I’ve seen a lot of builds with bullhorns/drop bars that place the brake right next to the stem. This position doesn’t make any sense to me.
Since we’re riding fixed, we can scrub speed with backpedals and skids. Brakes are for those “Oh shit!” moments when a car pulls out in front of you, or a pedestrian suddenly changes direction, and you need to stop on a dime. For a brake to be effective in those moments, it needs to be within reach.
No one I know is riding with their hands right next to the stem, we’re either riding on the tops, hoods, or in the drops. Also, a brake is most useful when you’re going super fast (i.e. bombing a hill), and having your hands by the stem would make the handling way too twitchy. Even worse would be having to take your hands off the handlebar to switch positions, at speed, and then grabbing the brake in a place where a small input has a big effect on your steering. I could see someone turning the wheel sideways with that maneuver.
Seems like it would make more sense to mount a brake lever on bar ends (like they do with time trial bikes), or to run a hooded brake lever on drops, as that’s where your hands are going to be. Is the brake mounting in the picture just an aesthetic choice, or am I missing something here?
krazzten on
For urban riding, if I’m in a situation where I might need to use the brake, in 99% of the cases, I would want to have maximum visibility and situational awareness at the same time. I’ll get that automatically by putting my hands in a brake ready position.
I’ll use the hoods only when I have a clear road ahead that I know for sure I won’t need to get to the brake quickly.
mardan65 on
Who could imagine that different people have different preferences, crazy.
FeelingReplacement53 on
It’s the only place to put a brake on bullhorns that doesn’t look stupid as fuck. A brake on bullhorns is just wrong because those bars for born and bred on a track. When you have to shoehorn in something it was never designed to do you just put it where it’s most convenient and where you’re hands are going to be, let’s be honest, 99.9% of the time because bullhorns on the street honestly suck imo
Edit: and I will argue this point forever
Easiest way to set up a brake with bullhorns and commonly used by people who don’t brake but want one for legal or liability reasons
I have a single bar end brake on mine and like it a lot – generally the faster I’m going, the closer to the brake I want to be
erbeverly on
it’s perfect, wadaya mean?
panda_0618 on
That’s how I’ve had mine setup for about 8 years now. Never had an issue with the placement.
fleisch-bk on
I don’t have horns anymore, but when I did I kept break on the flats primarily because I did most of my riding on the flats and really only used the horns to crank uphill.
advptr on
Different things are comfortable for different people?
HalfPrimary1263 on
Jamis Sputnik here. Don’t see many-actually none out there so it’s nice to see another one. Mine are like this.
This is where I always put my brakes. I like ’em right up front, close in.
650bx47 on
I can depress the cross lever from the horn with my thumb. Not enough for an emergency brake, but good for scrubbing a little speed.
Liquidwombat on
I don’t know? What is up with that brake position? It looks completely normal to me.
Salt_Pen6065 on
When I had drops that how I set it up. I’m usually only using a brake if I’m going really steep downhill and have a heavy backpack (I live in a pretty hilly area). Sitting in upright position felt a little more comfortable for the situation. Especially if my legs are cooked
19 Comments
I’ve seen a lot of builds with bullhorns/drop bars that place the brake right next to the stem. This position doesn’t make any sense to me.
Since we’re riding fixed, we can scrub speed with backpedals and skids. Brakes are for those “Oh shit!” moments when a car pulls out in front of you, or a pedestrian suddenly changes direction, and you need to stop on a dime. For a brake to be effective in those moments, it needs to be within reach.
No one I know is riding with their hands right next to the stem, we’re either riding on the tops, hoods, or in the drops. Also, a brake is most useful when you’re going super fast (i.e. bombing a hill), and having your hands by the stem would make the handling way too twitchy. Even worse would be having to take your hands off the handlebar to switch positions, at speed, and then grabbing the brake in a place where a small input has a big effect on your steering. I could see someone turning the wheel sideways with that maneuver.
Seems like it would make more sense to mount a brake lever on bar ends (like they do with time trial bikes), or to run a hooded brake lever on drops, as that’s where your hands are going to be. Is the brake mounting in the picture just an aesthetic choice, or am I missing something here?
For urban riding, if I’m in a situation where I might need to use the brake, in 99% of the cases, I would want to have maximum visibility and situational awareness at the same time. I’ll get that automatically by putting my hands in a brake ready position.
I’ll use the hoods only when I have a clear road ahead that I know for sure I won’t need to get to the brake quickly.
Who could imagine that different people have different preferences, crazy.
It’s the only place to put a brake on bullhorns that doesn’t look stupid as fuck. A brake on bullhorns is just wrong because those bars for born and bred on a track. When you have to shoehorn in something it was never designed to do you just put it where it’s most convenient and where you’re hands are going to be, let’s be honest, 99.9% of the time because bullhorns on the street honestly suck imo
Edit: and I will argue this point forever
It’s either these or bar end levers
https://preview.redd.it/ycu9tkgck9rd1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2fc2b7c01517cbee038fb267cd995b944f4222e3
Had to be done
Easiest way to set up a brake with bullhorns and commonly used by people who don’t brake but want one for legal or liability reasons
I have a single bar end brake on mine and like it a lot – generally the faster I’m going, the closer to the brake I want to be
it’s perfect, wadaya mean?
That’s how I’ve had mine setup for about 8 years now. Never had an issue with the placement.
I don’t have horns anymore, but when I did I kept break on the flats primarily because I did most of my riding on the flats and really only used the horns to crank uphill.
Different things are comfortable for different people?
Jamis Sputnik here. Don’t see many-actually none out there so it’s nice to see another one. Mine are like this.
https://preview.redd.it/xp9iumyf6crd1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1237d5beb8c05b8919b94618c3bcee8ba4df095
This is where I always put my brakes. I like ’em right up front, close in.
I can depress the cross lever from the horn with my thumb. Not enough for an emergency brake, but good for scrubbing a little speed.
I don’t know? What is up with that brake position? It looks completely normal to me.
When I had drops that how I set it up. I’m usually only using a brake if I’m going really steep downhill and have a heavy backpack (I live in a pretty hilly area). Sitting in upright position felt a little more comfortable for the situation. Especially if my legs are cooked
Not getting whats weird about it
*Puts on glasses*
Yep, those are brakes
What’s up with it? Is a brake on a handlebar