tsappenfield

I posted the following questions in the Classic/Vintage forum. I had 160+ views, but only four responses, none of which totally answered my post. I'll give it a try here. I have a set of Campy C Record brake levers on my '84 Colnago. The little push button on the side of the brake lever mechanism is a type of quick release guizzmo. I don't understand what problem the engineers at Campagnolo were trying to solve since there was a much better quick release on the caliper. The second question concerned the oval opening at the top of the brake lever. There is a two headed arrow encircling the upper 1/3 of the opening implying to me that something inside the brake lever can be adjusted either clockwise or counter clockwise. What's being adjusted and how should it be set?
Tsapp

HillRider

Not all brakes, particularly Campy's, have a quick release on the calipers so the one on the brake lever may be the only one. I'm not at all sure but the "adjustment" may allow the lever to sit closer or further from the bars to allow for differences in rider's hand size. Shimano provides shims with some levers and brifters for the same purpose.

Homebrew01

I have C-Record levers from that time period, but have neither thing you mention. Can you post pictures ?

Andrew R Stewart 

There were some Campy rake levers of around that era which could be cable routed either classic exposed/above the bars way OR aero/under the bar wrap way. Is it possible that these levers might be such and that the arrows are for this routing option?

As to why there's a QR on the lever- At some point Campy calipers lost the QR and being a reasonably well designed racing component the QR was still needed so ended up at the lever. Andy.

Jeff Wills

The C-Record Delta brake calipers from that era did not have QR's.

VeloBase.com - Component: Campagnolo Delta, C-Record

Jeff Wills

This is what the QR looks like. It's a little barrel that's slid to one side to allow the brake lever to angle further upward.

These are Chorus, but C-Record was the same.
VeloBase.com - Component: Campagnolo Chorus (1993)

tsappenfield

The set of Campy C Record brakes I have are definitely not Delta, but are very similar to the ones pictured in the posted photo. On my brake set you can route the brake cables either along the bar or loop them in the traditional way. I've done both, but currently like the more traditional method (looping). Being lazy, if you want to see a photo showing the oval opening on each brake lever, just go to eBay and type in Campagno C Record brake levers and several really good photos can be found. I'm still trying to figure out the purpose of the adjustment inside the oval opening.
Tsapp

alcjphil

There is an advantage to the Campagnolo brake quick release on the brake lever rather than on the calliper. With the release on the lever, even with the release open you retain full brake function, all you have done is to increase the travel at the lever. With the release on the calliper, if you forget to close it after a wheel change, your brake will not engage until the lever is almost touching the handlebar. It is quite easy to forget to close the release after installing your wheel. Ironically, Shimano has also used this type of release in the past on some of their entry level brakes, I had a bike years ago with a 300LX group on it and the brake callipers had no release, the release was on the brake levers

Jeff Wills

The advantage of the "on-the-brake" QR's is that they aren't just "off" and "on". You can open them just a little to clear an out-of-true wheel. This isn't an advantage for a pro racer (who would probably get a spare wheel from the team car) but would be helpful for an average Joe out for a ride.

alcjphil

The quick release on the lever doesn't compromise anything. Opening up a quick release on the calliper even a bit loses some of your total brake travel. On the lever compromises none of your original brake adjustment even though the initial position of the brake lever changes a bit. I maintain that a quick release on the lever is safer, particularly if you don't like to have your brakes adjusted very close to the rim. The biggest advantage is that if you forgot to flip the quick release to the closed position after a wheel change and you discover this at high speed on a tricky downhill you still have all of your braking

HillRider

An open qr on the caliper doesn't cause that much extra lever travel unless you have the brakes adjusted with a huge gap between the rim and pads. It's not an ideal situation but it isn't dangerous either.

alcjphil

Maybe,but the point is that a Campagnolo style quick release does not affect brake travel AT ALL. If you open it up, the point at which maximum braking occurs is not changed,no matter whether you prefer a large gap or a small one. To me, having that point of maximum braking always in the same place is an important safety feature. Suddenly having your brakes applied at a different point in the travel of the brake lever could be very frightening, it could lead someone to believe that the brakes have failed somehow. And, you know as soon as you touch the brake lever that the quick release is open by the position of the lever. AND, you can change it without having to remove your hand from the brake lever

tsappenfield

Okay. I get it insofar as the quick release on the brake lever goes and thanks to all who have contributed. Can we get back to the oval opening on the brake lever with the double headed arrow located above the opening? What's to be adjusted inside the brake lever mechanism and how should it be set?
Tsapp

paulkal

Those are probably Powergrade brakelevers, see VeloBase.com - Component: Campagnolo Corsa Record (with 'Power Grade')
It is possible to adjust the ratio between the force applied to the lever and the brake force response.

tsappenfield

Definitly the answer to my second question. I'll play around with the adjustment and see if my old hands can feel a difference. Great photos and info at VeloBase.com site. Thanks.
Tsapp

Zef

I believe that the Power Grade adjustment was specific to fine tuning the lever's use with the Delta brake calipers. It would be interesting to know if playing with the adjustment screw affects the performance of a side-pull caliper.

-j