Advice re: replacing brake levers
 

I'd be grateful for any advice you can give me about replacing my current brake levers. I am not looking for a high end replacement - ideally I'm looking to spend around £25 ($32). I had my eye on Dia-Compe DC204N levers, because you can get them with a brown hood (my preference, if possible). Do you think these would work?

I will be replacing my rim brakes at some point, too, so any low-budget recommendations for those would be welcomed too.

.https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...28b42ff7b6.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8e0ee97be3.jpg

Tektro has some nice aero hoods in brown, in several versions, love the ergonomics on these compared to anything made in the last century. Very cheap too, around $20 for a pair.

http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/d/l800/...55481973_1.jpg

If you replace the brakes you won't go wrong with some Tektro dual pivot calipers. YOu'd have to measure the reach, those look fairly long, but they make long reach ones.

I'll second the newer levers.

Origin8 Classique
Tektro RL340
TRP RRL
Cane Creek Levers
etc.

They do typically pull a bit extra cable, which may or may not be good.

https://www.wigglestatic.com/product...=430&h=430&a=7 these should do fine, ( your link image )






...

FWIW as a step thru frame with the cable routing up from beneath , you could adopt one of the dual pivot brakes for Bromptons,
because they use tn up from beneath design based on Tekrto Dual pivot which they supply to brompton..

and use a regular long bolt and nut fixed one on the front, where the cable comes down from the top ..

Of course braking Physics being what It is*, that rear should be adequate, just update the front ..

A decelerating mass , you, unweights the rear wheel .. and any lack of stiffness in thosre calipers is made up for by
having a back up bumper , that contacts the frame stays.. back then bikes had them ,


(fresh brake pads and new cable/housing should improve whats there, saving money on the brakes .. by keeping them ..

As Fietsbob mentioned you will need new cables (inners and outers), as you planning to get new brake pads, would see getting new pads as a false economy, you may as well just get new brakes, which include them, your also going to need new bar tape, unless you know how to do this/have the time/patience to learn, it may be worth looking at getting an LBS to do this part for you.

Thanks for this recommendation. The ones I had in mind were these Tektro ones so it's reassuring that I am thinking along the right lines.

Thanks both - and thanks Fietsbob for confirming the brake levers I linked to should be OK. I thought they probably were, but it's easy to overlook things when it's new to you.

I'm in the process of learning some basic bike mechanics, and bought this bike as a do-er upper - so the goal is to do things I've never done before, even if it's not strictly necessary or cost effective. New brake pads, cabling and housing I'm already able to do.

New bar tape, I've never done before. I've watched a few YouTube videos and it looks... fairly straightforward? Or is it one of those things that looks easy but is actually difficult. If it's the latter, I'll be sure to buy some cheap and nasty tape for a practice run before attempting to replace it properly.

the Tekrto ones will increase the reach to the brake lever..
because the body is shaped like Brifters Which needed the extra length and volume

for the shifter 'clockworks' to fit inside ..

Cotton Twill bar tape will be good to practise on ....
applying plastic foam tapes involves some stretching so too much and it will tear ..



.. NB Rear, upturned housing lets Water In , but a bellows boot from V brakes will reduce that substantially

it goes in between the 2 side pull arms..




...

Know if you need nutted or recessed calipers also

I really like the TRP levers - use them on my winter bike.

I also have shimano 105 1055 brake levers on the bike I ride the most. I think the Tektro levers are similarly shaped. Also like them.