jimmuller 

Today I started assembling the Motobecane Le Champion which has been sitting forlornly in the basement. Got BB and headset assembled with no trouble. Ran into a snag or two, actually three. The bar had Suntour ratcheting barcons which I am hoping to use. Alas, they may be dead. The cable heads are seriously stuck in the levers. Maybe one of you has a trick or two for getting them out.

But wait, there's more! (Now how much would you pay?) I got the levers out of the bar but on one side the three aluminum wedges are stuck tight inside the bar. I could cut them out with a hacksaw blade or coping saw blade if a hacksaw blade won't fit. They might still be usable since the bolt could simply wedge them further, but I'd rather not go that route unless necessary.

Anyone got any advice? I've never used barcons and would be tempted to toss them or just give them to one of you except that I have all the other original parts or replacements, including a shop-installed Stronglight triple and even the invoice listing everything. I was hoping to do this bike as a restoration. But the barcon thing might put an end to that unless I pick up some other barcon levers.