cyclo cross 'suicide' levers

zaynan

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Cane_Creek_Crosstop_Brake_Lever_Set/5360012608/
Does anyone know if the above levers (that allow two sets of levers to control one brake caliper) will work just on their own? The pivot mechanism seems to pull the opposite way to what you would exect but I'm sure I've seen people using these without the brake levers on the drops.

Alternatively perhaps someone could recommend a similar brake lever that can be used with calipers please?

Jamey

I've got similar levers to that on my Tricross.

They push the outer plastic cable instead of pulling the inner metal wire. That's how they work. It's sort of like unscrewing a massive barrel adjuster really, really fast.

They actually work better than the normal levers, I think.

zaynan

But if you only have the one lever working the brake (instead of two) surely there is nothing to anchor the brake cable nipple to in the lever housing is there?

Big Red S

Yeah, it works.

The barrel on the end of the brake cable sits in what would be a cable stop if you had more brake levers.

ride_whenever

Should work, if the nipple does go through, just slot a metal end cap onto the cable and it'll certainly work then.

I have them and they work really nicely.

zaynan

ride-whenever - is this a 'bodge' then - are these levers 'officially' only to work in tandem with another brake lever...

Big Red S

Plenty of bikes are shipped with them like that OEM.

Whether you regard at as bodge or not is a different matter. It's quite neat and works.

zaynan

that's good enough for me!

andy_wrx

They're not 'suicide levers'

Those were a 1970's invention on drop bar brake levers, where there was a second lever operated from the tops, but rather than pulling the cable directly like the levers you're talking about, this lever extended across to the main brake lever and pushed it.

Except there was less lever movement than operating the normal brake levers from the hoods, which coupled with the steel rims common at the time meant that these brakes were bl**dy awful, hence the term 'suicide levers'

See Sheldon
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_i-k.html#interrupter
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_e-f.h ... sionlevers
- he has a snazzy photo of the levers you're talking about - calling them 'interrupter levers' - being used alone, without main levers on the hoods.
(as in fact does the Wiggle page you link to...)

They work fine - think about it, these levers are more or less the same as those fitted on MTB's

maddog 2

I've done it, like Big Red said.

I fitted them on the end of an aero bar.

avoidingmyphd

am I going insane? or is andy_wrx seeing something I can't?

I don't doubt these work as a standalone lever, but neither the Sheldon Brown page nor the Wiggle page have a picture of this - in both, there is a proper brake lever on the drops!

ride_whenever

have you ever used these avoidingmyphd (which, coincidentally is what i'm doing), they will work without the main lever because of how they are built. If you've got a pair then it is quite obvious that they will just due to construction.

andy_wrx

avoidingmyphd wrote:

am I going insane? or is andy_wrx seeing something I can't?

I don't doubt these work as a standalone lever, but neither the Sheldon Brown page nor the Wiggle page have a picture of this - in both, there is a proper brake lever on the drops!

No, you're right, it's me going insane.
:oops: :oops:

avoidingmyphd

yep, I use them (well, equivalent tektro ones) on my tourer. They make commuting in city traffic on drop handlebars a lot easier.

(to be clear: I agree that they don't need the main levers there to work. I was just querying andy_wrx's hallucinations. as I write this I just noticed that he knows what I meant!)