Choice of bars

I've been using the Nitto bullhorns for a while. My first choice of bars since acquiring a gear-less bike, they make me feel like I'm riding on the hoods of a pair of Campagnolo Ergolever brifters :)

Increasingly I've been using the centre of the bars near the stem, longing for a brake up there rather than the TT style lever on the end of the right-bullhorn.

So yesterday I placed an order with Will @ Hubjub for the Nitto B-123AA bars so I can ride the centre and the drops.

A few questions now...

What do you all use and find most comfortable? Have you tried both horns and drops?
On the brake front, should I just be looking for a BMX lever for my front brake?
Why is it that front brakes are fixed to the left hand? Is it just so that with a single brake you can still signal right?
My bullhorns didn't strike the top tube flat on when the bars were turned, does having drops make a top tube protector more essential?
Does anyone have the Brooks leather bar tape, and is it worth the money?

I ride with On-one Mungo moustache bars. In fact, I built my bike around the bars rather than the other way round. I find the moustache very special - it offers a lot of riding positions from laid-back to extreme, and they also attract a lot of "nice handlebars" comments :) The only downside is they are a bit wide, so squeezing past buses can be a little hairy. I used to ride on a pair of homemade bullhorns as a kid (cut-off drop-bars) and I still think they're the most practical bar for city riding - but the moustache is more fun.

Bar tape? I don't use it, I just wear Rapha criterium gloves instead.

Just found this gorgeous leather top tube protector at a mere $12 it would be worth it even with P&P.
http://www.velo-orange.com/toptupr.html

Really simple, and I prefer the idea of a piece of leather over a Kashimax protector.

I'm also currently looking to put a front brake on my bike (I'm new to fixed riding and am still setting up my ride) and have generally found that bmx levers are too small for my bars (I also use Nitto Bulls).
I've just ordered some Cane Creek Cyclocross levers from Wiggle which should fingers-crossed fit, without having to use a hose-clip as I'm doing with an old MX lever :-P

beatznbobbz:I'm also currently looking to put a front brake on my bike (I'm new to fixed riding and am still setting up my ride) and have generally found that bmx levers are too small for my bars (I also use Nitto Bulls). I've just ordered some Cane Creek Cyclocross levers from Wiggle which should *fingers-crossed* fit, without having to use a hose-clip as I'm doing with an old MX lever :-P

Are these the Cane Creek levers?
http://www.canecreek.com/crosstop_lvr.html

It says that they're of the pass-through variety to be used alongside existing brifters/levers... are you just going to cut off excess cable and hope there's no slippage?

that's what I was planning but have just canceled the order as I'm having a separate issue with my forks I wanna suss first :-/

Sheldon Brown on the Harris Cyclery site says it's possible to use cross levers without the drop levers, though I couldn't find any examples of this being done or an indication of what should be done with the excess cable. There's no internal cable-end grip on cross levers, and that's the bit that would make me feel good. I flip flop and if I'm riding single-speed my front brake is all I've got. Knowing that even a bumbled install would still stop you is kinda necessary for me (says he who hath bungled several such simple tasks over the years).

I'd rather go for a diacompe dirty harry or goldfinger tight up against the stem.
they'll fit road bars.

I use a bmx lever taken from my cruiser, I had to stretch it out and use a longer bolt to force it to fit.

regarding sides, I have it on the right as I'm used to my single brake on BMX being on the left for a rear brake, so as my legs are the rear brake on the fixie, I can stil signal whilst braking.

I only really use the hand brake in emergencies or when I'm tired.

velocity boy: What do you all use and find most comfortable? Have you tried both horns and drops? On the brake front, should I just be looking for a BMX lever for my front brake? Why is it that front brakes are fixed to the left hand? Is it just so that with a single brake you can still signal right? My bullhorns didn't strike the top tube flat on when the bars were turned, does having drops make a top tube protector more essential? Does anyone have the Brooks leather bar tape, and is it worth the money?

Drops are preferred by me, after using bullhorns and drops.
Look for a lever that works and is comfortable.
My front brake is on the RHS. It varies in different countries, probably because of the signalling thing. The cable run is shorter when it's mounted on the right and I prefer my strong (right) arm on the bars. Signalling comes 'after' safety, ie. I only signal if it's safe to do so.
Top-tube protectors are kinda ugly but having scratch the new powder-coat off Vegemite I can see their benefits. Taped bars shouldn't mark though unless you crash, in which case you have more to worry about than top tube paint.
Brooks saddles hurt my arse, I ain't buying their bar tape! :)

hth

Found BMX levers work great with Nitto bars (have plain 123s). Note that BMX levers come in 22.2 and 25.4 clamp diameters so make sure you get one that fits. Dirty Harry/Goldfingers are fine little levers. Currently have a crud Tektro MX lever that I keep meaning to replace but its being going strong for years.

