Ok I just went thru this with my Fargo. I used another set of brakes with were not Liner pull. If you setup the brakes the way Avid says too you can then snug the cable up. Set it slightly tight so that there is no slack at all. In other words when you touch the lever the brake should engage. This will let you use non liner brake levers. I hear ya about the Tektro hoods they are narrow. I have the RL520's and they are not so bad but my hands are not that large.