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Remove suicide levers

Old 08-05-21, 11:43 PM
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Remove suicide levers

Hello,

Ive been trying to find a way to remove the suicide levers from my Peugeot vintage bike. I couldn’t. I can’t attach pictures or links. I’m new here.

first off I really think they’re useless. Also, they prevent the regular levers from braking all way in because the suicude levers hit the bar. And finally, it prevents me from having a comfortable grip.
I really wanna remove them.

thanks,
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Old 08-06-21, 03:01 AM
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Hi, what make of brakes and levers do you have? If it is vintage then by now it could have anything on there.

My suggestion is that if you are having a problem with the suicide levers, given that it is an old bike, it might be a sign that you need to overhaul the whole brake system. When well set up they work, but if they are blocking the brakes you might need new cables, new pads, re-adjustment of whatever brakes you have and, potentially replacement of the whole levers and/or brakes if they have worn.
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Old 08-06-21, 03:04 AM
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They’re Weinmann. They still perform well. I just need to find a way to remove the extra levers.
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Old 08-06-21, 04:42 AM
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Some have a big screw holding them on, but others have a rivet if I remember right. I assume one would have to drill the rivet, but for a vintage bike I would then start looking for replacement levers.

Either way I assume that you have loosened/disconnected the cable from the callipers so you can unhook the cable from the main lever?
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Old 08-06-21, 05:45 AM
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Originally Posted by idir93dz
Hello,

Ive been trying to find a way to remove the suicide levers from my Peugeot vintage bike. I couldn’t. I can’t attach pictures or links. I’m new here.

first off I really think they’re useless. Also, they prevent the regular levers from braking all way in because the suicude levers hit the bar. And finally, it prevents me from having a comfortable grip.
I really wanna remove them.

thanks,
Do they look like this? The black cap is threaded (or it's just press fit, can't remember) exposing a phillips head screw.

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Old 08-06-21, 06:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Geepig
Some have a big screw holding them on, but others have a rivet if I remember right. I assume one would have to drill the rivet, but for a vintage bike I would then start looking for replacement levers.

Either way I assume that you have loosened/disconnected the cable from the callipers so you can unhook the cable from the main lever?
I would assume that some effort with a hacksaw and file would remove the levers without needing to drill out and somehow replace a rivet, or find a compatible, shorter screw.
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Old 08-06-21, 08:05 AM
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If you are just trying to make the bike rideable and not preserve it's "historical integrity", I'd replace the levers with more modern ones. Tektro and Cane Creek sell modern hidden cable brake levers at very reasonable prices and they will work far better and be more comfortable than those old Weinmann. Keep the Weinmanns intact and perhaps sell them to someone doing a historically correct restoration.

Here is one source for the Tektro levers: https://www.jensonusa.com/Tektro-RL3...o-Brake-Levers
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Old 08-06-21, 08:20 AM
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On WM, the inside end is usually a threaded cap. Remove it and the levers come right off. Then you’ll need a shorter pivot bolt to replace the long one. If you decide to replace instead, the Tektro levers are nice.
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Old 08-06-21, 11:18 AM
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Replace the entire lever. You can probably find something much classier for $10 at your bike co-op.
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Old 08-06-21, 11:40 AM
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We used to simply unscrew the bolt into the lever pivot and hacksaw off the excess of the pivot. (We were a Fuji shop so these levers were mostly DiaComp.) The end result didn't look pretty but it worked and if the lever is rivited on, this approach would still work. You might be sawing through a little steel as well as aluminum so pick your blade appropriately.)
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