Shifters / Brakes for bullhorn bars

[Jezston]

Hello there. Some of you may remember the thread about my ridiculous looking bicycle, a result of folly, drunkardness, and getting a flat barred hybrid before realising I really wanted a drop bar cyclocross bike.

https://www.cyclechat.net/

Yes it looks crazy, thank you we've been over all this already Since then it's altered slightly - I've flipped the stem (DON'T start!) and lowered the handlebars. As you can see from the above, I have mounted the flat bar brakes / quick release shifters at the end of the handlebars which surprisingly is a really comfortable way of riding as your hands are technically in the same position in relation to the mechanisms as they would be on the flats. However, what you do get is something that looks a bit daft, as well as FAR too long brake and gear cables resulting in regular readjustments and reindexing, and never 100% performance.

Back on the old thread, ways were looked at to replace the shifters/brakes (is there a word to describe the complete combined mechanism?), but at the time I couldn't afford it as I was thinking more about my next bike.

However, my next bike has had to be put on hold as I can't afford that just yet considering my demands keep increasing, so I think I'll spend a bit of money getting this one up to scratch, and start saving for something REALLY special for my next bike (plan: 3 speed SA hub cyclocross with disc brake at front, coaster at back, with lovely butted Mercian 831 frame). Also, I saw a chap on my ride home last night with bullhorn bars and drop-style levers and it looked pretty badass, so I have decided to actually go for it.

Conclusions from the previous thread seemed to be for the following (bear in mind I need to do this on the cheap):

1. STI 8-speed combined brake / shifters for the rear mech and front brake, possibly requiring travel agent for the brake, or not?
OR
1. SRAM combine brake / shifters for the rear mech as hand position may be awkward for pushing the lever right (makes sense).

2. Regular drop brake for the rear brake, possibly requiring travel agent.

3. Maybe also a bar end shifter for the front mech, although on my commute I never leave the middle ring so this will come later
OR
3. STI / SRAM brake/shifter for the front mech, possibly losing the granny ring which is fine as I never use it. Can I remove it?

Thoughts?
(apart from your thoughts on the bike's aesthetics!)

 

[NickM]

I wouldn't use Travel Agents. Terrible things, they are - unkind to cables and a constant faff.

I would get drop bars, road STI levers and a pair of road specific Avid cable disc brakes. It will look neat and work well.

You'll probably need a Shimano road front mech to work satisfactorily with road STI levers, unless you operate a triple lever over double rings, in which case the original derailleur's travel stops might take care of things for you.

 

[Jezston]

I think such dramatic changes are going to be well out of my budget! I'm looking to do just with the brake levers / shifters. Getting new bars, brakes and front mech is getting into new bike territory!

 

[chugsy]

Cheapest way as I see it (as I'm doing it now) is to use Tektro RL520 brake levers which are V/mech disk compatible (18 quid) and Dia Compe friction shifters (36 quid) - or mount the shifters onto something like this:

http://www.sjscycles...asp?pf_id=11040

will the ends of a bullhorn bar be able to accomodate brake levers and conventional shifters?  The bar end shifters would look alot cooler on the ends of the horns and be quite functional. 

 

[g00se]

OK - as a half way house, how about some Origin8 Road Ends and use the original levers on a flat bar:

here



Also, some firms make road levers for V-brakes (Tektro, Cane Creek etc) - google "road bike v-brake" - you could get some for £20 and then use 8-speed bar end shifters at the tip of the bullhorns.

And how about this? You'll need v-brake style flat levers or maybe you could rig something up with the levers above.

 

[g00se]

And if you think your Kona looks odd at the mo, I often see THIS thing knocking about this area.

 

[Jezston]

And how about this? You'll need v-brake style flat levers or maybe you could rig something up with the levers above.

Oh hey THAT looks great! See I thought bar end shifters would mean something sticking out of the top of the tubes, which I felt might look a little daft as well as being slightly cumbersome. That on the other hand looks perfect!

I'll have to see if there's some way of duplicating such a set up without having to order a pair of metal shims from the states that cost over $50!

