the end of the horn 'just in case' as well as the lever on the tops.

 

[TheBobidentity]

well thanks for the posts suggestions pics etc, it helped me make up my mind that I will get drops spoke to my builder today he is setting me up with a set of drops that have four levers just like my first roadbike over um 25yrs ago.
only problem is the paint wont match and he resprayed it which is great as it should look super clean but i wanted the old decals as a charm thing, any suggestions where i could get a set of peugot decals worth the money?
will post pics as soon as i get them

 

[Boris Bajic]

well thanks for the posts suggestions pics etc, it helped me make up my mind that I will get drops spoke to my builder today he is setting me up with a set of drops that have four levers just like my first roadbike over um 25yrs ago.
only problem is the paint wont match and he resprayed it which is great as it should look super clean but i wanted the old decals as a charm thing, any suggestions where i could get a set of peugot decals worth the money?
will post pics as soon as i get them

The bit in bold (my bold) is the key to it all.

I think that much of cycling is the joyful and never-ending quest for the delight on that first bike.

Carbon-fibroids, twelve-speed dolby cassettes, horizontal highschool drop-outs and self-calibrating uncorked bar tape are just details.

 

[jonny jeez]

I like the ones on my fixie for commuting, and on the drops at weekends.

Is that a mystic?

 

[derrick]

Is that a mystic?

Yup.

 

[TheBobidentity]

The bit in bold (my bold) is the key to it all.

I think that much of cycling is the joyful and never-ending quest for the delight on that first bike.

Carbon-fibroids, twelve-speed dolby cassettes, horizontal highschool drop-outs and self-calibrating uncorked bar tape are just details.

I totaly agree there have been several delays in the delivery of this bike, some weather related then paint related to be honest if it wasnt like the first road bike I owned(came off and gave myself a mouthful of stitiches and my parents a very nasty surprise) I would have walked away from it, been promised it for tomorrow, my birthday, hope it comes through would make all the letdowns worth it.

 

[TheBobidentity]

Well it didn't come through. Gutted ......... On the lookout for another fixied gear single-speed project thanks for the feedback and the chance to see what goes on