Hi jayt1234, You just found out the reason why this isn't a good combination. There is not enough distance between the lever and the bar for good brake actuation. I do think that is dangerous. If you look at the brake levers best suited for cowhorn, bullhorn or pursuit style base bars such as Profile, Syntace or the new Ritchey you have then you may notice they are shorter and straighter. These include the Syntace Space Lever (specifaically intended for pursuit base bars) and the Dia Compe 188 (originally intended for "commuter" bikes but adopted by Dan Empfield for use on pursuit style base bars). I think it might be worth while to try to find a deal on some bar-end shifters and Dia-Compe 188 brake levers. If you hang out at the right stores and buy them some coffee you might get a good hook-up.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Sure STIs will work on cowhorns, but they need to have the radical upturn that would be similar to the drops on a standard road bar. Mavic and Cinelli have this, but Profile and many others do not.

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