MYMMV

A newbie, in fact I think this is my first post.
I recently bought a used Felt Brougham that I've been riding the heck out of, but want to make a few changes.
I want to change my riser bars to Nitto RB001 bullhorns and bar end brake levers seem very cool. The web site that has the Nitto bars sells Tempra Doubler brake levers, so one lever controls both brake calipers. Seems like a cool concept, but I'm wondering if anyone has tried them and how well they work.
I tried the forum search function but it doesn't seem to work.
Also, does anybody have experience purchasing from Track Supermarket?
Thanks!

hairnet

Do you have one hand?

SquidPuppet

Having the ability to operate the front and rear brakes individually is a vastly superior option. VASTLY.

79pmooney

Operating front and rear brakes from the same control that doesn't have an anti-lock feedback system like a car has major problems for bikes. Say the set-up brakes the font 60% and rear 40%. Fine for a gradual stop. But a pedestrian steps n front of you, you hit the brake hard and your weight is thrown forward on to the front wheel and lifted off the rear wheel. With any rear braking at all, never mind 40% of the total, the rear wheel will lock up since there is little weight on it.

I believe most of the dual control levers are used for tandems where it may operate both a rim brake and a drum brake. With two rim brakes and a drum brake, you are starting to run out of hands.

Ben

rreahard

this!!

heymatthew

Unless you only have one arm/hand, I'd suggest running both brake levers. I know a lot of people here run no brakes at all or only a front brake, but if you're planning on putting a brake on each wheel, run a lever to each.

franswa

Maybe you can even add some sort of hybrid brake at the bottom bracket for a third brake, all controlled by a single lever.

FakeFuji

I am interested in the reverse, two levers for one brake

TejanoTrackie 

This already exists. A regular drop lever plus a cross pass-through lever.

oouellette

I've actually done this with a single speed conversion and it worked surprisingly well. I was able to use barrel adjusters to modify when the brakes engaged, so a 1/4 pull would brake light on the rear wheel and not touch the front, a 1/2 pull would brake firm on the rear and light on the front, a 3/4 pull would brake hard on the rear and firm on the front, etc... it was actually quite nice. I used the Paul Comp. one, however.

hairnet

Sounds like it will take no effort to lock up the rear wheel in a quick stop situation. No bueno

Also, how do you not fall off that saddle when you ride?

oouellette

I never had an issue locking up - although I only had this bike for a few months. This photo was taken when it was ~ 30 degrees out and not riding.

street_sweeper

i did this with a cross lever and a tt lever mounted at the end of my drops to give me a cleaner look and let me have a lever when im in the drops

veganbikes

One of the new Fuji Crossturds (Towns) has one lever for both brakes and at the shop we install special power modulator noodles to make the front brake almost not work just so nobody kills themselves on it.

Doubler type brake levers are a bad idea unless you are disabled in some way and have issues operating two different levers but it doesn't sound like that is you. If you can operate two levers you should get two levers it will vastly improve your braking. People who put one lever on TT bars are silly as it looks very odd. I have two different levers for two different brakes and it looks much cleaner and sensible. If you are super concerned about looks the S500 levers from SRAM are pretty skinny, look clean and aero and work quite nicely.