Originally Posted by oldbobcat

Most flat bar bikes use linear pull or disc brakes, which are long-pull. That is, the caliper needs to pull more cable for effective actuation on the other side of the fulcrum. Side-pull, cantilever, and road center-pull brakes are short-pull. If you find you're not getting enough power or your modulation is touchy, you might want to switch to short-pull levers. Some aftermarket levers can be set up for long- or short-pull.