Adding a second pair of brake levers?
 

Swapping out my standard handlebars with Nashbar's Trekking Mountain Bike Handlebar. My hands get numb halfway through my longer rides so I'm looking to open up some more options for placement. The thing is, I bike through some heavy traffic and alot of 90deg driveways. I recall my brother's old 10speed (from the 80s?) had 2 pairs of brakes, I'd like to add a second set of brake levers to accommodate the new hand positioning but don't know how.

I've added a rack and changed the OEM knobbies to a pair of Serfas Drifters. Everything else on the bike is stock

Jamis Trail X2
http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebik...0_trailx2.html
http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/B...e#.UNUSAHfheSo

Q1: What do I need to be aware of, what tools do I need in order to add that second pair of brake levers?

Q2: Any manufacturers to AVOID when looking at brake levers, cables etc?

Thanks in advance :)
JKLaud

10 speeds from the 70s and 80s didn't really have two levers as much as the levers had an extra extension which allowed you to reach it from multiple positions

where did you plan on installing the various sets of levers on the trekking bar?

you can use "interrupter" brake levers to add a second pair of levers

They were also very flexible and gave poor to dangerously ineffective braking. It's not for nothing they were commonly called "suicide levers". You don't want those.

As frantik mentioned you could fit "interrupter" levers that are now popular on Cyclocross bikes and they do work well. Here is Nashbar's version:

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...32_-1___202418

Note these fit 26.0 mm bars and your Treking Bars are 25.4 mm diameter so you would have to shim them.

Forget the extension levers of the past. These days there are some very nice inline brake levers which mount to the upper part of a drop (road) bar. In order for these to work you need normal brake levers (or shift/brake levers) with aero cable routing.

This isn't a bargain basement option, but will allow full control of your bike from both the normal hand positions and the top of the bar position.

Ok the thing to consider, where are your hands going, ?

Seems you over think this , I have 2 bikes with trekking bars, both use just one set of brake levers,
they are located rear center on the bars , you just move your hands to where the Brake levers are.

yes that's why i was wondering where OP planned on putting the brakes. its not easy to install most mtb brakes on trekking bars except for on the flat ends, which is where most people have them.

i have a trekking bar and one set of brakes is fine.. just ride with your hands on the brakes in sketchy spots

The problem with inline or interrupter levers is not only they are made for 26mm bars (easy fixable with a shim) but IIRC they also have road-brake pull (fit for cantis or calipers), so they will work poorly with v-brakes or disc brakes. If there are inline levers that can be adustable for both brake types, or specifically made for v-brake please let me know, I haven't noticed them so far.

As for hand placement, depends where you ride the bike. If I'm in traffic I must have a finger or two on the front brake lever, at all times, period. Everything else on the bars is arranged around this rule. If you ride in more relaxed settings then you can afford to have to move the hand to brake, but not in traffic.

An alternative to inline levers is some gimmick that will allow you to use two levers with one brake. There is the Cable Doubler 2:1, but they're a bit pricey. Perhaps the $55 it goes for in the US is acceptable, in the EU I've seen them selling for 75 UK pounds, which is obscene.

Or you can rig something up. One approach involves catching both cables with the v-brake cable bolt. Personally I don't like that, because should any of the cables slip the bolt they both slip, and you're flying without a brake.

I think a better alternative is what I've posted here (see the pic for the principle). I think it can be fashioned very easily, all you need is a solid frame of some sort to act as a casing stopper, and something to attach the cables together in a reliable manner, yet without fraying them. It can be as simple as using a small pill bottle with two holes on top and one on bottom, and a sandwich plate and bolt, or a thick screw with a hole in its body and a washer. I favor this solution more because you still have one uninterrupted cable going from lever to brake, which is unlikely to fail.

Disclaimer: I haven't got around to actually building and trying out this gimmick, so do it at your own risk.

Thanks for all the replies...

As to where my hands are going, that's WHY I posted this. I'm usually riding for 2 hours and my hands start to go numb after awhile. That secondary placement is just to alleviate the numbness but half of my ride is through heavy traffic and/or 90deg hedged/walled driveways. By having a second set of levers already in place I wouldn't have to worry about that split second lost by repositioning my hands for the brakes.