Regular Brakes on Road Bars
 

Hi. First post here :)

I bought a fixed gear not too long ago and it came with regular flat bars and standard-style brakes.
However, I just was given some road bars and while the bars fit fine in the stem, the brakes do not fit at all.

What are my options here?
I figure i can either
1.) Buy some road levers and new tape
2.) Buy some cyclocross levers and keep my tape
3.) Brakeless (...no)

The thing is that I need to keep it as cheap as possible.
After looking thoroughly at my old brakes, I don't think there is any way I can safely mount them.

Any sugestions would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: also, I was looking at something like http://bit.ly/d0P7Yo with http://bit.ly/dn5bK6 but I have no idea whether those levers are any good or not.

I vote cross levers.

there are probably a million old road levers on ebay that will work just fine, and can be had for cheap since integrated brakes/shifters is the way to go on road bikes now.

you might even go to your LBS and see if they have any old sets lying around in the back that were pulled off someone's bike.

p.s. what bike is it?

The bike is a Nashbar Hounder. I really like it, and for $206 after shipping i feel that it was a steal.


I will be riding in the drops pretty much all the time so I am a little hesitant to go with just cyclocross levers.
But in reality, it's all down to price. The closer to $0 the better.
I think I am going to ask around and see if anyone has some old levers (or lever for that matter as I use only the front anyways) that they would be willing to give/sell to me.

I got a pair of Tektro R100 levers for like 16 dollars, and it was one of the best purchases I have ever made for my bike. Switching from bullhorns and track drops to real road drops and levers was a godsend (since it is essentially combining bullhorns and track drops into one setup, plus easy braking). I now have much more control of the bike, and because of that I'm not afraid to ride much faster in sketchy situations like steep descents or busy traffic.

This is a little off topic, but here are the few bike purchases I've made that were actually worth it: Clipless pedals, road drops/levers, and cycling shorts.

road levers are going to be cheaper than cross levers, as they are much more plentiful and "older" technology. where do you live? there might be a bike co-op in your area. they are great resources for this sorta thing.

where are you located? I have old aero dia compes to give away. The right lever is locked, though.

I'm in Orlando, Florida.
I saw those Tektro R100's on Amazon for about $16 but was not sure since they were considered "compact" and I have fairly large hands.
And mrvile, those are basically the main upgrades I am looking in to for this bike so it is reassuring that they should be worth it.

Tektro makes the R200's for people with bigger hands, they are frequently on eBay for around 20 bucks.

I was gonna hate on you for buying a Nashbar Hounder, but with the right upgrades, it can be one hell of a budget bike.

Yea I'm looking at the R200's right now on eBay for $22 after shipping which seems pretty good.

And I would understand why people would be inclined to hate on the Hounder but really, it works just as well as any of my friends fixed gear bikes and cost less than half the price.

You're sure these are the bars you want? You say you'll ride in the drops all the time, which I don't think anyone who's not racing does. I think you've got the info you need about what levers fit what bars, so I'm just adding the thought that you should find a way to try out this setup for a little while before you buy new parts.

I personally am not so into road drops- my fixed has bullhorns, and my commuter (gears, fenders, panniers) has drops with hoods that I'm in the process of exchanging for mustache bars, because I've not been pleased with the drops. I don't feel that I have enough control on the hoods (definitely wouldn't skid if it was fixed), I don't use the drops enough to justify having them, and the flats have no brakes, and poor control. Everyone's different- but maybe find a way to try the setup on somebody else's bike for a week or something first.

Well, I say I will ride in the drops because I very much prefer a more aero position to the upright.
Basically, I have the option of keeping the flats and riding up top all the time or putting on the drops and riding up top when I want to be more comfortable/have more control and in the drops when I want to get aero.
While I have not done much riding on bikes with drop handlebars, on my ride home today with these new drops (w/o brakes) I found the drops to be fairly comfortable and something that I could definitely get used to.

I agree with the "not spending money" part but I will look around for some levers/advice from friends with similar setups and if worst comes to worst, I spend the ~$20-25 on brakes and tape.

funny, same bike and same dilemma :) i think i have some TT brake levers I might use, just to do something different. I find I'm in the drops most of the time, so having them flipped around on the bar end would put the lever right under my hand. For what it's worth, I don't know about 'cross levers, unless you set them up properly (interrupting from a lever on the curves of a drop bar, that is, two sets of levers) just for that fact that your hands will either be in the drops, away from the levers, or on the tops, where you don't have as much control. just something to think about, hope you find something you like

oh, and post pictures when you get it set up!

