Can I add extra brake levers to any road bike?
Many bikes, the classic “10 speeds,” used to come with brake levers on the drop and the tops. These were called “safety levers.” These were phased out as this style of bike become less popular with the advent of the mountain bike. In fact higher end bikes never really had them at all because they did not provide much of a benefit, provided weak stopping power, and got in the way. However, they are back in production due to the increasing popularity of cyclocross. Companies have developed levers that provide braking from the tops of the bars. They are more powerful and safer than the previous versions as they actually engage the cable on the tops of the bars rather than just provide a linkage to the primary brake lever. A link to one such product is below. http://www.coloradocyclist.
