rice

Can I use a Cane Creek cross lever for the REAR brake? The lever doesn't pull the cable; it pushes the housing, right?

So, it would seem that "pushing" the housing through the cable "routers" (not sure what they're called) on the top tube would cause problems.

Yes?

No?

Thanks.

roadfix

It'll still work even if the cable housing is taped onto the top tube... Try it and see.

krusty

If the housing is continuous from the lever to the caliper, it should work. If there is a section of bare inner cable, it won't.

JiveTurkey

Yeah, it pushes the cable, but practically speaking, it causes the cable to pull. Both these levers and a regular lever work by pulling the anchor end of the cable away from the housing end (whether it's pulling the cable or pushing the housing--it results in the same thing).

The distance between two cable stops is equivalent to a fixed length of housing.

It will work just fine--as fine as a regular lever that "pulls" the cable, that is.

roadfix

Bare wire will be exposed between cable stops if a top tube is equipped as such. Regardless, the cross lever will still work.

rice

Yeah, but...no.

The cable end is held fixed in the lever base, and the housing is pushed. So, the housing needs to be pushed THROUGH the cable routers on the top tube, yes?

I understand about the cable stops and bare cable and all; not the situation on my bike.

Thank you.

chriskitch

It works...
don't question it...
just enjoy...
ahhhh.....
yesssss.....
brakalicious...

krusty

Now you've got me scratching my head. I'm going to have to try it and see.

roadfix

In principle, a cross lever is no different from a standard lever. It makes no difference whether the lever pulls the cable or pushes the cable housing. They both accomplish the same thing.

krusty

Yep. I see it now.

crushkilldstroy

Exactly.

Here's another way to think about it. Why would they sell cross levers in pairs if they didn't work for the rear?

ak1

How is this even a thread? Of course they work in the front and the rear as they are designed to do. And of course whether the wire is bare or not is irrelevant.

roadfix

There are many threads.....

legstwelve

Basically you're just applying Newton's third law "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction".

rice

OK, I did it, and you are all right. It works. Doesn't feel AS positive as the front, but it does, indeed work.

But, why?! Why/how does it work? The cable itself doesn't move, does it?

The lever pushes the housing, right? And, like I guessed, the housing does not slide within the cable routers. So, what the hell?

Thanks.

And, I tried the search function, to no avail.

JiveTurkey

rice: it works the same way as the front. The front brake doesn't allow the housing to get pushed through does it? If it did, then the brake wouldn't work.

Regular levers and cross levers achieve the exact same end--pulling the cable through a fixed amount of housing--this can be achieved by either pulling the cable and keeping the end of the housing fixed (regular) or pushing the housing and keeping the cable end fixed (cross).

If you still don't get it--just forget about it and ****ing ride.

Edit: OK here's one more perspective. These levers are usually used in conjunction to regular aero brake levers. In this case, the cable just runs through the cross lever. When you use the aero lever it doesn't even know the cross lever is there. But when you use the cross lever, it effectively lengthens the housing. Brakes get compressed when the cable shortens OR the housing lengthens. Now, whether the cable comes from an aero lever or is just used with the cross lever, the same thing happens: the housing is lengthened => cable is effectively shortened => brake compresses.

roadfix

Of course it works. It's simple mechanics.

rice

The front brake pushes the housing against the top arm of the caliper and forces it down (unlike a normal brake where the cable pulls the bottom arm of the caliper up).

Makes sense to me. I see it happen. Got it.

On the back brake, the lever pushes the housing, the cable end remains fixed in the lever base, the housing doesn't move at all along the top tube, but the rear brake activates. WTF?

Voodoo, I tell you.

crushkilldstroy

Blargh. The housing moves, just not along the top tube. Pull the brake and watch the housing in front of the headtube. It's getting pushed around. The housing sliding down the cable is the same as the cable sliding up the housing.

This thread is giving me a headache. Just say that it works and move on to more important things.

rice

Ha!

Done.

rice

You know what's really crazy?

I'm actually a civil engineer.

iamtim

Don't... read it?

crushkilldstroy

You're really quite annoying. I very much preferred the original TIP.

rice

Ha.

I'm from the streets.

edw

yeah, she knew what she was talking about