Brake lever options

[Tim Hall]

Having got a new (to us) bike for my wife for nothing a month or so back, she has now decided the
brakes are hard to use.

It's a drop bar Raleigh something or other with caliper brakes. The levers are too big for her
tiny hands, so she has difficulty in braking from the drops (the levers are also badly
positioned for her0.

As I see it the choices are:

Fit flat bars with levers to suit. What short reach levers are there for flat bars?

Fit shorter reach drop bar levers. Any ideas of suitable models?

Fit those Cannondale bar top levers, sort of updated working version of the old suicide levers.

Comments?

Tim
--
In space no one can eat ice cream

[Zog The Undenia]

Tim Hall wrote:
> Having got a new (to us) bike for my wife for nothing a month or so back, she has now decided the
> brakes are hard to use.
>
> It's a drop bar Raleigh something or other with caliper brakes. The levers are too big for her
> tiny hands, so she has difficulty in braking from the drops (the levers are also badly positioned
> for her0.
>
> As I see it the choices are:
>
> Fit flat bars with levers to suit. What short reach levers are there for flat bars?
>
> Fit shorter reach drop bar levers. Any ideas of suitable models?
>
> Fit those Cannondale bar top levers, sort of updated working version of the old suicide levers.
>
>
> Comments?
>
>
> Tim

Most of the Shimano levers (Super SLR) are good for braking from the "hoods" position, unlike a lot
of old designs.

FWIW, the old "suicide" levers saved me from a pile-up a long time ago - I thought they were
unfairly dismissed, possibly by people who allowed their pads to wear down too far (and then ran out
of travel on the extension levers). They did mean you could ride on the tops while in a bunch, which
isn't normally safe.

[Pete Biggs]

Tim Hall wrote:
> Having got a new (to us) bike for my wife for nothing a month or so back, she has now decided the
> brakes are hard to use.
>
> It's a drop bar Raleigh something or other with caliper brakes. The levers are too big for her
> tiny hands, so she has difficulty in braking from the drops

Levers may indeed be too big but you may be overlooking a more important cause: the handlebars.
Nearly drop bars on new bikes these days are "anatomic" types. The diagonal straight bits place the
hands further back than the old style bars with the full curves at the drops. It may well be worth
changing the bars to these or to some designed specifically for women. See:
http://www.terrybicycles.com/ As far as anatomics go, 3T Morphe are better than most.

> (the levers are also badly positioned for her0.

Try undoing tape and repositioning the levers then (a small amount of movement can make an imortant
difference), and also make sure handlebar tilt is optimum: best to get this right first.

/snip
> Fit shorter reach drop bar levers. Any ideas of suitable models?

Shimano Sora STI's have adjustable reach brake levers.

> Fit those Cannondale bar top levers, sort of updated working version of the old suicide levers.

Might be good (I've not tried them). But the brakes should be useable now from the hoods as well.
Can your wife brake ok from that position? Bar tilt and lever position makes a massive difference
here. Brake pad clearance is also an important variable.

~PB

[Simon Brooke]

Tim Hall <timhall@nospamtoday.clara.co.uk> writes:

> Having got a new (to us) bike for my wife for nothing a month or so back, she has now decided the
> brakes are hard to use.
>
> It's a drop bar Raleigh something or other with caliper brakes. The levers are too big for her
> tiny hands, so she has difficulty in braking from the drops (the levers are also badly positioned
> for her).

I recently refurbished my sister's old Raleigh Royale for Juliette. It has drop bars as you describe
and Juliette, who'd never ridden a drop bar bike before, found them hard to adjust to. We bought a
pair of back-lever type brake levers from SJS cycles ('Octopus No 626') and these aren't wonderful
quality but they work and have been a great success (yes, I know this style has a bad reputation.
I've adjusted these and are satisfied they work effectively). On the same page SJS list two other
possible solutions: 'Tektro brake lever per pair for use as an extra lever on drop handlebars', and
'Suntour Palm Control'. For all of these see <URL:
http://www.sjscycles.com/store/vIndex.htm?cat667.htm >

My expectation is that as she gets used to the bike she'll become more comfortable with the drop
bar levers and eventually it may be possible to replace the back-lever brake levers with a
conventional pair.

