Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
Post Reply
LiveFree
Posts: 65
Joined: 25 Mar 2019, 3:57pm

Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

Post by LiveFree »

Hello good cycling folk,

Just a quick question that I am hoping you can help with- as the title suggests, I am wondering if Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' drilled 202H levers will work with a nice old pair of Mafac Racer brakes?

These are the levers in question..

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brake-lever ... ke-levers/

The other thing is, I am wondering what type of cable end these brakes would accept inside the lever itself? I would like to re-use the cables that are in there at the moment if possible.

Many thanks :D
rogerzilla
Posts: 2887
Joined: 9 Jun 2008, 8:06pm

Re: Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

Post by rogerzilla »

Yes, and it's the usual "road" pear nipple.

How powerful the brakes are will depend on setup: you can tweak straddle length and pad extension on Mafac Racers to compensate for a small mismatch in pull ratio from the lever.
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

Post by thirdcrank »

As an extra bit of good news, if you get the typical brake cables with a pear at one end and a barrel at the other, then the redundant barrel end can be used as a straddle wire in the original MAFAC Racer brakes which have a nipple at one end and are clamped at the other. You just need to think of that when cutting the cable to fit it. The new brake cable barrel will be bigger than the original straddle cable nipple but only an American dentist (?) will notice.
rogerzilla
Posts: 2887
Joined: 9 Jun 2008, 8:06pm

Re: Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

Post by rogerzilla »

Mafac Racers normally use gear cable as the straddle, don't they? The small barrel nipple of the gear cable fits neatly into a larger barrel. Of course, parts go missing over the years.
fastpedaller
Posts: 3435
Joined: 10 Jul 2014, 1:12pm
Location: Norfolk

Re: Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

Post by fastpedaller »

If a (bike cable) nipple is too big it can be trimmed by hand with a file or similar :)
LiveFree
Posts: 65
Joined: 25 Mar 2019, 3:57pm

Re: Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

Post by LiveFree »

Awesome replies- very helpful indeed. Thank you to you all for taking the time to reply.

HAPPY CYCLING :D
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

Post by thirdcrank »

Long ago - early 1980s(?) - I went into a decent LBS and asked for some MAFAC straddle cables. I might as well have asked for a pound of wet fish. Eventually, they got somebody out of the workshop - "don't worry, I'll deal with this" - who broke the shock news that MAFAC Racers were no longer a stock item and recommended using the other end of the cable. My only purpose in posting this was to pass on the tip to the OP, who may find that decent LBSs are increasingly rare and people who remember kit from what my grandchildren call the "olden days" rarer still.
LiveFree
Posts: 65
Joined: 25 Mar 2019, 3:57pm

Re: Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

Post by LiveFree »

Hello my friend, alas I have indeed found this out the hard way..that is one of the main reasons (other than fiscal necessity!) that I have chosen to service/repair my bicycles myself. There is simply not a bike shop near to me that I would trust with my beloved bikes. Although I have been riding bikes since a young child, I have only put my mind to the mechanical aspects recently- so, I am having to 'learn on the job.' Hence my gratitude for being a part of this forum, since there are surely many good folk on here with far more experience than me.

'Tis a good tip for the future about the Mafac straddle wire- thank you :D
scottg
Posts: 1218
Joined: 10 Jan 2008, 8:44pm
Location: Highland Heights Kentucky,, USA

Re: Dia Compe 'Gran Compe' levers and Mafac Racer brakes..

Post by scottg »

Tip from Jan, Campagnolo shift cables fit Mafacs with out filing.

https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop/co ... ddle-wire/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-AG
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Post Reply