Elbeinlaw

I have one bike with a straight handlebar with extensions (I think of them as climbing extensions) and another with a straight bar that I want to add the extensions to. The question I have is: can I put brake levers at the end of the extensions? I found with the one bike with extensions that if I'm riding with my hands on the extensions, it takes me some time to get down to the handlebar brake levers. Maybe only .00s of a second, but that's enough to get run over. If I can, are there particular brake levers that I should be looking for? And (separate question) should I be looking at those combination shifters/brake levers? Both of my bikes are essentially hybrid/"comfort" bikes, and I won't be entering the Tour this year on either of them (or anything else) (ever).

70sSanO

The only way I can see it working is to put your main brake levers on the extensions and get inline/inturupter levers and put them where the brakes normally go.

The cable routing might get a little funky.

John

alcjphil

If you use the extensions mainly when you are climbing, it would be dangerous to have them on the extensions for normal riding. You are usually moving much slower when you are going uphill

fietsbob

Knew a guy making Recumbents with under the seat steering , He bored out the end of the bar end for bar end shifters on a drill press..

used an MTB type brake lever..
there are reverse levers that go in handlebar ends too. likely need similar prep.

icemilkcoffee 

The other way is to use TT/reverse brake levers on the extensions, and interrupter/inline brake levers where the brakes normally go. The cable routing would be neat.

Elbeinlaw

Thanks for all of the responses. I'll be looking into all of this. Having come back to cycling after an absence of 10 years, the changes in technology are unbelievable. Maybe there were "interruptor/inline brake levers" back 10 years ago, but I never heard about it.

fietsbob

Guidonnet Brake levers classic

bwilli88 

Pics would help.
This is mine with out brake levers on the extensions.

Geekage

Since interrupter levers are usually designed for the tops of road bike drop handlebars, they're usually normal pull, like for sidepull or cantilever brakes. If you have linear pull brakes (V-brakes)- which I'd assume on a flat bar bike- then the levers are likely to bottom against the bar. Likewise with the TT/reverse levers.

Also, not many interrupter levers are made for a mtb bar clamp diameter (7/8" or 22.2mm), so you might need to shim them down from 25.4, 26.0, or 31.8mm. External clamp TT/reverse levers would probably also need to be shimmed down. If buying internal expander levers, make sure they fit within the extensions (bar ends), especially if dealing with a curve on the end.

If you do do go this route and get interrupter levers that are are linear pull, maybe think about getting another pair to use as reverse levers too. Paul Component levers are adjustable for regular or linear pull, but they are a bit expensive, especially if you're buying two pairs.

If you have cable operated disc brakes, they too are designed for either road pull or mountain/linear pull. Assuming you have linear pull on a mountain bike, it would probably be cheapest to get cheap regular pull interrupter and TT/reverse levers and change to road pull calipers.

If you have hydraulic disc brakes, then hope they're Shimano, then you can use the GRX interrupter levers. I don't know of any other hydraulic interrupter levers.

So, is this something you really want to invest in? Maybe decide how you'll be riding most- hands on the bars or the extensions- and deal with brake levers only there. As alcjphil said, usually if you're on the extensions you're climbing (or accelerating) and might not need to stop as quickly. Or ride with one hand on the extension and the other on the bar.

I feel for you. I bought a multiposition handlebar and also couldn't deal with not having a brake right under my hand, so I went back to a drop handlebar (well, there were other reasons too). Other bikes where I like the hands on the extension position, I just got bullhorn bars and put a lever on the end.

fietsbob

One year's UCI Cyclocross world champion ship race was won by a German who bodged together a top mount brake set
with it's own cables
added to the regular drop bar brakes. so 2 cables pulling each brake..

(& you think you have a hard time setting up your cantilever brakes?)

This was longer than 10 years ago.. Like in the latter 90's

I have a set of Pauls top mount levers I didn't use , I'd resell ..