Brake levers for track drops?
 

I'm specing out and buying parts for my Pre Cursa build. I want to put track drop (or some sort of drops) on it. I'm going to run fixed with a front brake. Is the cross top lever the only good way to go for this set up? I have tt levers on another bike with bullhorns and I was thinking of using a tt lever on the drops. Anybody try that, would it be really uncomfortable if riding in the drops? I am definitely against hoods

I've rode my kilo with track drops and a front and rear brake with bar end levers. Literally one of my favorite brake setups. Very nice if you're comfortable in the drops.

Big if.

Too practical for the road?

with drop bars I'm more comfortable in the drops then I am riding the tops. My Cross Check has drops with hoods and I'm 50/50 between the hoods and drops and rarely on the tops so having to go up to the tops to brake concerns me. But I am going to run fixed gear so that will be my primary braking on this bike.

You know it! But seriously, my Cross Check is the first bike I've owned with drop bars. I do ride on the hoods because it's my commuter and I like to be more heads up in traffic but I don't plan on commuting on the Pre Cursa or riding in heavily congested traffic areas (I know that cuts out 90% of LA ;))

Sure, but but if you're going to take it out on long rides (this is more than regurgitated) it is good to have multiple hand positions. I did the track drops and road drops w/o hoods too and I ask myself why I ever thought it was a good idea.

Get hoods.

Don't get track drops.

Unless of course, you're never going to ride this bike on the streets, and you are a sprinter. Then get track drops.

Point taken guys. So, do you have suggestion for a good set of drops? I was also thinking about just putting the bullhorn/tt levers on from my other bike for now

3T Ergonova's are the beesknees.

In my mind, tops/hoods should be the primary position, with the drops only used to get aero/low/more power. With that in mind, if you ride primarily in the drops, that suggests a fit issue to me. The only exception would be CX, but that's not the point. That said, I come from a road racing background, and all of my fitting knowledge is based off that.

Taking that into consideration, I would suggest a pair of compact road drops, with a cross-top lever. Or, if you can overcome your aversion, a pair of road levers, a-la sram s500, is gonna be pretty perfect.

I ride 50/50 hoods and drops on my one drop bar bike but it is a CX bike not a true road bike. Thanks for the lever suggestion, those are going on my list of possibilities

Agree. I tried out this year's Sputnik which has bar end levers on track drops:


http://www.myjamis.com/SSP%20Applica...sputnik_pl.jpg


It's a nice bike but definitely not the setup for riding on busy streets.

Forget manufacturer's bikes, they are the product of board room decisions based on fashion, nothing more.

For practical use over long distance rides (you can ride what you like for anything less than half an hour), you want as many hand positions as you can get with brakes to suit. Modern brake levers, provided you have matching bars, provide a flat extension of the bars, this is the basis of the modern compact bar which is shorter along the forward facing tops allowing the brake levers to provide the remainder of that flat, forward facing hand position. If you regard this as your primary position, the drops become a lower, more aero position and the tops work as a higher, more relaxed position. If you use that curve from the tops to the forward bits, you'll find you have a LOT of useful hand positions. Set the hoods up as your primary position, no matter how aggressive you want that to be, and you'll find the rest just falls into place.

I've got the deda rhm(maybe? I cant remember the name) Compact drops and ride them without brakes and the top part works pretty well for a mock hood position.

I am building on a budget and bars/levers is one place I don't want to spend too much up front ($50 for bars). I've looked at a lot and so far leaning toward Soma Major Taylor or 456

http://store.somafab.com/majortaylorbar.html

http://store.somafab.com/456trackbar.html

And some affordable hood/levers.

I was also thinking of just taking my bullhorns and Cane Creek 200 TT levers of my other bike for now (other bike will probably get donated or given to a friend after stripping anything I want to keep).

My third thought was buying new bullhorns. My existing ones are cheap ones off ebay. I am considering getting some with some drop and with internal cable routing to make it cleaner and give me more aero position.

Neither of the bars you linked to will work well with hoods. If you want hoods you need road bars.

Are these all decent choices for use with hoods?


http://www.jensonusa.com/Drop-Handle...Reach-Road-Bar

http://www.jensonusa.com/Drop-Handle...roove-Road-Bar

http://www.jensonusa.com/Drop-Handle...neur-Handlebar

http://www.jensonusa.com/Drop-Handle...-Road-Bar-2013

Yes.

Thanks. A simple answer to what I'm sure was a stupid question ;)

For me, bullhorns with a cross lever works for city riding. In busy stop and go traffic I'm on the flats in a more upright position and the levers are in the right place. For going faster in a more aero position, the slight upturn at the ends gives an approximation of hoods - maybe bar end levers in this position are what you're looking for.

Drops are good when you turn into a head wind, bit like going down a gear.

I had brake hoods on deda pista bars. In my opinion track drops looks funky with hoods, stick with the cross levers.

My Cross Check is my first bike with drops. I find myself more and more in the drops and I mean the true drops where I can't reach the brakes. So getting track drops with a cross lever isn't that much different because either way I'm not covering the brake while I'm riding. But I do appreciate the hood position and that approximates the position of bullhorns so I guess road drops with hoods is the best of both worlds even if I only run one brake. I guess that's why road drops and hoods are the standard

FSA Wing Pro

Or...........a steering wheel.