Hydraulic brake mechanism

A hydraulic brake mechanism mountable to a bicycle handlebar, the hydraulic brake mechanism comprising:

• a housing having a base portion and an extension portion, the base portion including first and second ends, the base portion including a handlebar clamp at the first end, the base portion extending generally horizontally and the extension portion extending forwardly of the base portion at the second end and angled generally upwardly from the base portion when the hydraulic brake mechanism is mounted to the bicycle handlebar, the housing sized and shaped to be grasped by a user's hand, the housing having a fluid outlet port in the extension portion;
• a shift device disposed in the housing;
• a fluid chamber disposed in the extension portion of the housing in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet port;
• a piston movably disposed within the fluid chamber;
• a lever pivotally disposed at the second end of the base portion, the lever operatively connected to the piston to slidably displace the piston within the fluid chamber;
• and
• a fluid line attached to the fluid outlet port and disposed in a groove formed along a length of the extension portion and the base portion of the housing.