# Brake Placement on Fixed Gear



## gohmdoree (Sep 9, 2010)

Currently, I have my front brake placed on the drops. 

I think its kind of unsightly, but I've read somewhere here that is a better position than putting a CX brake on top.

I tend to cruise on the top, and when I have to slow down or stop, have to drop to the bars.

I don't tend to ride in my drops much. Would you recommend keeping this set up, changing to a straight bar, or putting a brake up on top?


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## axlenut (Sep 28, 2010)

First a question - do you have front and rear or just front brakes. The reason I ask is for longer rides I like placing my hands on the hoods. If this is not a factor then using only top mount CX like leavers makes sense to me. One more thing to consider would be if you have other bikes. I like all my bikes to be set up more or less the same as far as brakes go. That way if I have to make a panic stop I don't have to think about it, just let the reflexes do their thing.


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## gohmdoree (Sep 9, 2010)

On my Pista, I just have a front brake. I also have a road bike and a tri bike.


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## UrbanPrimitive (Jun 14, 2009)

There isn't any significant loss of mechanical advantage going from a drop lever to a cross lever. The cable actuation is the same. The primary consideration, as axlenut mentioned, is where your hands spend most of their time and what you'll do when the s*** hits the fan. I like having traditional drop levers on my bars. I spend most of my time on the hoods or in the drops. I'm almost never on the flats. So with my preference the drop lever makes more sense. If you spend most of your time on the flats, an interrupt lever makes sense. For that matter you could have both, though that detracts from the streamlined look if aesthetics are your concern.

For my money hand positions are where it's at. But I've already expressed my bias. If you find you never use the drops it may be worth thinking about moving to a flat or riser bar. You certainly don't need to, but it sounds like it may suit your riding style better.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

A flat bar, riser or bullhorn may suit you better, and if you're on the tops most of the time the cross levers make sense.

I like drop bars for the variety of hand positions, on the fixies as well as the road bike. And I like having the hoods available as a hand position. So I use a regular drop lever for my one brake on the FG's, and have a dummy leverless hood on the other side. I ride on the tops a fair amount, but have no trouble moving to the hoods if I need to brake.

You weren't entirely clear, but it sounds as if you move your hands all the way to the drops when you need to brake. You should be able to brake safely from the hoods, which is a shorter move from the tops.

The drops really come in handy at times on the FG, especially with headwinds and climbs.


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## ezekiel_lux (Feb 3, 2013)

I use a Goldfinger brake lever on my Lauterwasser drops and installed it on the top near the stem. It looks great since it's smaller and less noticeable and I don't have to have an awkward lever sitting on one side of my drops.


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## evanchale (Mar 1, 2013)

Who needs brakes? They just slow you down. Just kidding I love brakes they have saved my life!


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