would you convert this to drops?

[GazK]

They work the same way that cross top levers do, ie they push on the cable housing, in the existing cable run, to activate the brake. I've not used them but can't see any reason they would work, the inline setup is actually the same as a crosstop. It's just the actuation is via twist rather than lever.

that's not quite true though is it? The image shows them set up with old-skool cables which emerge from the top of the hoods. I can't see how these would work with modern internally cabled levers.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

MacB is right in that the twistgrips activate the brakes (each grip has two parts, one fixed and one twist-able, both connected inline to the cable; twisting the grip pulls two cable housings away from each other, which is like pulling the cable).

GazK is also right that this works best with old school levers where the cables come out of the top of the hoods. Modern cyclocross top levers don't sit well at all with such brake levers because the brake cables would have to be bent unnaturally.