Can you reach your brake levers...

[MrHappyCyclist]

OK, I know I'm new around here, but am I the only one who finds any answer other that "yes" to this question a bit scary?
For me making sure that I can reach my brakes and that they actually stop the bike is second only to making sure both wheels are in place.

It depends. Like Endoman, I have flats with bar-ends. When I am on the bar-ends, I can't reach the brakes, but I tend to use the bar-ends only when going uphill on a fairly clear road.

 

[Davidc]

I have 4 ride positions and the brakes accessible from 3:-

tops - I have a single crosstop lever, front brake only, to allow me to modulate without moving my hands
hoods - normal riding position and brakes easy to modulate or apply fully
hooks - bends of the drops and where I would choose to put my hands for descending, brakes easily accessible and very powerful
drops/straights - don't use often and requires hand moved forward a bit to reach brake lever

Much the same, but without the extra lever on the tops, but my utility bike (MTB) just has flat bars so yes all the time there.

If I need the brakes when my hands aren't on them the delay's so short it doesn't bother me.

 

[John90]

Never mind can I reach them, I ride my MTB and hybrid with my hands permanently covering them unless I'm pulling up a steep hill. Very risk averse, me. It's one of the reasons I don't like drop handlebars - can't get the same leverage on the brakes in any position.

 

[ColinJ]

Very risk averse, me. It's one of the reasons I don't like drop handlebars - can't get the same leverage on the brakes in any position.

Huh? I don't have particularly strong hands but I could easily lock the front wheel and send myself over the handlebars if I applied the brakes too fiercely! In fact, the braking is so good from the drops that I often only use my index fingers on the levers.

 

[BentMikey]

I normally ride covering my brake levers. Not always, but almost all of the time.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Yes thanks

 

[Norm]

Yup, from the 5 hand positions on drops, (tops, hoods, bends, drops and on the "horns") the addition of a set of cyclo-cross levers means I can reach the brakes from all except the bends.

And either set of levers offers enough power to lock a wheel if used clumsily.

 

[Lok169]

It depends. Like Endoman, I have flats with bar-ends. When I am on the bar-ends, I can't reach the brakes, but I tend to use the bar-ends only when going uphill on a fairly clear road.

Perhaps you can enlighten me, I've never used bar ends on any of my bikes, what's the advantage? Genuine question, not a dig.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

Perhaps you can enlighten me, I've never used bar ends on any of my bikes, what's the advantage? Genuine question, not a dig.

No offence taken.

In my case, the main reason is to get a variation of hand position. If I stay on the flat bar for too long, then the fingers in my right hand go numb (it's just age I guess). The bar ends allow me to move to a position where my palms are vertical, so the radius and ulna (forearm bones) aren't crossed over; much like with drops but without the drop, if you get my drift.

I also find this a good position when climbing hills, I think because it brings my elbows in to the sides and gives me a better position for pulling up on the bars.

You might say, why not get drops? Well, in my case, I have quite bad osteo-arthritis in my left hip, so my knee won't come up as far as it used to. If I went down onto drops, I wouldn't be able to pedal without moving my knee out to the side, which would cause other problems. Apart from that, many people just prefer a more upright position, especially for commuting in traffic.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

Blimey - I have cross top levers and I ALWAYS seem to have couple of fingers covering each one "just in case" - there have been plenty of "just in case's too"!!!!

 

[mickle]

Japanese fixed wheel messengers were getting ticketed for not having brakes on their bikes so they took to fitting working brakes - but by fitting the brake levers in out of the way places made it impossible to reach from the saddle. Neatly circumventiong the letter of the law and qualifying for The Darwin Awards in one fell swoop.

 

[sabian92]

I ride with 2 fingers on each lever all the time unless i'm riding up hill (and because I'm unfit, I'm slow) just in case. I don't see why you wouldn't - you drive with your right foot pretty close to the brake (on the accelerator, but still close), so why not on a bike?

 

[asterix]

If we are talking about town riding I'd agree, but out in the sticks there are often opportunities for cruising along with your hands on the tops. Just for a change of position if anything.

 

[endoman]

Perhaps you can enlighten me, I've never used bar ends on any of my bikes, what's the advantage? Genuine question, not a dig.

A lot of my commute is very light on traffic, I can get lower on the bar ends, move hand position, get a bit more streamlined. It helps me when climbing hills as well, especially when out of the saddle, lots of those on my commute to! Whenever there is traffic about I move to the normal grips so I can get at the brakes / cover them, but that's maybe only in 4 miles of the 15. I can put more effort in when on the bar ends on the flat as well.

Would probably be better with drops for the riding I do, but I didn't know that 6 weeks ago, at least I spent less than 300 quid and have a towpath / winter bike :-)

 

[abo]

OK, I know I'm new around here, but am I the only one who finds any answer other that "yes" to this question a bit scary?

For me making sure that I can reach my brakes and that they actually stop the bike is second only to making sure both wheels are in place.

I'm a n00b too but I don't find it scary. I don't drive my car with my foot covering the brake after all