 

[chugsy]

http://thinkcooper.com/Galleries/commute_gallery_large/images/IMG_8143.jpg

looks cool to me! It's not that expensive really.

 

[chugsy]

I think part of the drops experience is being able to access the brakes at the very least seeing as that is the position you'd be adopting for max speed. Using existing brakes levers on tops would put them uncomfortably out of reach for my liking. I see from your previous post that the brake levers and shifters are all in one units which rules out botching a mount elsewhere on the bar just for shifting - more expense for new shifters.

SJS has a pic of these drop bar ends fitted out with brake levers and tape - looks alright but you could probably find a proper drop bar on EBay for less (I won a bid for the wrong size (oversized) plus stem for a tenner).

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/images/products/18606pro_alt2.jpg

 

[g00se]

Oh hey THAT looks great! See I thought bar end shifters would mean something sticking out of the top of the tubes, which I felt might look a little daft as well as being slightly cumbersome. That on the other hand looks perfect!

I'll have to see if there's some way of duplicating such a set up without having to order a pair of metal shims from the states that cost over $50!

The trick is going to be finding plain mountain bike brake levers of the right bar diameter with the cables coming out of the back rather than the top (though that won't be a disaster as you can just look them back).

 

[Jezston]

Right. I've decided to go ahead and do this.

If possible, I would like to go for an arrangement something like this:

http://sweetbike.org/?p=180

If that's not acheivable using affordable, uk available parts, then a similar setup but with bar end shifters will do. Although I really like the look of that one!

Now I've been searching around and am a bit stumped in terms of what parts to order.

Only thing I know is that my handlebars are slightly wider than 20mm (21mm?) as the chap in the LBS who fitted the shifters to my new bars had to mill them out slightly to get them on - they wouldn't QUITE fit - and they were from 20mm Kona Riser handlebars.

Can anyone proffer any advice?

Thanks!

 

[PpPete]

Can anyone proffer any advice?

Thanks!

To my way of thinking that bar end shifter is upside-down. I've used them on bullhorns the other way up (the kink pointing down)
I combined them with old school non-aero drop bar brakes as I was after a cheap method on that one.

I think if I was using TT brake levers I'd get proper old MTB thumbshifters off fleabay and use those in preference to bar end shifter and Paul's mounts. I think the M732 is the one with 8 clicks for your 24 speed set up. The are not cheap even on fleabay though.

Or go fixed/ss and dispense with gear shifters altogether?

 

[Jezston]

Thanks - I've seen some suitable looking old mountain bike thumb shifters going quite cheap. Any idea what the standard handlebar diameter I can expect for these, or are they fairly adjustable? Done some measuring and it appears my bars are 22mm - seems the internal diameter would be fine for aero brakes, although if they are a little large I guess a rubber strip will be fine for bulking them out?

 

[MacB]

I know what you're trying to do but worry that you'll spend some dosh and not end up with something you're happy with. As your planned dream bike is a 3 speed then lots of gears don't seem to be the issue. If I was you I'd go:-

drop bars with brake only levers, if long pull is needed then the Tektro RL520 are excellent, for short pull then any aero lever you like.

shifting I'd look into a bar end/down tube shifter

I reckon you could cover off bars, levers, cables and shifters for about £70 all in. Other alternatives, I am currently dismantling and rebuilding a steel MTB I picked up at the tip for £4. It was a 6 speed triple with friction shifters mounted on the top(like thumbies), I plan on making it SS/Fixed. The drivetrain's knackered anyway but the shifters may be of use to you, they have an open clamp design so could feasibly be positioned in the style you envisage on bullhorns. I'll take some pics later and maybe someone more technical can advise if they'd work.

No charge, I'll cover the postage and, if we ever meet, you owe me a beer

 

[Jezston]

Now that would be ace! Really appreciate it!

I'm not too fussed if they don't cover the entire rage, I only use 3-8 on my rear cassette so that would be fine. I take it any thumb shifter would do, and it would just be about adjusting the derailleur to taste?

Think I'll stick with the bullhorn bars for now, though - I've seen suitable aero brake levers go for around £15 so them and some thumbies and I'm set!

THEN I start thinking about the 3-speed commutercross