Cycling UK Forum

Hi all,

I posted a while back about getting a new handlebar. It has arrived and today I got round to taking the old one off and mounting the new one.

I cannot ride for a while (had surgery recently) so in the meantime I am looking for ideas on the best set of brakes to go on this new handlebar.

At my disposal I have a pair of drop bar brake levers which I intended to use. I have played around with one of them on the bar - and it seems to only fit around the rounded part of the handlebar. Really the way the handlebar is shaped, I will spend most of my time on the end bits of it, and so it seems that perhaps I need a new set of levers.

I also have a set of Cane creek cross top interruptors, but I can't imagine that I will be using those with this handlebar. The brakes/calipers being used are Alhonga deep drop.

All ideas as to brake levers are most welcome. BTW - I'm also thinking of mounting the handlebar upside down - what are your thoughts on that?

Here are some pics:

one of the issues with that bar design (which is designed to be mounted either way up) is that the straight bit at the ends is rather short.

So if you intend to use separate grips, you probably need short levers to go with them (and they need to be short pull, not 'V' levers) and if you ever are thinking of mounting a shifter on the handlebar you need to choose with care.

A second commonplace option is to tape most of the bar and use levers meant for drops, on the curved sections as you suggest.

A third option (if you are feeling a little adventurous) is to tape most of the bar and fit (possibly slightly reshaped) guidonnet type levers.

BTW are these bars 22.2mm or 23.8mm? This will affect your choice of levers, grips etc somewhat.

cheers

I was afraid that you'd say that I cannot use V brake levers! why is that, exactly? Surely an excess amount of pull isn't going to spoil the braking? If so, how?

Shifter is not a problem - there is only one shifter and it is mounted to the downtube already. I do not intent to move it.

The bars measure 23.9-24.00 mm

what do you mean by "if you intend to use separate grips"?

And what about those brake levers which fit into the ends of the bar? Are they compatible with the alhonga brakes?

Would something like the old "roadster" style suit:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RETRO-STYLE-B ... 33898a46a9

Regarding V-brake levers some have a 2 position setting so that the "pull" can be altered.
My oldish Lx have just such a function but don't ask me how they would fare with standard brakes.

P.S. I notice the Alhonga brakes don't have a cable release feature so you might need to consider this in the case of wheel removal for puncture repair.

Vladimir wrote:I was afraid that you'd say that I cannot use V brake levers! why is that, exactly? Surely an excess amount of pull isn't going to spoil the braking? If so, how?

you don't get owt for nowt; more cable pull (as required for Vs) = less force = crap brakes with the wrong levers

The bars measure 23.9-24.00 mm

in which case most flat bar levers (which are meant for 22.2mm) won't fit. Caveat emptor.

what do you mean by "if you intend to use separate grips"?

grips that slide on in one lump, instead of tape. BTW most grips won't fit those bars, the bars are too big.

And what about those brake levers which fit into the ends of the bar? Are they compatible with the alhonga brakes?

mostly, yes. But they are not all the same. Check before purchase.

cheers

Thanks for the replies Bruce.

No - I do not intend to use separate grips - I shall either try to reuse the bar tape and if that fails, use the new bar tape I have in my tool box.

Ok - so I need to ensure that any levers that I might buy either fit the 24mm outer diameter or the 20mm internal diameter of these bars. Got it.

To be honest I may well try the drop levers that I have, its just that from my initial impression of putting one of the drop levers on, the section that it ended up on - it just seemed to me that it wouldn't be a good place to apply one's brake from, especially in an emergency.

Brucey wrote:mostly, yes. But they are not all the same. Check before purchase.
cheers

Check for what, please?

check the cable pull. You need a short cable pull for side pull/DP brakes. If the levers are for Vs then they are no good for you.

cheers

So - does anyone have any experiences/ product recommendations for some brake levers?

Will the Cane Creek TT levers do the trick? Such as these: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cane ... -prod27938

most of the bar end levers are designed to be fitted the other way round eg on TT handlebars. On bars like yours I worry about the levers snagging on things unintentionally. I also think the cable runs under the bar tape in a place where it is quite likely to be uncomfortable. The Dia-Compe 188 model is about £16 from wiggle if that is the kind of thing you want.

cheers

Brucey wrote:most of the bar end levers are designed to be fitted the other way round eg on TT handlebars. On bars like yours I worry about the levers snagging on things unintentionally. I also think the cable runs under the bar tape in a place where it is quite likely to be uncomfortable. The Dia-Compe 188 model is about £16 from wiggle if that is the kind of thing you want.

cheers

The way I am picturing it - the housing will run under the bar tape just under the crease formed by the metacarpophalangeal joint or in fact the proximal interphalangeal joint. Either way - almost unnoticeable, no?

Or am I being naiive?

have you looked at some of the flat bar levers here

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/brakes/levers.html which are available in 23.8 size.

they have a number of UK dealers.

A few ideas:-
https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&s ... 96Q-XmpuA4

re cable runs; it mightn't trouble you in the slightest. But if you ever hold the bars in different positions (e.g. with wrists supinated or pronated on the middle section) then the cables are unlikely not to be felt at least some of the time. If it does trouble you then there is a piece that shimano makes which goes under the bar tape and makes the whole profile more rounded.

Re VO levers; I like these;

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/brakes/levers/city-bike-brakes-levers.html

which are (I suspect) an unbranded version of a lever design that I last saw manufactured by VP, stainless clamp and all. I once cheerfully bought several sets for the princely sum of £2 a pair.

cheers

some other options from a uk shop http://www.velovitality.co.uk/collections/brakes-levers-and-cables

Thanks for all the replies, guys (and girls?)

I'm quite certain that I am going to go with some bar end levers, especially after seeing lots of pictures online of mungo bars, not least this one:



One last question thought - are all drop levers designed to fit on the curved bit of the bar? Are there none out there that are designed to fit on the straight edge of a bar?

One of the things that is discouraging me from using drop levers on this bar, apart from the braking position, which I view as disadvantageous, is that the cable routings will end up in a massive loopy mess. Or is my inexperience with drop bars showing here?