# bullhorn bars setup?



## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

I just swapped out the drop bars on my bike for some syntace bullhorns with a single crosstop lever for the front brake. I went with this just from seeing it on so many fixed gears on the internet and street.
I have maybe 30 miles on the new setup, and it feels off. It's not the same stem, the new one is a bit shorter on advice of the guy at the bike shop. I might slide me saddle back a bit...

the real question is on angling of the bars. I have the extensions more or less level right now. the little up turn at the end of the bars is too small for my hands. and on the extension part, if it's level it feels bad on my wrists.

any rule of thumb to start from when setting these up? perhaps refer me to a website?

I will post a picture sometime today hopefully.


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

jh_on_the_cape said:


> I just swapped out the drop bars on my bike for some syntace bullhorns with a single crosstop lever for the front brake. I went with this just from seeing it on so many fixed gears on the internet and street.
> I have maybe 30 miles on the new setup, and it feels off. It's not the same stem, the new one is a bit shorter on advice of the guy at the bike shop. I might slide me saddle back a bit...
> 
> the real question is on angling of the bars. I have the extensions more or less level right now. the little up turn at the end of the bars is too small for my hands. and on the extension part, if it's level it feels bad on my wrists.
> ...



You will have to play with them a while to figure out what is best for you. I ended up with a slight angle upward. I would put back on the old stem. Your reach will be the same except when you are all the way out on the ends of the bars. That is no further reach than if you were in the drops with your old bars.


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## avkid (May 28, 2005)

sliding your saddle back is bad because it will change the way your knees are over your pedals, at least that is what everyone says (kops) however, if you dont have your bike to a proper pedaling position to begin with i suppose it wont hurt if it will make you more comfortable. apparently kops isnt that important anyway according to a lot of people.


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## feathers mcgraw (Mar 15, 2002)

avkid's right. Saddle position shouldn't be adjusted to compensate for reach. Set the engine correctly first, then deal with reach by changing stems or frame size. Don't know about your bars, but mine are the exact length of drop bars plus STI levers, so I use the same stem.


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## timfire (Dec 13, 2001)

bigrider said:


> You will have to play with them a while to figure out what is best for you. I ended up with a slight angle upward. I would put back on the old stem.


Yeah, I like mine tilted upwards as well. It straightens out the wrist.

I also don't understand the "advice" to use a shorter stem. I use the stem as I did with drop bars.


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