Road racing brake levers for hybrid ??

[BADGER.BRAD]

I wish to put road racer style brake levers on my hybrid (a courier classic) I always ride on the long bar ends which have a kink in the top (normal levers get angled away from the bars). I don't really want the cables sprouting the top of the levers so wondered exactly where they run on the type of levers that have the cables hidden. Any info or would be appreciated.

Many Thanks all.

 

[Tollers]

Erm....maybe that second bottle of vino was too much, but that sounds mental!

 

[accountantpete]

Do you mean bar-end levers?

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Hello Accountantpete,

Never even thought of bar end levers have vageley seen them on pics.Do they come in a cable hiddy sort of setup ? At the moment I pull the brakes usining the end of the levers in the normal position with just the end my middle finger ( if that makes any sense) and of course cannot get alot of pressure on the things.The gears (only one front chainwheel) I can change up/down by just rocking the heal of my hand.
Heres a pic

 

[Steve Austin]

Better off fitting some road bars like these

and some drop levers tbh

 

[Steve Austin]

link for the bars in case you want them http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=37930

 

[Steve Austin]

you could just fit these levers http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=13672

but they'll look real scruffy on the bar ends

 

[John Ponting]

Looks a strange setup to me. Normally the gear shifter mounts inboard of the brake clamp and is operated by the thumb - leaves more room for access to the brake lever. Mounted conventionally I can get 3 fingers on my brakes but normally only use 2.

 

[John Ponting]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shifter_(bicycle_part)


shows various lever positions and alternatives.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

That’s how the bike came originally John but I find holding on the bars ends much more comfortable so switched the gear change to were I could reach it rather than having to take my hands on and off the bars ( lots of gear changes around here as live in a up hill down dale sort of area) As my commute is rather short 2.5 or 6ish miles I tend to ride like a maniac( it is a courier style bike!) so could really do with brakes I can reach well without taking hands on and off the bars. Not worried about looks at all only function so the brakes in the pics would do fine and are a good price I think that’s what I will end up getting. Last but not least the bull horn bars! I had a set on a fixie I used to own but found them very narrow for my on/off road style lacking the leverage of the wider MTB style bars, if they made them wider that would be my first choice. I even thought of doing what I did to my last winter hack and sliding the brakes (upside down) over the bar ends this put them instantly in reach but did look very very strange I may even go that route again.

 

[John Ponting]

^ OK.

Steve suggested some bars up above and you might look at some of the levers made for aero or time trial bars although you might have problems with cable travel if you bike has V brakes.

http://www.totalcycling.com/images/image/19130_121832.jpg

http://www.highonbikes.com/blackwell-aero-alloy-time-trial-brake-levers.html

http://www.parker-international.co.uk/c/82/Brake-Levers.html

Just seen Dia Compe levers that claim to work with V brakes

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/categ...ers/product/dia-compe-287-v-brake-levers-8946

 

[Tollers]

Really unusual set-up. Will be interested to see how you got on. Personally I like steve's suggestion of the new bars with road levers.

 

[MacB]

BB, I know where you're coming from and would suggest a look at my Flikr account:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37729119@N08/

I've found that a bit of waggling will get any clamp style controls round the bends in butterfly or north road style bars. There's quite a variety of bendy/moustache bars to choose from, just need to take care that they have the correct diameter for your controls. Though a step drill should be able to take you from MTD diameter to road diameter. You'll see pictures of my Giant with the latest incarnation of the butterflies and the previous effort, that led to this, with north road style. Both versions have bar ends located inboard and, the latest butterfly option, means controls are accessible from 3 positions.

My testing of the latest setup is giving me very positive feedback. The inboard bar ends are 44cm apart and would equate to the hoods position on drop bars. But, rather than having your flats inside of this, as on drops, I have them outside. Plus there is then the corner and side position, reach for sides is kept similar to flats due to extra width. It has crossed my mind that I could actually cut off the open flat part of the butterflies now as I don't really use them anymore. I can brake and change gear from bar ends, flat and corner and I can brake only from the sides.

I did consider that I could have achieved similar with a wide flat bar, inboard bar end facing forwards, controls, grips and then outboard bar end facing backwards. but it all comes out a little too straight, the bendy bits in moustache/butterfly/northroad make for more pleasant hand positions and easier multiple access to controls. I've also discovered that I find it much easier to move a hand forward to find a control than to bring it back. My first attempt with the northroads was only a partial success due to the amount they sweep back and the ones I used are quite narrow(53cm at widest). The main side position was very comfy but reduced reach significantly. The flattish option was too narrow and, when sides were comfy, the bar ends bit was too stretched out and narrow with no access to controls. Good for a straight road into a headwind but that was it.

Due to clamp space this only worked when I switched to dual controls rather than seperate brake and shifter clamps, as the bar ends takes up clamp space as well. When I'm happy with setup I also have a set of Deore MTB STI's which could make shifting possible from 4 hand positions. By positioning the controls around front bend of the butterflies the cables naturally exit towards front wheel, like the gear cables from a Shimano STI. Like you I'd tried mounting the controls on bar ends and it just didn't work, aesthetically or practically.

This article from Sheldons site was the source of inspiration for all this:-

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Your set up is brilliant Macb absolutely loads of positions for you hands, you have obviously put allot of thought into this. I take it you cover some distance?

 

[MacB]

Your set up is brilliant Macb absolutely loads of positions for you hands, you have obviously put allot of thought into this. I take it you cover some distance?

Been slack through injury and job change recently but still clocked up 5k for the year. Without the interruptions would have been around 8k, nearly all on butterflies, so I know my hand positions

The problem, as you well know, is the stupid difference of 1.6mm in bar diameters and the dominace of plain flat bars. I don't know about you but I find the standard flat bar hand position to be the least comfortable of the lot. I'd go so far as to say that I wouldn't be cycling an upright bike if that was the only option.

Another bar worth a look is the Titec H Bar, which is a cheaper(£50-60ish) version of the Jeff Jones H Bar(a staggering $450). I like the Titec one but it is really limited for clamping space without interferring with hand grips. I'm using mine for my Karate Monkey 29er build and with MTB STI's to limit it to one clamp point only. Though I'll be running that as a 1x9 so will only have shifting on my right hand. This will offer 4 rideable hand positions but only two of them able to access the controls.

You can put in extra controls if you want to run a cable doubler, so that you can operate one brake/shifter from two levers. Pauls do an open lever cross type brake that can operate either road or v type brakes. But they're $100 a pair, then the cost of the cable doublers, and you're looking at a £150 extra solution.