Even the 1st time, and applying no more than "this is how bicycle brakes work" general knowledge, I managed to make them work pretty well. Better than the Weinmann 610 / Carlton levers, albeit not by a ton. They felt great to squeeze, and stopped the bike as well as any roadie could want. If not for the Godsawful noise, I could have happily ridden them like that.

For those, like me, who prefer a longer-travel, slightly 'soft' lever feel, they're pretty excellent. (Cue twin-lead air guitar lick and Historical Babes.) I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't care for the feel of dual-pivots... too light-switch-y... but likes the way they stop bicycles. Good centerpulls split that difference in a way that I quite like. The Weinmann 610s with TRP RRL levers do not suck, and the Mafacs are looking like being noticeably better, even with older levers. On a bike where it wouldn't look ridiculous, dialed Mafacs with the TRP RRLs would be the absolute bidness.

--Shannon