Bicycle Mechanics - third and fourth brake levers

I saw a specialized road bike with an additional pair of levers on the top of the handlebar, which actuate the regular brakes- What are these called, where can I get them and how can I hook them up?

Originally posted by FOG
I saw a specialized road bike with an additional pair of levers on the top of the handlebar, which actuate the regular brakes- What are these called, where can I get them and how can I hook them up?

You're talking about the secondary levers on the Sequoia? I think you can purchase them directly from Specialized.

http://www.specialized.com/SBCEqProduct.jsp?section=13188&browselevel=components&JServSessionIdroot=fr5wi70kv5.j27006

I also believe Paul Components makes a set as well as Tektro.

http://www.paulcomp.com/frmrdlvr.html
http://www.ucycle.com/components/tektrobrake.html

The addition of a second set of brake levers started among cyclocross racers for additional control but they apparently are gaining some popularity among road riders. I think they are just called top levers.

Top-mount brake levers. Common on cyclo-cross bikes. I put a set on my wife's Calfee because she has arthritis in her hands and braking on long downhills caused her pain. They work well, though they steal some room on the tops of the bar. If you get a set, get the kind that has a split mount. (My wife's Calfee has Tektro RX 2.0) Otherwise you have to strip your bars naked to install the solid mount kind.

I would like to get these for my wife's bike. How do you integrate the two cables into one? Do these levers come with cables, etc? FWIW, Donna's bike has Sora 8-speed STI shifters on it.

Zack