how can I install interrupter levers as primary?
09-14-08, 12:52 AM
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how can I install interrupter levers as primary?
A friend just bought some Tektro RL576 levers for a track bar, and wants to use them as primary levers. Sheldon Brown says it's possible. Can anyone tell me how? What type of brake cable should we use? Are there any dangers to it? Pse help shed some light. Search didn't come up with anything directly related.
09-14-08, 01:56 AM
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It is no problem to do, and works just fine. If your Tektro levers are similar to mine, you use a regular road brake inner cable. There might be a small rubber insert in the hole in the lever. Pop it out. You may find that the cable will not seat fully when you insert it right way round. Turn the cable around briefly (fat part of swage first), and you will probably find that part of the swage will fit. It is the smaller diameter part of the swage that is not allowing it to seat. Do not be tempted to remove material from the swage on the cable. Rather, open up the smaller part of the hole in the lever that this smaller diameter of the swage must seat into with an appropriate size drill bit, and everything should be fine. Install an appropriate length of outer brake cable housing as you usually would.
09-14-08, 01:57 AM
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You use a road brake cable so that the end fits down inside the housing hole on the outside of the lever. In addition to that, you check your cables more often than most because these levers seem to have enough leverage to put quite a strain on the cable and cable end. If you see any fraying or other damage, replace cables.
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09-14-08, 05:59 AM
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This is Africa, 1943. War spits out its violence overhead and the sandy graveyard swallows it up. Her name is King Nine, B-25, medium bomber, Twelfth Air Force. On a hot, still morning she took off from Tunisia to bomb the southern tip of Italy. An errant piece of flak tore a hole in a wing tank and, like a wounded bird, this is where she landed, not to return on this day, or any other day.
09-14-08, 09:18 AM
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A while back someone posted photos of a setup like this where both brake cables broke right at the end of the soldered/swaged end. From what I've seen of "primary" interrupter levers, this is because the cable end is fixed in place, while the cable is pulled at an angle. This flexes the cable right at its weakest point- where cable meets cable end.
I'm not saying this will happen (it's dependent on the manufacturer of the brake lever and cable), but from what I've seen the potential is there. If it were my bike I'd set it up with barrel-end (ATB) cables to allow the end to rotate a little or space the end away from the lever with a short piece of housing.
In order to push this a little further: how about some of you with this setup remove your cables and post photos of the cable end where it meets the cable. That'll tell us if we have a real issue or if I'm just passing gas.
I'm not saying this will happen (it's dependent on the manufacturer of the brake lever and cable), but from what I've seen the potential is there. If it were my bike I'd set it up with barrel-end (ATB) cables to allow the end to rotate a little or space the end away from the lever with a short piece of housing.
In order to push this a little further: how about some of you with this setup remove your cables and post photos of the cable end where it meets the cable. That'll tell us if we have a real issue or if I'm just passing gas.
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09-14-08, 10:16 AM
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thanks for the help guys. seems simple enough! 
09-14-08, 02:46 PM
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Mostly because they'll fit right next to the stem on conventional road bars. I see a lot of them used on fixie conversions- they're there to avoid getting prosecuted for "not having brakes".
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09-14-08, 05:38 PM
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They're compact, inexpensive, and can be put anywhere on a bar.
09-15-08, 04:35 AM
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You can configure the cable housing from either side of the brake lever. This allows you to mount the lever in any direction and still be able to connect the cable to it.
This works when you are experimenting with different brake mounting positions.
With normal brake levers, the cable can only approach the brake from one direction.
This works when you are experimenting with different brake mounting positions.
With normal brake levers, the cable can only approach the brake from one direction.
09-15-08, 06:45 AM
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09-15-08, 10:26 AM
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right on to the tektro broskies--- but I want a longer lever..... more lever-age better stopping
a weak grip makes pulling the trigger more diff. on these tektro lo pros bros.
a weak grip makes pulling the trigger more diff. on these tektro lo pros bros.
