Compatibility problem bullhorns and quill stem

[Ugo51]

Hi everyone,

Is it just me, or it is particularly difficult to find a stem and a bullhorn handlebar that fit?
I have two bullhorn handlebars and neither slides into the stem.
I could always convert the bike to a modern, two-piece, but I really like the quill stem better.

 

[legrandefromage]

pictures!

Most stem have crescents milled into the face to allow the twisty turns of bars to go through, some dont though

 

[Gtpulse]

As above pictures! If you’re not already it’s worth wedging the opening of the stem with an appropriate chunk of wood, I use bit of old doorstop, stops the bars getting scratched on the tighter fitting stuff.

 

[markoc]

Old trick was to put a penny in the open stem slot and tighten the bolt into it to force the clamp a little wider and get extra room for a wiggle. Bit of Vaseline to help against it getting silly stuck and scratching. If only threaded one side then put the bolt in backwards. Worked for me with mtb DH bars when first introduced but not tried it with road bars.

 

[DSH]

If the bullhorns are Cinelli they may be 26.4 diameter, if the stem is not Cinelli it is probably 26 or 25.8. If it is a Cinelli stem it may be a newer one and these are 26 as well. As others have said 26mm stems will work but it is a squeeze