i have a 1989 nigel dean racer which i bought last year along with a raleigh racer and two spare wheelsets for the dean for £100 the bikes had been used for road racing and i think the dean was latterly used for training rollers as the brake inners had been cut and the blocks removed.
i finally got round to sorting it out for using last weekend and after pumping up the tyres and fitting two new gear inners i then proceeded to fit new brake inners after removing the handlebar tape and fitting the inners then fitting new brake blocks.
the brakes stop the wheels but the lever wont return to the brake body after being released whereas the brake levers on all my other racers do.
i would like to take the brake levers off to give them a clean as am sure that 23 years of dirt and muck is part of the problem but cant locate the allen bolt that secures the lever to the brake band on the bars.
can anyone advise as to the best way to get the brake levers off for cleaning i dont mind having to remove the bars and stem if need be as ive still to service the headset so can do both jobs at the same time as reckon that it would be easier to see the bolts inside the levers with the handlebars off the bike.
when i come to set the brakes back up again(the brake units are dia compe sidepulls) how do i get the brake to be very sharp which is the way i like my brakes just pull the lever a little and the brake is on.
the bike is up and running and the brakes do slow me down when descending a hill but would like them just that bit sharper or will i just have to live with the brakes being as they are, im going on a vcc run tomorrow at kelso so it will be interesting to see how the bike handles and reacts on hills during the run.
also to finish does anyone know where the frame number on a nigel dean racer is located
aero brakes on a nigel dean racer
Re: aero brakes on a nigel dean racer
There might be a quick-release on the brake lever that's released. This is so that you can remove the wheel from the bike easily.
The bolt holding the levers on will either be under the hood or inside the lever. If it's the latter, pull the brake lever and you should be able to see either an allen key or flat screwdriver bolt
The bolt holding the levers on will either be under the hood or inside the lever. If it's the latter, pull the brake lever and you should be able to see either an allen key or flat screwdriver bolt
Re: aero brakes on a nigel dean racer
AndyA wrote:There might be a quick-release on the brake lever that's released. This is so that you can remove the wheel from the bike easily.
The bolt holding the levers on will either be under the hood or inside the lever. If it's the latter, pull the brake lever and you should be able to see either an allen key or flat screwdriver bolt
the quick release for the brakes are on the brake units not the lever the bolt could be behind the cable eye inside the lever but cant see where the bolt is thats the problem am having trying to locate where it is
im using it on a club run tomorrow so will give it another try on monday and see if i can locate the bolt which will most likely be an allen bolt as the reason the lever doesnt snap back is i think due to dirt and grime clogging it up, i may take the handlebars and stem off the bike as i need to service the headset so can do both jobs at once. no doubt the stem wedge will be gunged up with road dirt