An old take on the drop bar/ brake lever position

[Andrew Lee]

I was watching an old French movie on video last night that included scenes of a dropped bar bicycle
from the late 1950's. The brake levers on the bike were new to me and they made me think of the
dropped bar/flat bar braking discussion a couple of weeks ago (which I stayed out of... I'm happy
with the 5 positions that I use on my drop bars with 1980's Shimano aero brake levers and find the
flat bars with built in extensions a lot less comfortable on my mountain bike.) Some of you who
didn't like the braking on drop bars may or may not like this old setup.

The bars were standard drops. The brake levers attached below the tops of the bars near the stem,
looking a lot like the extra levers that some people put on cyclocross bikes except that they were
longer. The ends of the levers extended to the sides and then forwards a couple centimeters,
following the forward bend of the handlebars. The body of the levers were angled down maybe a little
more than the 45 degrees down from horizontal of my mountain bike. The braking positions were from
the tops (palm down position) and the upper bends (palms roughly facing each other) positions - 2 of
the 5 positions that I commonly ride in on my road bike and different from the 2 positions that I
have braking available from on my more modern (if you consider 1980's modern) bike. Like a track
bike, there are no brake hoods to use and no braking from the hooks or lower flats. They looked
pretty sturdy and had plenty of clearance to them to avoid bottoming out unlike the "suicide" lever
extensions on old "10-speeds" (which I frequently used on my first road bike and didn't mind, though
I knew their limitations).

 

[James Thomson]

"Andrew Lee" <whatsupandrewathotmaildotcom> wrote:

> I was watching an old French movie on video last night that included scenes of a dropped bar
> bicycle from the late 1950's.

> Some of you who didn't like the braking on drop bars may or may not like this old setup.

> The bars were standard drops. The brake levers attached below the tops of the bars near the stem,
> looking a lot like the extra levers that some people put on cyclocross bikes except that they were
> longer. The ends of the levers extended to the sides and then forwards a couple centimeters,
> following the forward bend of the handlebars. The body of the levers were angled down maybe a
> little more than the 45 degrees down from horizontal of my mountain bike. The braking positions
> were from the tops (palm down position) and the upper bends (palms roughly facing each other)
> positions - 2 of the 5 positions that I commonly ride in on my road bike and different from the 2
> positions that I have braking available from on my more modern (if you consider 1980's modern)
> bike. Like a track bike, there are no brake hoods to use and no braking from the hooks or lower
> flats. They looked pretty sturdy and had plenty of clearance to them to avoid bottoming out unlike
> the "suicide" lever extensions on old "10-speeds" (which I frequently used on my first road bike
> and didn't mind, though I knew their limitations).

I've heard these referred to as 'guidonet' or 'guidonette' levers - and I'm not sure which is
correct. There's a picture of a 1953 René Herse so equipped at:

http://www.cyclart.com/photos/Recent%20work/Herseb4&After/rh_all.jpg

I've seen models from Mafac and CLB, and my impression is that they were more commonly used on
touring bikes. There's an old Randonnée bike parked on my block that has a set.

In terms of practicality, I imagine they'd be similar in use to the Tektro cyclocross levers I use
(which are just long enough to be operated from the upper bend of a 46cm bar) except for the loss of
the hood position and ability to brake from the drops (as you note).

James Thomson

 

[A Muzi]

Andrew Lee wrote:

> I was watching an old French movie on video last night that included scenes of a dropped bar
> bicycle from the late 1950's. The brake levers on the bike were new to me and they made me think
> of the dropped bar/flat bar braking discussion a couple of weeks ago (which I stayed out of... I'm
> happy with the 5 positions that I use on my drop bars with 1980's Shimano aero brake levers and
> find the flat bars with built in extensions a lot less comfortable on my mountain bike.) Some of
> you who didn't like the braking on drop bars may or may not like this old setup.
>
> The bars were standard drops. The brake levers attached below the tops of the bars near the stem,
> looking a lot like the extra levers that some people put on cyclocross bikes except that they were
> longer. The ends of the levers extended to the sides and then forwards a couple centimeters,
> following the forward bend of the handlebars. The body of the levers were angled down maybe a
> little more than the 45 degrees down from horizontal of my mountain bike. The braking positions
> were from the tops (palm down position) and the upper bends (palms roughly facing each other)
> positions - 2 of the 5 positions that I commonly ride in on my road bike and different from the 2
> positions that I have braking available from on my more modern (if you consider 1980's modern)
> bike. Like a track bike, there are no brake hoods to use and no braking from the hooks or lower
> flats. They looked pretty sturdy and had plenty of clearance to them to avoid bottoming out unlike
> the "suicide" lever extensions on old "10-speeds" (which I frequently used on my first road bike
> and didn't mind, though I knew their limitations).

You are describing a guidonnet lever. Mafac or CLB, probably. We have those. They were very popular
on ladies' style road bikes through the early '80s and then passed from fashion once more.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[Jeff Wills]

"James Thomson" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
> I've heard these referred to as 'guidonet' or 'guidonette' levers - and I'm not sure which is
> correct. There's a picture of a 1953 René Herse so equipped at:
>
> http://www.cyclart.com/photos/Recent%20work/Herseb4&After/rh_all.jpg
>
> I've seen models from Mafac and CLB, and my impression is that they were more commonly used on
> touring bikes. There's an old Randonnée bike parked on my block that has a set.
>

I've seen a couple sets of these over the years, most recently some Mafacs in the used parts area at
the local Citybikes Co-op (Portland). I was tempted to buy them (weird bike parts nut that I am),
but the levers appeared to be well-aged plastic and didn't look all that substantial to begin with.

I think the biggest downside to them is that you're forced to brake from the tops- if you're on the
drops (screaming downhill) you're SOL. I'd rather use the Tektro levers nowadays.

Jeff

 

[A Muzi]

> "James Thomson" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>>I've heard these referred to as 'guidonet' or 'guidonette' levers - and I'm not sure which is
>>correct. There's a picture of a 1953 René Herse so equipped at:
>>http://www.cyclart.com/photos/Recent%20work/Herseb4&After/rh_all.jpg I've seen models from Mafac
>>and CLB, and my impression is that they were more commonly used on touring bikes. There's an old
>>Randonnée bike parked on my block that has a set.

Jeff Wills wrote:
> I've seen a couple sets of these over the years, most recently some Mafacs in the used parts area
> at the local Citybikes Co-op (Portland). I was tempted to buy them (weird bike parts nut that I
> am), but the levers appeared to be well-aged plastic and didn't look all that substantial to begin
> with. I think the biggest downside to them is that you're forced to brake from the tops- if you're
> on the drops (screaming downhill) you're SOL. I'd rather use the Tektro levers nowadays.

The Mafac model is Delrin cover ( usually white but there were black as well) over an aluminum
lever. Small cracks are not significant - they won't crumble in your hand - although the little ball
at the end might walk away if you bashed it.

Theory aside they are actually quite positive and comfortable. OK, not for everyone but that's a
matter of taste, not quality.

CLB, who had a hard time doing much else right, made the best guidonnet lever, IMHO.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971