Originally Posted by
acostanut
Many of my vintage bicycles have extension levers specifically diacomp brake levers and they all work incredibly well, in fact I've been able to lock up my brakes rather efficiently when some unattentive driver has cut me off. Also for those who say that you are not able to brake from the hoods that is a false statement I do it all the time. Set your brake calipers and pads properly and you will stop on a dime. Also keep your wheels semi true and if you ride often in all kinds of weather like I do, clean the braking surface on you wheels often once a month is recommended. Degreaser or soap and water is just fine.
Old thread that I missed due to life circumstances.
I also don't get it when people say that you can't brake adequately from the hoods. Must be some combination of brake adjustment, brake positioning, hand size and hand strength. I suppose that if my hands were wet, or if the handlebars were shaking, there's an extra degree of confidence to braking from the drops, but I haven't had issues stopping quickly with my hands on the hoods.
Not all extensions are created equal. Also, not every bike experiences the same degree of care and maintenance. As cables stretch and brake pads wear, a significant amount of play can develop, and when that happens, they can easily bottom out. I simply don't like the things. My riding habits don't call for them. I don't like how they look. They limit options for mounting handlebar bags, cyclometers, etc. They get in the way when wrapping bar tape (which isn't one of my favorite activities to begin with). If a bike I intend to keep has extensions when it comes to me, they get changed.