Top mount brake levers on Cyclo Cross bikes

Does anyone else have these fitted but never use them, or is it just me being too slow to need them?

No doubt yes. However, I have them and do use them.

All depends on what you ride and your position on your bike as to how useful they are.

got them, don't use them. Will be coming off as the add a bit of sponginess to the brakes.

Yep, I've got them but I use mine. Go on a really long ride, offroad, with masses of hills, you'll be using them by the end.

I only use them when i'm commuting, and even then, just for the "brakes locked on whilst waiting at a traffic light" type moments. one day I'll get my cables replaced and then they're coming off as they're just unsightly and being as i use my CX bike as a rode bike as well, they make me look a bit, y'know, "beginner"

Got them, use them.

Use them to the point that a flat bar cx bike will be next.

use my CX bike as a rode bike as well, they make me look a bit, y'know, "beginner"

Don't know about the others but me and crazy-legs are like, well experienced. And I'm like, old enough to be most people's dad.

edit: Apart from Richpips, he's older than me.

Ooer! I'm old and don't use em, and my son (who is young) uses them.
Now I am really confused. Ah! but I am old.

neither old nor young, stuck in the weird middle ground. I suppose I'm young compared to some?

Hmmm – I'm 45 (old, right?) and don't use mine. I could probably do a PhD on "the correlation between age and the use of top mount brake levers on Cyclo Cross bikes". Fascinating.

well you should be ashamed of yourself then. A middle aged man not using suicide levers.

I've got them, use them (quite a lot at the 3 Peaks ackshully) and I suppose I'm starting to knock on a bit now.
I'm not as old as samuri but I think I'm older than Crazylegs.

Righto then. I'll start using mine at this weekend's race so if you don't hear from me again, you'll know why.

Sh!t this is tricky.

I'm confused as I don't know how old any of you are, but i'm 33 and use them – is this right or should I remove them then put them back on when I reach 40!? 😯

They come in handy and I'm keeping them no matter when my birthday is.

I increasingly find I make use of mine…..interestingly I am also getting older.

that'd be easier for me, just remove them when I get older (especially as I currently like/use them).

done.

Righto lets do a poll.
Who is the oldest git who does not use top brake levers on their crosser.

I'm 54 (I think) and no levers.

If CX round a muddy field is the extremity of your cross riding, or use it as a road bike then I can see why you wouldn't bother, however if you take your bike into them there mountains, well that's different.

Rich aged 44 and 4 days.

Happy Birthday Rich!

tried them, didn't really use them, took them off and I'm 'like, well experienced' too.

If CX round a muddy field is the extremity of your cross riding

That sums me up perfectly – and you could add "mostly flat" before "field", I live in Essex…….

"If CX round a muddy field is the extremity of your cross riding"

Surely that is the correct and proper use for a cross bike.

Only if you're too narrow minded to see beyond the obvious 😉

34 years old.

Don't have them, don't want them.

I almost never ride with my hands on the tops, certainly not off road. Feels too narrow and high. Anything technical off-road is ridden on the drops.

Cross is riding around a muddy field/woods. Taking the bike up into the hills is rough stuff touring…

😉

It is true that only complete niovices use bar-top levers.

I presume that is Nick Craig on The Three Peaks.
Anyway I have an mtb for that kind of stuff.

I'm 26 and I dont use them

I think age isn't the issue, it's sex!
No men in the World Cups, GVAs etc use them but plenty of the women do….

I saw a pic of Martin Maskant (I think) riding Paris-Roubaix and he had them on his road bike!