Dia compe gran compe aero hoods - any sources?
#1
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Dia compe gran compe aero hoods - any sources?
Picked these up at the lbs but haven't been able to locate a source for new hoods, which they'll be needing sooner or later. Anyone know a place? Thanks.
#2
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Bikes: 1986 Alan Record Carbonio, 1985 Vitus Plus Carbone 7, 1984 Peugeot PSV, 1972 Line Seeker, 1986(est.) Medici Aerodynamic (Project), 1985(est.) Peugeot PY10FC
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There's a few at eBay floating around with French sellers. Very pricy though at at least $40 a pair. I think there another couple of pairs that have been lingering at Ebay also with US sellers, but they are either Candy apple red or Pink in color....also expensive.
Be careful you get the correct ones because there are at least two styles of aero hoods from that time oneslike you pictured, and a smaller one that does not cover the lower hinge part as much..........don't ask how I know!
Be careful you get the correct ones because there are at least two styles of aero hoods from that time oneslike you pictured, and a smaller one that does not cover the lower hinge part as much..........don't ask how I know!
#3
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Thanks for the info. $40 seems a little steep for my $10 levers, so I think I'll get some of that aerospace preservative and give it a try.
Actually, it's just around the edge that these hoods seem brittle. Almost seems like a reaction to something that I can only guess would have been shellac. Just in case I'm right about that, I'll be taking extra care in the future not to get any on the hoods when I shellac bar tape.
Actually, it's just around the edge that these hoods seem brittle. Almost seems like a reaction to something that I can only guess would have been shellac. Just in case I'm right about that, I'll be taking extra care in the future not to get any on the hoods when I shellac bar tape.
#4
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Thanks for the info. $40 seems a little steep for my $10 levers, so I think I'll get some of that aerospace preservative and give it a try.
Actually, it's just around the edge that these hoods seem brittle. Almost seems like a reaction to something that I can only guess would have been shellac. Just in case I'm right about that, I'll be taking extra care in the future not to get any on the hoods when I shellac bar tape.
Actually, it's just around the edge that these hoods seem brittle. Almost seems like a reaction to something that I can only guess would have been shellac. Just in case I'm right about that, I'll be taking extra care in the future not to get any on the hoods when I shellac bar tape.
Chombi
#5
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Hoods seem to get brittle first at the edges as you noticed. It's because they are thinnest at these areas and tend to dry out there first. Did a bit of research on how one might preserve gum lever hoods,but what I've seen out there so far is that you have to keep them out of light and air to do so.....otherwise, it's a losing battle with the environment. You can maybe just slow down their deterioration with chemicals, but it's just a matter of time till they harden up and dry out anyway..........unless you throw them into a vaccum sealed can and hide them forever which kills the whole point of having them.......that's why these guys can charge over 40 bucks for these older hoods.
Chombi
Chombi
#6
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I know what you're saying. As you can see in the picture, the edges that would have tape contact are not only brittle but also discolored, and they have a little sheen. It really does look like old shellac, which got me wondering. I don't know enough chemistry to state that shellac affects rubber, so who knows. Anyway, there was a thread the other day about 303 Aerospace protectant - I'm going to get some of that and see what happens. I figure it can't hurt.
The top surface of gum hoods do get really shiney in some cases as they dry out, almost looking like hard plastic (instead of the velvety soft texture that most of them leave the factories as), forming a sort of stiff crust that then eventually darken and crack up into smaller scaley surface flakes before craking all the way through. Rotting is the best way to describe how hood desintegrate with time. The gum lever hoods on my Spidel Brake set is just starting to develop similar hints of minute cracks and shineyness at the very edges of the hoods too, aganst the bar, and I'm 100% sure that they werenever anywhere near shellac. I think I'll just trim the feathery dried edges with a razor to clean them up and maybe arrest/slow down the rot a bit(?).
Good luck with your search!
BTW, The white hoods I have on my Aero Gran Compes seem to be lasting much longer than "natural" gum lever hood usually do. In fact, I don't really see any rotting at all, save for a couple of minute cuts near the lever pivots most likely caused more by stress when I removed and re-installed them when changing bar tape and not rotting. I think the colored ones are more like silicone material and not gum rubber. That's why maybe mine are in good condition, despite their 20+ year use on the bike. Mybe you should consuder finding the colored ones instead.
I think our only salvation for C&V levers is someone could make casts of the old, now hard to find lever hoods and mould new ones made out of silicone instead.
Chombi
Last edited by Chombi; 02-01-10 at 03:42 PM.
#7
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This link was posted in a different thread
https://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-1980s-DIA-CO...a499df&afsrc=1
Sorry I didn't read it close enough, there' only one
https://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-1980s-DIA-CO...a499df&afsrc=1
Sorry I didn't read it close enough, there' only one
Last edited by brian3069; 02-02-10 at 01:54 PM.
#8
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This link was posted in a different thread
https://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-1980s-DIA-CO...a499df&afsrc=1
Sorry I didn't read it close enough, there' only one
https://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-1980s-DIA-CO...a499df&afsrc=1
Sorry I didn't read it close enough, there' only one
Thanks for the tip Brian!
Chombi
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