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mtb/bmx styled lever compatable with dia compe brake setup?

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mtb/bmx styled lever compatable with dia compe brake setup?

Old 09-13-11, 08:44 PM
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mtb/bmx styled lever compatable with dia compe brake setup?

like the title states, i have soma 456 track bars coming in, and wanted to add a lever for my front brake that wasn't dia compe/aero styled. i was looking at this brake in particular (pictured below) and wondered is it fine to use? will i have any cable installation issues or any other issues?

i know it requires a mtb style cable, but would that be just fine for my brake?

point me in the direction of brake levers that WILL work with my dia compe front brake if the one i found will not.

thanks
Justin

https://www.outsideoutfitters.com/p-1...ke-levers.aspx

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Old 09-13-11, 09:05 PM
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Assuming your front brake is a caliper or cantilever, those will NOT work.

Cross levers are usually the preferred lever for fixed gear set-ups. These will work:

https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...s.php?id=15987
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Old 09-13-11, 09:39 PM
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i see. thank you, now i know what to search for.

i love this site
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Old 09-14-11, 12:14 AM
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V-brakes have more mechanical advantage at the caliper so the levers designed for use with V-brakes have less mechanical advantage. Result of using a v-brake lever with road brakes is that lever will be excessively stiff and you will not have enough braking force. Use a lever that is designed for cantilever brakes rather than v-brakes.
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Old 09-14-11, 12:37 AM
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you can use older style mtb/bmx levers that aren't meant for vbrakes
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Old 09-14-11, 12:47 AM
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i think im going to be settling with these soma cross brake levers

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Old 09-14-11, 12:53 AM
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You looking for vintage styling?
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Old 09-14-11, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Puget Pounder
Assuming your front brake is a caliper or cantilever, those will NOT work.
I think you're incorrect. I've used levers like this made by Tektro and (modern) Sturmey Archer. Most of these levers have two holes for the part that holds the cable end so that you can effectively change the amount of pull.

All that to say that I don't recommend a lever of this type for a drop bar. It wouldn't look good. Perhaps it'd look better on a Lauterwasser type bend, but not a Cinelli bend as the 456 bar has.
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Old 09-14-11, 08:40 AM
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The other thing that hasn't been addressed directly is the clamp diameter. Most levers designed for upright/MTB bars have a 22.2mm clamp and won't fit on drop bars which are 23.8mm.
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Old 09-14-11, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd
I think you're incorrect. I've used levers like this made by Tektro and (modern) Sturmey Archer. Most of these levers have two holes for the part that holds the cable end so that you can effectively change the amount of pull.

All that to say that I don't recommend a lever of this type for a drop bar. It wouldn't look good. Perhaps it'd look better on a Lauterwasser type bend, but not a Cinelli bend as the 456 bar has.
Based on the information given on the site, I was playing it safe and telling him it wouldn't work. It doesn't say anything about an extra slot for the pull so I decided to give him something that is for sure to work with caliper/cantis.
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Old 09-14-11, 02:02 PM
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Originally Posted by realestvin7
You looking for vintage styling?
it doesnt really matter. just want a simple silver/polished lever that doesnt draw attention
Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd
I think you're incorrect. I've used levers like this made by Tektro and (modern) Sturmey Archer. Most of these levers have two holes for the part that holds the cable end so that you can effectively change the amount of pull.

All that to say that I don't recommend a lever of this type for a drop bar. It wouldn't look good. Perhaps it'd look better on a Lauterwasser type bend, but not a Cinelli bend as the 456 bar has.
i think it looks just fine.





Originally Posted by Chris_in_Miami
The other thing that hasn't been addressed directly is the clamp diameter. Most levers designed for upright/MTB bars have a 22.2mm clamp and won't fit on drop bars which are 23.8mm.
the soma lever i pictured above has a clamp diameter of 24. allowing for 25-26mm diameters, so it will be just fine.

Last edited by J.Wolfe; 09-14-11 at 02:11 PM.
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Old 09-14-11, 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted by J.Wolfe
i think it would be the best look in my opinion.
Yes, I think they Soma you chose will look great. It was the Nexus lever to which I objected.
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Old 09-14-11, 02:13 PM
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i agree. the soma looks much better and will match my soma bars
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Old 09-14-11, 02:23 PM
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One of these would be cooler.

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