I put together a fixed-wheel road bike some months ago.
I kept the old dropped handlebars until I was knocked off and the motorist's insurance was paying for the frame to be straightened.
While the bars were off I took a hacksaw to both ends and made bullhorns. I think I must have been bored that day.
My own personal jury is still out on them... Like... Don't Like.... Like.... Don't Like...
Initially I used a pair of hooded brake levers from the old drop bars, but the tight bends in the cables led me to swapping them for a pair of tri-bar brake levers (v cheap ones) that fit into the cut ends of the bars.
The cables are now better routed, but I really did like the feel of the old, hooded levers. They looked bizarre and slightly insect-like, but they worked and felt right.
The new ones are less pleasing to use and offer (even) fewer hand positions now that most of the handlebar is in the bin.
I accept 100% that I only cut the bars down because I'm a fashion victim who saw a couple of Shiftless Bastard clips on Youtube...
I have a terrible feeling that if I still had the original bars, they'd go back on with all their curves in place... although I won't admit that in public.
So... the question:
What do people think of d.i.y. bullhorns (by which I mean dropped bars cut short and inverted)?
Good idea? Bad idea? Last resort of the clueless fashion victim?
I feel something of a fool for having gone this way; honest replies will cause no offence.
I kept the old dropped handlebars until I was knocked off and the motorist's insurance was paying for the frame to be straightened.
While the bars were off I took a hacksaw to both ends and made bullhorns. I think I must have been bored that day.
My own personal jury is still out on them... Like... Don't Like.... Like.... Don't Like...
Initially I used a pair of hooded brake levers from the old drop bars, but the tight bends in the cables led me to swapping them for a pair of tri-bar brake levers (v cheap ones) that fit into the cut ends of the bars.
The cables are now better routed, but I really did like the feel of the old, hooded levers. They looked bizarre and slightly insect-like, but they worked and felt right.
The new ones are less pleasing to use and offer (even) fewer hand positions now that most of the handlebar is in the bin.
I accept 100% that I only cut the bars down because I'm a fashion victim who saw a couple of Shiftless Bastard clips on Youtube...
I have a terrible feeling that if I still had the original bars, they'd go back on with all their curves in place... although I won't admit that in public.
So... the question:
What do people think of d.i.y. bullhorns (by which I mean dropped bars cut short and inverted)?
Good idea? Bad idea? Last resort of the clueless fashion victim?
I feel something of a fool for having gone this way; honest replies will cause no offence.