Originally Posted by
adamess
They're Sora 3500. My LBS said that the levers were designed for very light road bikes, not steel ones like the Surly, and that's why I was having problems with them. That didn't sound right to me, though.
That is truly clueless. Why? Because it isn't just the bike, but the combined weight of the bike and the rider. And, road bikes with Sora components aren't all that much lighter than a comparable steel Surly. Maybe 4 to 5 lbs, at most. Say you weigh 160 lbs and ride a 26 lb Surly. So total weight is 186 lbs. Say I weigh 210 lbs and ride a 21 to 22 lb road bike. (about what you would expect with Sora components.) Total weight is 231 or 232 lbs. All things being equal, the lighter rider on the heavier bike should have an easier time braking using the same Sora brifters.
Consider switching shops, or at least find a better mechanic.