Your handlebars have a tremendous effect on your comfort, bike control, and your speed, so you must choose wisely. Drop bars and bullhorn handlebars are excellent for racing as they keep you in an aerodynamic position, but which one is right for you in a choice between bullhorn vs drop bars?
Bullhorn bars offer three primary and two secondary hand positions, better road visibility, and more climbing power than drop bars. On the other hand, drop bars have three primary and three secondary hand placements, are more aerodynamic, and better in sprints and descends than bullhorn handlebars.
With that slight overview of these handlebars, let’s dig deeper to uncover their pros and cons and help you choose between them.
Bullhorn Vs Drop Bars (How Do They Compare?)
Both handlebars are good options for cyclists who want to ride faster. However, let’s compare them to see how each fares in different aspects.
Bullhorn Vs Drop Bars Comparison Table
| Features | Bullhorn Handlebars | Drop Bars |
| Hand Placement | Five positions | Six positions |
| Aerodynamics | Less aerodynamic than drop bars | Supports aerodynamic position |
| Climbing power | More out-of-the-saddle climbing power and leverage | Lesser out-of-the-saddle climbing power and leverage |
| Visibility | Better road visibility | Reduced road visibility |
| Sprinting | Good for uphill sprinting | Remarkable speed |
| Descending Power | Average | Superior |
1. Hand Positions
A standard bullhorn handlebar offers five hand positions (three are primary and two are secondary), with the main ones being the top, drop, and hood. On the other hand, the secondary positions are the sides and curves.
Meanwhile, drop bars have six hand positions (three are primary and three are secondary). The primary ones are the tops, hoods, and drops.
On the other hand, the secondary ones are:
- underneath the hoods
- The sides (the area between the tops and hoods)
- The curves (the area between the tops and the sides)
Depending on their perspective, some people could argue that the drop bars sides are primary hand positions.
Verdict: You get more hand placement from drop bars, giving you one extra primary position and a few other secondary ones. Therefore, they are the best choice if you wish to reduce joint stress during long rides.
2. Aerodynamics
You can flatten your back and get much lower on drop bars because of the drops, thus making you more aerodynamic. On the contrary, you can’t go too low or flatten your back on bullhorn bars, so they are less aerodynamic.
However, pursuit handlebars (a variation of bullhorn bars) are the exception since they have built-in drops. However, their drops aren’t as low; hence you still won’t be as aerodynamic.
If pursuit bars appeal to you, Venzo Fixie Bike Bullhorn Pursuit Handlebars (View on Amazon) are quality options. They have an ergonomic design, compatible with standard brakes, ideal for a fixed-gear road track bike, and are durable and robust.
While bullhorn bars aren’t as aerodynamic as drop bars, they still allow you to ride with an efficient aerodynamic posture by tucking in and bending your elbows. However, it’s challenging to maintain this position for long.
Verdict: drop bars have the edge over bullhorn handlebars regarding aerodynamics. Therefore, they are your best option to maximize your speed unless you have a time trial bicycle since such bikes typically use aero bars or bullhorns.
3. Descending
Drop bars are superior to bullhorn handlebars during descends because they let you get low, avoiding the wind. Moreover, if the brakes are fitted on the hood, you can easily access them and press the brakes with your strongest fingers (the index and middle fingers).
In addition, lever activation happens from the low end, offering the ultimate leverage.
However, the fact that drop bars excel in descends doesn’t mean bullhorn bars are terrible when riding downhill.
Verdict: drop bars perform better when descending.
4. Climbing
You receive plenty of leverage from the horns of a bullhorn bar during out-of-the-saddle climbing. This is because you can insert more pulling force, helping you produce more power.
Single-speed and fixed-gear cyclists value this characteristic since not having low gears compels them to get up from the saddle when climbing.
On the contrary, a bike with sufficient low gear doesn’t require the leverage given by bullhorns because you won’t need to ride out of the seat.
While the drop bars’ hoods can facilitate out-of-the-saddle climbing, their thickness and shape make doing so uncomfortable.
Verdict: bullhorn handlebars win in out-of-the-saddle climbing.
5. Visibility
Bullhorn bars offer better visibility because you don’t go as low as you would on drop bars. This means you assume a more upright position, which helps you see the road better and makes you more visible to other road users as well.
However, this peculiarity does not apply if you get into an aero position.
Verdict: bullhorn handlebars provide more visibility.
6. Shifters
You can install brake shifters on drop bars, which combine a shifter and a brake lever in one. Due to this, you can shift gears and engage the brakes without removing your hands from the handlebar hoods.
This isn’t possible with bullhorn handlebars. These bars typically have the following shifters:
- Downtube Shifters- they are famous for retro road bicycles.
- Bar-end shifters- it’s a comfortable solution because shifting doesn’t require significant hand movements.
- Shifters fixed on the bar tops- people occasionally install shifters on the bar tops. An example of these shifters is the Shimano A050.
