cccorlew

I can't grip with my left hand, so all my braking is right hand front wheel.
I'm feeling less lucky lately, and am worried about what might happen if my front brake fails.
I'm thinking I need an right-hand operated "emergency" brake for the rear wheel.

So I'm looking for a Mtn bike style brake lever I could add to the bar that would operate the back brake. I wouldn't ever use it, ( I hope) so it needs to be.

1. VERY small.
2. Black is good.

Suggestions for the smallest lever like this that you know of, please. Or another idea entirely.

Momentum

The dia compe goldfinger is a BMX one finger lever, but I think it fits mtn bike bars. It's availabale in black or gold.

waterrockets 

You might be able to hook up some sort of a splitter from tandem or bmx parts that will allow the one lever to pull both brakes. Go to an old bike shop that's been there since the Ice Age, bring your bike, and ask for ideas.

cccorlew

I'm going to be in brifter land with the new project, so the tandem lever won't work. But it's a good idea. I had one on my old bike. Th eonly issue is that you can't modulat ethe front/rear balance when you ride.
Thanks!

cccorlew

My bars are 31.8. Maybe I can kind of adapt it. It's not like it's going to be used a lot.
Thanks!

trin2du

What about adapting a bar top cyclocross lever?

https://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?p...ajor=1&minor=7

Gravity Worx

One thing on the Gold Finger.
As with several Dia-Tech levers, there is a 1" wide perch (mount part) meaning that it will take up 1" of bar space.
Normally this is not a problem. but with 2 brakes on 1 side of the bars, it might be.
I'd aim the secondary brake straight back to work with your thumb too, if it were me.
Then you could sort of modulate both at the same time with out mixing up the 2.

cccorlew

That looks promising. Are those standalone brake levers, or some sort of pass-through to the regular lever?
If they can work without routing to the regular brake (which would be on the wrong side for that to work) it would be a good solution. Can they work like that? Anyone know who has the smallest version?

Stacey

Ok, thinking outside the box here a bit.

You say you can't grip. What can you do... Push, pull, etc?

I'm thinking a tandem style 'drag brake' actuation using a bar end shifter, depending on mobility.

trin2du

They are passthrough levers. Is there any reason you couldn't mount the traiditional lever even if not using it? You mentioned brifters, so I assumed you would have the lever there anyway. I'm sure a good shop could figure out a way to make them work.

And as for size, most brands (both that I know of at least) seem pretty much the same.

CdCf

Coupling both front and rear brakes would be dangerous. Braking force could become highly unpredictable as the pads wear and the rims become differently contaminated by dirt and/or water. And that assumes a good initial adjustment is even possible. Furthermore, it would only protect against a BRAKE failure, not against a LEVER failure.

No, two separate brake systems both mounted on the right-hand side is the only sensible solution. My suggestion is two regular levers (use your left one, for example...) mounted as close to each other as possible, but with the "backup" one mounted so it is angled down more, and out of the way of the normal brake operation. This modification shouldn't take more than maybe 20 minutes or so to complete. You don't even have to touch the cables - only the levers themselves.

waterrockets 

Front/Rear modulation aside, I'm talking about cobbling together a solution that would work with any brake lever. Just splitting the cable and having a stop for both housings at the hood. I'd need to mess around with it for a while, but it should be possible.

The modulation loss would be a tradeoff...

cccorlew

That's exactly what I did on my Mtn bike. The two levers are mounted so closely that I can grab them both and do good job of modulating the fore/aft balance.

But on the road I'm actually happy with just using the front brake.
I'm just looking for a bail-out oh-my-gawd thing I can grab.

I really like the look of that 1-finger BMX brake. I'd use that if i could make it fit...

CdCf

And that's exactly what I described. The main one mounted in the regular way, and the "backup" mounted inside, but angled down so far that you don't touch it in normal braking operation (using the main lever), yet still easy to reach if you rotate your hand down a bit.

yairi

The 'cross lever would be the slickest solution. They can be used as standalone, a lot of fixed-gear bikes these days have their single brake activated by a 'cross interrupter lever on the bar top. Alternatively you could use a TT lever mounted in the bar end under the drop part of the grip.

cccorlew

I'd been g
"googling" but because of your post I tried "bicycle cross lever" and found this cool thing. It may be just what I'm after. I just need to make sure it fits, or find one like it that's a little less cast

Link tool doesn't seem to work. Here's the url
https://www.thebikebiz.com/PhotoGalle...2DLVR%2DPAUL01

yairi

That's like what I meant, but it looks like it would be better. Tailor made to your application in fact. The cross levers usually have a bit longer lever though. And they pull differently to that one, they move the housing not the cable. I use the Tektro RX 2.0.

Retro Grouch 

Used to be commonly done on tandems. I had one set up that way. I didn't encounter any of the things that you mentioned.

If it was my bike, I'd install an in-line cable doubler to operate both brakes from one lever - an STI lever will work fine. You won't encounter clamp size issues with your 31.8 mm bar either. Triathalon sources sell them. Actually, the Problem Solvers cable doubler lists psysically challenged riders as a typical use.

waterrockets 

+1 That's all I'm sayin'

My old tandem was braked this way.

Bantam

Hey, I am interested in why you are unable to brake with your left hand. I have spastic hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy that affects my left limbs. I cannot shift a left hand brifter so I have a barcon on the right side to control the FD. I spent my childhood on bikes with the rear end loose and the bike sideways. I am using the rear brake (right side) to control most of my braking but the idea of being sideways above 25 is not appealing. I am using the STI on the left side as a brake only. I have 2 Specialized shims in it to bring the lever closer to my hand but it is still a subpar braking experience. I am considering a compact aero brake to replace the STI but the idea of a TT brake on the left barend sounds nice. I really want to race so being able to stop is huge.

n4zou

A simple spoon brake attached to the fork is a simple and cheap emergency brake option. You can easily make it yourself. More information is available here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_brake_systems

cccorlew

Bantam, you might want to look at https://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=255466.
I have no fingers to speak of on my left. I can kind of push or pull a bit, but that's all. I managed to set up my mtn bike like this, (see photo) which would work for you too if you use flat bars. Drop bars -- the issue I'm facong, present a different problem.

Man, get that front brake moved to the right side RIGHT NOW before you skid to your death. You'll be amazed at the stopping power of using your front brake. I swear you don't really even need a back brake. The only reason I'm doing what I'm doing is just in case something were to happen to the front brake when I'm diving down Mt. Diablo. I'll bet you could race without ever touching the rear brake.

Right side brakes:


Holding my left hand on my mountain bars. The strap is just to make sure i don't bounce off when I hit a BIG bump. I don't have anything like this on the bike.

waterrockets 

Interesting solutions. I'm glad you guys are out riding!

Gravity Worx

There is one other option that I've been thinking about.
It would put both brakes on the same lever again, but with adjustments on each end so that it wouldn't skid the rear when modulating the front or visa versa. That part is actually a simple adjustment with this system.

The trick part is a cable that splits into 2.
We build 1 into 2 type cables litterally every day for snowmobile throttles.
They are a single cable that goes from the throttle and splits into 2, one to the rack carbs and the other to the oil injection for that application, but the same splitters and all can be set up for bike brakes.

We would put in-line adjusters on each part of the cable after the split as well to give you that adjustability to tune the feel how you would need it.

Just an idea for you to kick around.
The 1 down side though is in losing the ability to operate the 2 brakes seperately.

Maybe something like this would help?

CdCf

That is EXACTLY what I tried to describe!!!