Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Brake lever clamp size bigger than bar diameter: Solution

I was able to pick up a pretty nice specialized brake lever from my LBS on the cheap. The only problem, however, was that the clamp size was too big for the set of drops I wanted to put it on. I messed around with a couple ideas over the past few days (mostly including scraps of bar tape used as shims) but none really worked. Finally, I went digging through the spare parts bin and found and old Oury grip. I cut it into quarters and rolled one of the quarters onto the bar, clamping the lever over it. Once the hair spray set, it became totally solid.



http://i36.tinypic.com/2dj84mq.jpg
Success.

thats pretty cool. i've done something similar with old cut up tubes.

i just use electrical tape

i just use electrical tape

^this

I used small sheets of metal...

thats pretty cool. i've done something similar with old cut up tubes.

I used a strip of tube, but the lever still slides a bit. Maybe I need to add another strip of tube so that the clamp can tighten down more fully.

Does electrical tape work well? I feel like it is so smooth that the lever would still slide against it due to the lack of friction (smooth metal clamp vs smooth tape). Like I said, though, my shim might not be thick enough, so the clamp might not be tightening all the way down onto the bar/shim.

Electrical tape provides much more grip than bare/painted metal I use it where I mount lights and my camera. Never fails.

nice, i cut some bar plugs into plastic shims to make mine fit:thumb: DIY bike fabrication

alright, so i set the brake up and rode around for a bit. it works, but not all that well. when you start pulling on it with a brake at the other end, the rubber oury squishes and flexes around, thus moving the lever with it. this is definitely inhibiting some of the stopping power of the brake.

i kind of understated it a bit earlier, but the clamp is a lot bigger than the handlebar, like 4mm in all directions. i don't think metal shims will cut it, i might have to take it back and find something smaller.

anyone have experience with these (http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=6382)?

hijacking my own thread:

i'm looking fro a replacement one of these:
http://i38.tinypic.com/2qunrbl.png

but i have no idea what that's even called (for a dura ace). any ideas?

Isn't that called a barrel adjuster?

Yup, barrel adjuster. Go to the Shimano website and find the tech data sheet for your particular brake and you can even get the part number of the exact one you need and you can order it through any Shimano dealer.

if you're ever in SF, I'll give you a 26 to 31.8mm Salsa cross spacer shim.