I've been wanting to get a brake lever that fits right next to my stem on the 26mm bulge of my handlebar, but I can't find anything that I can pry open enough to fit. I've tried a bmx lever and an old cheapo touring lever, but I can't get them to fit. I don't know if cyclocross levers will fit, but I don't want to dish out the money and find out that it won't work. I went to my lbs and they didn't have anything either. Does anyone run a brake lever that's right next to the stem on their bars? Pics? Help would be much appreciated!!

bah, it's all about TT bars and TT brake lever.

Cyclocross levers? I'm sure if you go to the LBS and ask if it would fit on your bike they'd tell you. Or let you try one.

I had to reverse my lever in order to fit it on my bar (Toro bullhorns). It works fine for me (although I think I'm just going to take it off altogether soon).

https://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/feb/chig.htm

I'm using a set of specialized in-line levers. If you flip them, as a previous poster suggests, you can get your brake handle close into the bulge and you can use the barrel adjuster to tweak your brake. I've just flipped them on one bike and am considering doing the same on the other.

Cyclocross lever clamps come in three diameters:

26.0mm for mounting on the bulge section of road bars
24.0mm for mounting on the non-bulge section of road bars
31.8mm for mounting on the bulge of oversized road bars

People that have to run their lever 'flipped' are using 24.0mm levers, which of course won't mount on the bulge of bullhorns. It should be noted that if you have bars with a 'sleeved' clamp area (like all Nitto products) then a 24.0mm clamp would mount right next to the stem.

Here are some clamp diameters of common 'cross levers:

Tektro RX 2.0: 24.0mm
Specialized: 24.0mm
Empella Frogglegs: 24.0mm (I think)

Paul: 26.0mm
Radius: 26.0mm (I use one of these)
IRD Interceptor: 26.0mm (with shim for 24.0mm)
Pyramid: 26.0mm

Tektro RX 2.1: 31.8mm
Salsa: 31.8mm, but includes 2-piece shim to make it 26.0mm


A lot of these levers can be found here: https://www.store.yahoo.com/cyclocros...untlevers.html

:Bump:

I too am in the same dilemma. I got a new bullhorn handle bar for xmas, been riding brake less for awhile now, lookin to get a single lever to fit on the 26mm bulge next to my stem. I bought a pair of of Sunlite levers that said 26, but after failing to mount them i'm back in the hunt.

I thought about getting some 31.8mm levers and using shims, anyone ever try that?

I had a brake lever that wouldnt fit my bars so i cut a piece of old tube and used that as a shim. It worked perfect and never slipped.

I'm using the Salsa one for a brake lever.