Road drops with hoods are the way to go. I spend most of the time on the hoods and love it, but if it's extra windy or I'm trying to get somewhere in a hurry I have the drops. I actually have compact ergo drops that are pretty shallow, which is good for me. Oh, also, I own the Tektro R100's I don't think you having large hands will be a problem at all. They only effect people like me with small hand who have trouble reaching standard size levers.

Also, I'm very pleased with the Tektros. So +1 on those.

yea, I was looking at TT levers as well but I don't really know how well that would work and don't want to do experimenting with the limited cash I have :)

The drops I was given seem to be on the shallow side when compared to other bikes I see. I prefer the shallow drop look though and don't really need to get WAY down.

I will definitely post some pics in the ss/fg photo thread when I get the bars set up.

I wear a size large glove, can almost (but not quite) palm a basketball. I switched out my Tektro r200's for R100's because the 200's seemed ginormous. They are way bigger than the Sora brifters that came on my other bike.

Your hands sound about the same size as mine.
Thanks for that, that's good to know.
If I can't find some free levers I will most likely be looking at the R100's

Actually when I first made the switch to SS (before I went fixed) I rode with bullhorns and TT levers. It was pretty nice, and even now I'd say that it's my second favorite setup. But with road drops/levers, there's just the added versatility so I get the most out of my riding. Hoods when I'm cruising, tops when I'm dying, and drops for wind and descents.

After about two days my hands got really used to the hoods. By now I'd dare say that they're more comfortable than bullhorns, but I haven't rocked the horns in the longest time so I'm not sure. But I'll probably never go back.

I have them as well. Not many other affordable options with Campy brakes, and they work well.

I've never found road levers to be easier to use for braking than horizontal cross levers. Unless I'm in the drops, but then I find leaning down that much to be an unsafe stopping position. And if I'm on the hoods, I don't find myself to be able to grip both the hoods and the levers as well as I can on TT levers or cross levers because of the peculiar angle... Maybe I'm just not used to it.

I vote single cross lever. Front brake is all you need! Also when you brake you'll have your hands on the flats which is a much safer position to perform an emergency stop in.

Road levers and be careful with your bar tape, you should be able to re-use it. If you're using the drops you need to have your brakes there. If you're doing longer rides you'll benefit from the hoods position. Drop levers are cheap cheap, possibly even free if you have bikey buddies around with lots of spare parts.

I don't actually understand the cross lever thing - if one's on the tops so much, why have drops? And why have drops if you don't need multiple hand positions and are willing to forgo the hoods position?

cleanupinasle3: If the drops are an "unsafe" position for you to brake in, something is likely wrong with your fit. Deep in the drops should be a stable position if your fit is good and you're used to it. I'm not trying to be nasty here, so please take this as a constructive comment, not a critical one.

The tape should be replaced anyways. It looks like it has taken its fair share of falls. The bars themselves though seem to be in perfect condition save a few scuffs.

About the cross levers, for me atleast, it would make for a nice, clean lever that doesn't need to interfere with the wrap (could use grips if I wanted), and would be that familiar lever that I have always used.
I have ridden other bikes with drops and road levers and never liked the hoods. I was either up top, on the sides, or in the drops.
I'm sure that if I were to put road levers on this bike I would get used to the hoods and like them though.

Or do what I do and just have both. Cane Creek levers on both sides and a cross lever on the left for braking from the tops. The main reason for the brake levers...so I can climb on the hoods. Can't imagine not having them in my neck of the woods.

I'm going to be a little harsher than tashi and just say that you're absolutely wrong. To the point that your recommendation puts other people in danger.

The tops is the worst place to perform an emergency stop. When you're braking hard in the drops, your arms should be pointing forward, not down, so that you are essentially bracing your own weight against the bars as your weight shifts forward, which is quite drastic. Also, when you are in the drops, your center of gravity lowers, which keeps you on the bike. When you're braking on the tops, your center of gravity is much higher, and as your weight shifts forward in an emergency brake, you have a much higher chance of pivoting that weight over the front wheel. And since your arms are pointing downward to the tops as they place you in a much more upright position, there's nothing to brace the forward movement of your weight, and you will go over the bars.

Anyone who has performed an emergency stop going over 20mph while riding on the tops has endo'd before, and the realization of how it happened sets in very quickly. If you don't know this, than you haven't been riding very fast or you haven't been in a situation where you have to actually perform a real emergency stop.