Verdict: The shifting set-ups of bullhorn handlebars don’t offer the level of stability, precision, and speed provided by brake-shifters. Therefore, drop bars emerge as the winners in shifting, but remember, brake-shifters cost more.
7. Braking
Both handlebars feature a default brakes position. However, bullhorns use tiny brake levers fixed on the bar tops and/or reverse-pull brakes placed on the bar horns, while drop bars use levers mounted on the bar hoods.
The brakes on drop bars are accessible from two positions- the hoods when cycling in medium speed and the drops when descending or riding aggressively.
On the other hand, you can only access bullhorn bar brakes from the horns or the tops, depending on the location of the brake levers. However, you can upgrade the brake access by installing levers on the horns and the tops.
Verdict: when it comes to the default brake positioning, drop bars are better because they offer two access locations.
8. Compatibility With Front Rack
Bullhorn and drop handlebars aren’t front rack-friendly because the bars’ shape limits the quantity of cargo you can transport. However, bullhorn bars are better because they do not have drops minimizing the transported cargo’s width.
However, the horns of bullhorn bars extend a lot, making carrying bulky and tall items difficult.
Verdict: The additional cargo clearance makes bullhorns slightly more compatible with front racks than drop bars.
9. Rear Mirror Installation
You can install a rear mirror in various locations, including the drops, bar-ends, and close to the hoods if you have drop bars.
On the other hand, bullhorn handlebars offer limited positions, with the most logical spot for a mirror being the horns. However, this will compromise with the horns usage.
Verdict: drop bars are better if you want to mount bar mirrors.
10. Sprinting
Drop bars are unmatched when it comes to speed since they are more aerodynamic. However, bullhorn handlebars offer more comfort in uphill sprints.
Verdict: drop bars are the obvious choice for maximizing your sprint times.
11. Weight
Both handlebars weigh pretty much the same with slight variations, depending on the size and material size.
Verdict: It’s difficult to claim that one weighs more or less than the other.
12. Skidding
Both handlebars perform equally for skidding, although some cyclists prefer bullhorns since the horns provide grip security and more leverage.
Verdict: Bullhorn bars slightly outshine drop bars in skidding.
Bullhorn Vs Drop Bars: Which One Suits You?
While both handlebars are quality bike components with plenty to offer, you can see from the above comparison that they also differ. Therefore, the choice between them will boil down to your riding style.
For instance, if you want to sprint at high speeds or descend effortlessly, drops bars will help you achieve that. On the other hand, bullhorn bars are ideal for mountain climbing or off-road riding.
Moreover, bullhorn handlebars offer more comfort than drop bars because they let you ride in a more upright position. Therefore, they are the better choice if you want to ride fast without flattening your back entirely.
Drop bars are suitable for urban/track and road bikes because they provide superior aerodynamics. On the contrary, bullhorns are perfect for fixed gear, commuter, road, and single-speed bikes.
FAQs
1. Are Drop Bars Worth It?
Drop bars are perfect for track racing because they offer the best aerodynamics, which lowers drags, helping you sprint faster. In addition, the handlebars are popular since they are highly versatile, efficient, and look fabulous.
These bars suit cyclists who bike on paved city roads and practice road racing.
2. Are Bullhorn Handlebars Good?
Bullhorn handlebars are good bicycle bars that offer immense flexibility and stability when cycling aggressively. They perform well on the road and off-road, are aerodynamic, helping you cycle fast, and are excellent for climbing.
Moreover, these bars are exceptionally aesthetically appealing, sporting a cool, stylish, sassy, and edgy look.
3. Are Drop Bars Good For Commuting?
Drop bars are good for commuting because they are highly aerodynamic, thus allowing you to attain high speeds. They also provide great leverage for sprinting and are excellent during descends.
In addition, you can easily navigate high-traffic, tight locations with them because they aren’t too wide.
4. Are Drop Handlebars Uncomfortable?
Drop bars aren’t uncomfortable, but you’ll need to get accustomed to their riding style. In addition, these bars provide multiple hand positions, so you can easily switch between them during long rides for variety and comfort.
Moreover, the bars and hoods offer an intuitive hand position.
4. Are Drop Bars More Dangerous?
Drop bars can be more dangerous than bullhorn handlebars because they flatten your back and let you ride lower, keeping your eyes fixated on the ground. This limits your road visibility, making you susceptible to accidents.
However, once you get used to using them, you can keep your eyes forward while cycling.
5. Are Drop Bars Bad For Your Back?
Drop handlebars can strain your back if you ride for a long time without switching the position of your hands. However, this shouldn’t be a problem since these bars offer three secondary and three main hand positions.
Conclusion
From this bullhorn vs drop bars comparison, it’s clear that these handlebars are capable but built for different purposes. Therefore, knowing what you want your bike bar to do helps you pick the most appropriate of these two.
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