--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; of 90+ years of protection, but a cure for cancer, only 14? -- user 'Tackhead', in /.
discussion of copyright law, 22/05/02

[James Hodson]

On Sat, 13 Sep 2003 22:05:08 +0100, "Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:

[SNIP]

>Try undoing tape and repositioning the levers then (a small amount of movement can make an imortant
>difference), and also make sure handlebar tilt is optimum: best to get this right first.
>

I'd agree with that, Pete. When I bought my Orbea last year I road around for a good six weeks
without bar tape. I spent the time adjusting the bar/brake postitions, cycling for a few miles then
repeating the exercise. Sod's law dicated that I was knocked off (by the kid, if you recall) ten
minutes after the tape had ben applied. The only damage (not counting me) was to the bar tape :-(

I've finally decided a shorter stem is the answer to the one or two problems I still have. These are
due to by my re-injured back.

The brake/gear mechs are Sora - as is my back <groan>

James

--
"Sorry mate, I didn't see you" is not a satisfactory excuse.

[Kate]

Simon Brooke <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote in message
news:<87ekyjz2m2.fsf@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk>...
> Tim Hall <timhall@nospamtoday.clara.co.uk> writes:
>
> > Having got a new (to us) bike for my wife for nothing a month or so back, she has now decided
> > the brakes are hard to use.
> >
> > It's a drop bar Raleigh something or other with caliper brakes. The levers are too big for her
> > tiny hands, so she has difficulty in braking from the drops (the levers are also badly
> > positioned for her).
>
> I recently refurbished my sister's old Raleigh Royale for Juliette. It has drop bars as you
> describe and Juliette, who'd never ridden a drop bar bike before, found them hard to adjust to. We
> bought a pair of back-lever type brake levers from SJS cycles ('Octopus No 626') and these aren't
> wonderful quality but they work and have been a great success (yes, I know this style has a bad
> reputation. I've adjusted these and are satisfied they work effectively). On the same page SJS
> list two other possible solutions: 'Tektro brake lever per pair for use as an extra lever on drop
> handlebars', and 'Suntour Palm Control'. For all of these see <URL:
> http://www.sjscycles.com/store/vIndex.htm?cat667.htm >
>
> My expectation is that as she gets used to the bike she'll become more comfortable with the drop
> bar levers and eventually it may be possible to replace the back-lever brake levers with a
> conventional pair.

I had the Tektro brake levers added to my new Dawes Horizon and find them very useful especially as
I've ended up using the bike round town, when I tend to ride more on the tops, as well as on longer
trips. I have smallish hands (although not tiny) and have no problem braking from the drops, but
don't feel like I can get sufficient leverage from the hoods.

Kate

[Daren Austin]

Tim Hall <timhall@nospamtoday.clara.co.uk> wrote in message
news:<mcv6mvoueltdkdl1jbkj26hmn2sf3em0ld@4ax.com>...
> Having got a new (to us) bike for my wife for nothing a month or so back, she has now decided the
> brakes are hard to use.
>
> It's a drop bar Raleigh something or other with caliper brakes. The levers are too big for her
> tiny hands, so she has difficulty in braking from the drops (the levers are also badly positioned
> for her0.
>
> As I see it the choices are:

Cheap option: fit a ferule (metal tube to non kite flyers) between cable stop and level attachment.
This moves the lever in slightly improving reach but has no effect on braking performance. You will
probably have to remove the cable unless you fashion some crimp-on ferules.

The routing inside the brake lever is is nipple->holder->cable sheath insert ferule such that
routing is nipple->holder->ferule->cable sheath

The ferule then buts up against the brake lever rest (rather than the holder) when closed. A ferule
of about one inch should do.

Most kids flat bar brake levers have a screw to do this for you, although the 170 quid Trek MT60 I
bought last week did not and the modeification has already been done. I have also done the same to a
30yr old Raleigh Bluebird for my 3yr old son.

Kind regards,

Daren