Keeping separate front and rear brake levers

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turb0_ryan

New Member
Sep 18, 2011
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Milwaukee, WI, USA
New to the forum - great info so far..

I don't want to have a dual-brake 1-lever setup and I also don't want to lose a braking wheel - so what are my options to keep both brake levers on the handlebars?

Do I need a kit with an automatic clutch? Is it possible to run a clutch and brake lever on the same side?

If an automatic clutch setup is needed, any recommendations for reliability/power transfer?
 
2door

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
Many, many of us have the clutch and two seperate brake levers on our bars. In fact I'd have to say the majority of those with a HT, Chinese 2 stroke go that route. There are those who use the dual brake lever and swear by it; then there are those of us who have disc brakes on the front and rim brakes on the rear. That can be an adjustment nightmare when trying to keep the front from giving too much brake in some situations like wet streets or sand/gravel.
Unless you have very short handlebars, three levers can easily be installed. As for operating them, after a few hours the levers will just become second nature and you won't even think about what your hands are doing.
Good luck.
Tom
 
rohmell

rohmell

Active Member
Jun 2, 2010
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If you install a centrifugal clutch, then you will only need the clutch lever to start the engine, then after the engine is running, you can forget about the clutch lever.
 
CTripps

CTripps

Active Member
Aug 22, 2011
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Vancouver, B.C.
I've installed dual brake levers on both my builds so far, and am quite happy with them. Prior to that I had a brake lever fighting for space with the clutch on the left handlebar (the brake ended up being down below the clutch lever). It did work, but it was awkward, and difficult in a tense situation to get both brakes working and the clutch disengaged. There's also very little real estate left on my handlebars, so it worked out better to go dual-brake lever for me. That said, to each thier own is what I feel. If it works for you and you like it there's no need to change it.
 
Nashville Kat

Nashville Kat

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2009
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Jacksonville, Florida
My vote is for the dual lever- and that's with 14 years of USCF road and track racing in my past-

I initially had two brake levers, but really found it was too much fidgeting- I had my doubts about the dual lever, but I've used them now for about two and a half years- never had a problem- the barrel ends adjust independently-

and I won't use anything else now-

That's with both cantilever brakes and caliper, not disk brakes- can't speak for that. Running 700 or 27 whyeels makes a back brake easier to go with on a cruiser frame, but the brakes are usually mis-matched in reach on a cruiser frame anyway, if it's not fitted with cantilever brazed on frame fixtures.

These wheels would be great- you could drill the large flange rear hub for the six bolt disk brake mounting hole set-up with a sprocket made or drilled for that
http://www.ebay.com/itm/27-x-1-1-4-...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35b3ee094c
http://www.amazon.com/27x1-1-Track-Wheel-Alloy-Ch-21/dp/B001DTRSXY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

people tend to forget about 27 x 1 3/8 inch tires too- which are a little wider and have a higher profile than 27x 1 1/4
Going to a 700 or 27 rear wheel is like taking a tooth off a rear sproket in mechanical gearing- you gain about a mile an hour with just the wheel- and they roll GREAT!
 
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