Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
Reload this Page >

TT lever in drops - any thoughts?

Notices
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

TT lever in drops - any thoughts?

Old 07-23-07, 05:11 PM
  #1  
dmg
Beautiful Member
Thread Starter
 
dmg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 653
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
TT lever in drops - any thoughts?

As seen here:


Anyone ever done this as an alternative to running a road lever or a bar-top lever? If so, how it is?
dmg is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 05:15 PM
  #2  
Team Beer
 
Cynikal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Sacramento CA
Posts: 6,339

Bikes: Too Many

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 114 Post(s)
Liked 159 Times in 104 Posts
You might as well put it on your top tube. Both ways are pointless and inconvenient.
Cynikal is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 05:20 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 1,013
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
"style", if that is what you want to call that, at the sake of not being able to stop by actually putting a brake lever where you need it is plain shortsighted. Might as well go brakeless if style is what matters. Besides, as pictured, you have a REALLY big hook on the front of your bike that may catch something and rip the bike out from under you.
Hirohsima is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 05:21 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
elemental's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 927
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I guess it makes sense if you actually ride all the way down there. Otherwise, the top tube statement is about right.
elemental is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 05:33 PM
  #5  
Cornucopia of Awesomeness
 
baxtefer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: not where i used to be
Posts: 4,847
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
absolutely ********.
baxtefer is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 06:20 PM
  #6  
Sheldon Brown's posse
 
shogun17's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Oz-tray-lee-ah
Posts: 1,046

Bikes: BMC SL01, XtC, Rhythm GX and a frankenstein avalanche 2.0

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
and it looks stupid.
shogun17 is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 06:53 PM
  #7  
dmg
Beautiful Member
Thread Starter
 
dmg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 653
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Would people actually set something up like that for looks/style? Yeesh. I was interested in it mostly because I keep my hands mostly on the drops and the ends, which would make it a lot easier to grab (esp. on long descents) than a top lever. Plus I have an unused TT lever.

So no one has actually tried this? The 'hooking' aspect pointed out above could be gruesome, but I can't think of any actual circumstance in which it would actually happen other than someone casting a fishing net at you as you ride by.
dmg is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 06:57 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 92

Bikes: Bianchi Pista and too many to list

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Not on drops but on Sparrow Bars. Works great, better leverage than the in-line set up I had before. You can get all your fingers on the lever.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
new bike shots 030.jpg (71.3 KB, 38 views)
File Type: jpg
new bike shots 034.jpg (92.5 KB, 20 views)
Dalton is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 06:58 PM
  #9  
Cornucopia of Awesomeness
 
baxtefer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: not where i used to be
Posts: 4,847
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
^ a regular road lever would accomplish that without looking stupid
with the added benefit of giving you an additional hand position (hoods)

and, to top it all off, i can reach my levers both from in the hooks and from the ends without moving my hands.
do you think you could reach that lever from the curved part of the drops? maybe with your pinkie, but that's completely useless too
baxtefer is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 07:06 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 92

Bikes: Bianchi Pista and too many to list

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
True, I have the road levers on my cross bike with the same bars.

I generally ride with hands in the curved part so the road lever hood was in the way. Don’t use the brake much so the pinkie grab is sufficient.

It does look stupid. I agree with that, but having just one road lever would look even
stupider and would give an asymmetrical hand position.
Dalton is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 07:09 PM
  #11  
Cornucopia of Awesomeness
 
baxtefer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: not where i used to be
Posts: 4,847
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Dalton
True, I have the road levers on my cross bike with the same bars.

I generally ride with hands in the curved part so the road lever hood was in the way. Don’t use the brake much so the pinkie grab is sufficient.

It does look stupid. I agree with that, but having just one road lever would look even
stupider and would give an asymmetrical hand position.
sorry my post was directed at the one above yours.
you just replied too fast
baxtefer is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 07:11 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 92

Bikes: Bianchi Pista and too many to list

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by baxtefer
sorry my post was directed at the one above yours.
you just replied too fast
Oh, thanks.

What do you think of the TT lever on the Sparrow bar?
Dalton is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 07:47 PM
  #13  
Team Beer
 
Cynikal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Sacramento CA
Posts: 6,339

Bikes: Too Many

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 114 Post(s)
Liked 159 Times in 104 Posts
That makes more sense to me because that's where your hand is.
Cynikal is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 08:22 PM
  #14  
cab horn
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 28,353

Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 18 Posts
By putting the lever there you now lose the advantage of using aero levers in the regular position. Namely being able to brake from two distinct locations on those bars.
operator is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 08:31 PM
  #15  
Good Afternoon!
 
SamHouston's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Rural Eastern Ontario
Posts: 2,352

Bikes: Various by application

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I've been accidentally attached to moving vehicles before and now would nevvvver have a hook, or a loose strap hanging on the side of me etc etc. I don't think it looks too bad necessarily, but they are more functional in the usual position by most bar positions. As for leverage I've always solved that issue (well, not always, but I try) by having 1 finger brakes, properly tuned & functional you can have all of your stopping power and be able to fully modulate it with one finger...I use my index fingers most days & it seems to work
SamHouston is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 08:33 PM
  #16  
Good Afternoon!
 
SamHouston's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Rural Eastern Ontario
Posts: 2,352

Bikes: Various by application

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
the paint job on the bike in the OP is pretty alright
SamHouston is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 09:04 PM
  #17  
It's an old photo
 
Boss Moniker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Entropia
Posts: 774

Bikes: Cannondale R500, Specialized Hardrock

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I see why they did it, to avoid brake hoods. If you ride in the drops on your track bars ALL the time, and wouldn't accept any substitutes, this isn't a bad option.

The others are right, you really only have one hand position to brake from, but braking power shouldn't be any different. Might take some getting used to. And if you ask me, it looks terrible.
Boss Moniker is offline  
Old 07-23-07, 09:26 PM
  #18  
.
 
blickblocks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,860
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Seems a bit silly to put the lever there unless you also have an inline on the tops. Then if you have two levers you might as well use proper road levers...

Somewhat off topic, but I'd like to see more interesting combinations done with inline levers, they really open up some possibilities.
__________________
https://blicksbags.com/
blickblocks is offline  
Old 07-24-07, 04:05 PM
  #19  
dmg
Beautiful Member
Thread Starter
 
dmg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 653
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Man...... what do you guys know about partying or anything else?

Just kiddin'. Perhaps I should see if I can find some aero brakes somewhere. The original bike is of some designer-blessed limited edition Mercian that costs $5K or something, so if it is indeed a stupid idea, it's at least a stupid idea that will be popular with the athletically-inclinded wealthy.
dmg is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.