Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - salsa cross lever question?

I want to install a front brake on my bars but I am limited to a 31.8 clamp size. My lbs has salsa cross levers and they are willing to split up the set but they do not know if they can be used alone and not inline. Does any one know if they can or what style cable would make them work?

but they do not know if they can be used alone

your LBS doesn't know this?

I want to install a front brake on my bars but I am limited to a 31.8 clamp size. My lbs has salsa cross levers and they are willing to split up the set but they do not know if they can be used alone and not inline. Does any one know if they can or what style cable would make them work?

Normally cross levers can be used either inline or by themselves. I recently bought a Tektro RL721 cross lever for a 31.8mm bar and it worked fine as a stand alone lever. I did find that it works better with a cable that has a small end to it.

Edit: I just did some research, and it appears that Salsa cross levers are actually manufactured by Tektro and rebranded as Salsa, so they should be the same levers and should work fine:

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=18421&category=3333

Cross levers will work fine alone, but they are regarded as backup levers.

but they are regarded as backup levers.

o rly, says who?

Cross lever work absolutely fine on their own, they work on exactly the same principle as any other brake, except instead of pulling the cable they push the housing. The only reason for concern would be if there was a burr or something in the hole where the cable-end sits, but that can happen on any style brake. Buy cables with road ends for a cleaner look if you wish.

except instead of pulling the cable they push the housing

wtf are you talking about!?!?! This thread is full of fail.

o rly, says who?

Says the companies that produce them.

wtf are you talking about!?!?! This thread is full of fail.

wtf are YOU talking about mang, do you own any cross levers? I have one on my bike, I've seen countless more of them, the cable runs through the lever without really touching anything, or if you're running it alone the end sits on the inside of the lever and DOES NOT MOVE. When you squeeze the lever it PUSHES the housing and the cable DOES NOT MOVE.

Do I need to make an MS paint drawing?

Mom and dad are fighting, WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !

your LBS doesn't know this?

wurd.

And they are not necessarily "back-up" levers, if you've even ridden a cross bike off road seriously you know they exist simply give you breaking in another hand position, which can be very handy.

wtf are YOU talking about mang, do you own any cross levers? I have one on my bike, I've seen countless more of them, the cable runs through the lever without really touching anything, or if you're running it alone the end sits on the inside of the lever and DOES NOT MOVE. When you squeeze the lever it PUSHES the housing and the cable DOES NOT MOVE.

Do I need to make an MS paint drawing?
so if the cable doesn't move how does the caliper close?

Were really getting pissed about this?

It takes less than two seconds of watching how a cross lever works to see that the housing is being pushed and the cable stays stationary. It ends up having the same effect as a lever which actually pulls the cable considering both actions will cause a caliper to close.

Actually, it's necessary to study Einsteinian physics to fully understand this.

Guess I never really looked at how it works, bad on me. But I'm still waiting for the ms paint diagram...

Guess I never really looked at how it works, bad on me. But I'm still waiting for the ms paint diagram...

Sorry, I have a mac.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OmaHsqTCEow/TL7lsl7cxXI/AAAAAAAAB2o/lFd-vpzffXs/s1600/Hee+Haw.jpg

Sorry, I have a mac.

That explains everything...

Omg, These threads make me pregnant. Just get the cross top, We already answered that it'll work perfect with your set up.