Pros and In Line Brakes

[SpongeDad]

I was watching the mens and the women's Pont Chateau races and noticed that that the top 3 women all had in line brakes (and I've seen pictures of Katie Compton's bike with in line brakes as well) but I couldn't see any on the men's bikes.

Do any of the top men ride with in line brakes?

[flargle]

Steve Chainel is the only one I'm aware of. Adam Craig in the U.S.

[Cynikal]

If you have technical courses I can see the use for them. I'm been trying to ween myself off using the brakes this season so for me they would just temptation.

[captnfantastic]

I've noticed that I am a faster rider without them because riding on the hoods is more aggressive than the bar tops. Also most cat 1/2 i've seen don't have them. but then again there was a pretty successful cross racer (i forget his name) who raced and won on a cross bike with a flat bar setup...

It's probably a matter of not needing the inline brakes, saving weight, and not looking like a fred as an elite racer.

[flargle]

Bart Wellens rode to a silver in 2006 Worlds with bartops, and you can see a couple sections where he used them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqTTX4lZTb8
Simunek (1:20) didn't have them, nor did Nys (2:00). Then again, neither did Vervecken. So take it FWIW.

[SpongeDad]

Maybe the "f" in KfC stands for Katie "Fred" Compton! I wish I could be that Fredly on the course.

[flargle]

Maybe the "f" in KfC stands for Katie "Fred" Compton! I wish I could be that Fredly on the course.

Not to mention Adam Craig. That dirt roadie should learn how to ride a bike!

[Rumpled]

I was watching the worlds last week and on one of Compton's bike changes I thought she changed from a bike w/o to a bike with. But, I was probably seeing things.

[jfmckenna]

No pro here but as a cat 2 I like them. Years ago I only had inline levers, no brifters and it was a nice set up. True though, you don't see a lot of pro's using them.