Most levers are on the left hand side to make signalling easier. Theres a lot of literature that says you should use your weaker hand with the more powerful brake to prevent endos; so lots of new bikes come with the 'front brake on the left. Believe this only make sense if you're completely new to biking.

Much prefer drops to bullhorns, although bullhorns make skidding much easier.

I find that track drops are incredibly uncomfortable on the street and much prefer bullhorns. I find that the horns allow you to pull up really well when moving off from lights or up hills, whereas I can't find a comfortable position on drops except, well, in the drops.

At the moment I am mainly using risers though, which I find are pretty comfy and make the bike feel like a supersize BMX.

Mind you, I've just set up some road drops with a riser stem and two aero levers. It is really comfy and the best set up for skidding that I have found so far. Plus I can bust skids with a Carradice Bagman on my saddle!

I'm using a diatech dirty harry which i picked up from Edwardes in Camberwell/Walworth Road on road drops. Wanna try some risers and or track drops though. Spend most of my time hands in the centre. Never tried bullhorns, but they dont appeal that much. I much prefer the look of the cyclocross levers than the real chunky bmx levers.

velocity boy:Just found this gorgeous leather top tube protector at a mere $12 it would be worth it even with P&P. [http://www.velo-orange.com/toptupr.html](http://www.velo-orange.com/toptupr.html)   Really simple, and I prefer the idea of a piece of leather over a Kashimax protector.

Hi velocity boy thanks for the invite you sent through my blog.

I actually make and sell leather top tube frame protectors. I've sold quite a few to friends and over the internet.

I make the full length ones similar to R.E.Load frame protectors or I make the shorter ones similar to the velo-orange/kashimax ones. How I market them, is the fact that it doesnt need to be fixed using thread and needles. It can be attached and taken off quite easily. Take a look and tell me what you think.
Thanks

The shorter one I've made with the world championship coloured dots. Sorry its not a close up, I'll try and post a picture tomorrow.

Wow, how much are you charging for the full length honey leather variant? I could totally be up for buying one of those :)

I'm gonna be a Herne Hill Jumble with some. I'm all out of honey coloured at the moment. I'll try to get some soon. Looking for about £19, but they are treated with Beeswax Leather Waterproofer and with leather as you may well know gets better with age!

No honey though. I have a bright yellow bike with virtually no black, so that's a bummer.

When you get the honey in, you have a sale. And if you make them to order (so it fits my enormous frame nice and snug) then even better.

velocity boy:No honey though. I have a bright yellow bike with virtually no black, so that's a bummer. When you get the honey in, you have a sale. And if you make them to order (so it fits my enormous frame nice and snug) then even better.

Tell me your top tube dimensions, and I'll get it ready!

Going back to bars and brakes

For bullhorns TT levers at the end.

While I'm cruising on a fixed, my hands will be placed near the stem, but I'll be going slow enough to brake with my legs. However if I'm using the bullhorns in the manner they were built for, grabbing the sides and sprinting, then I would need the brake lever(s) to be up near the top, like the TT style levers.

But as Akeem has quoted somewhere, bullhorns "are gay". Good for all day riding, but a bit ugly if you ride retro steel.

Riding drops with a cross top lever? Then look no further than Paul Components.

They simply make the most beautiful lever. Machined from aluminium billlet, with a bolt on design, functional and beautiful.

they're nice,
but what's the damage though?

OMG! PONiES!

after a bit of deliberation i think i'm going to revert back to track drops from chooped down risers, so I'm on the lookout for some nice shiny, narrow, (and cheap!) track drops...

also after seeing dexterflexters nice leather bits, think it's time to replace my inner tube wrapped toptube too.
dexterflexter - could you do them in any other attachment?
would prefer it to be semi permanent so the little scrotes out east can't run off with it from outisde the pub

Oh nice levers!

Anyone know of any nice black track drops which dont cost loads?

Trackstar has black powerdercoated nittos you can order. Don't expect to get em any time soon if you do order though. PS the goldfinger is a shitty lever, don't bother. Get a bmx one they're much nicer. The gf feels mushy and doesn't give you much stopping power no matter how well it's set up.

What about all these V-compatible brakes... not going to work with nice Campag road callipers are they?

So I'll probably end up with a Paul lever, they're about as simple as they get and at least theirs state that they're calliper compatible.

And where's the compatibility anyway? The amount of leverage and force applied? Likelihood of endo'ing when using V-brake levers? Stuff like that?

velocity boy:What about all these V-compatible brakes... not going to work with nice Campag road callipers are they? So I'll probably end up with a Paul lever, they're about as simple as they get and at least theirs state that they're calliper compatible. And where's the compatibility anyway? The amount of leverage and force applied? Likelihood of endo'ing when using V-brake levers? Stuff like that?

its all about the amount of cable they pull from what i understand