Nice tape job, and I like the straight line cable housing work out the lever...nice and clean.

=8-)

Didn't intend to make flame thower comments, but using the brake levers ends as a reference point just makes no sense and I would never suggest it to anyone. It's a really old-school idea that originated back when nearly all bars had round hooks and there were no brake/shift levers. Modern equipment requires a new approach.

Except there have been examples given of manufacturers indicating this method (or a variation thereof) is still the appropriate way to do it.

It sure would be nice if handlebars had markings at the drop bend so you could easily align levers and make perfectly even adjustments before taping.

Sometimes you have to be smart enough to ignore poor instructions. There's a lot of misinformation out there and manufacturers are not immune to dispensing it. Setting up new bars can be straight-forward and take little time. The right technique can also reveal when a bar just isn't going to work, before you've taped the bar and used it.

Certainly if you install the levers as per the (almost universally accepted) starting point, and they don't feel good, people can put the goddamn levers wherever they want. But Most shops and most bike manufacturers set bikes up very closely to this and most people like it.

Also, this standard makes perfect logical sense, regardless of what type of levers are used. If the tip of th elever is in line with the flat, then the middle of the lever will be lined up with the middle or middle-bottom portion of the drop, and this will put your hand in the right place for maximum braking power when in the drops.

I never experienced any particular problem getting levers even just by sighting across them. Once that is done one merely rides for a bit to test the comfort and evenness. It's rather common knowledge that bodies are not symmetrical anyway. In my case it is more true, as due to an old soccer injury and a recent arthroplasty my left thumb is significantly different from the right. That plus my left arm being longer has resulted in my left lever being very slightly forward from the right.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with adopting a standard that gets things in the ballpark, but in the OP's case he was working with levers on a bare bar - no reason to not just test ride for the right feel after checking for a good start point.

All manner of lever positioning formulas are rules of thumb. But when considering them, we need to consider that not everybody has the same thumb. Whatever method is used is only a general starting place, and each rider should take the opportunity to adjust final position to his personal needs.

This makes no sense when some bars have 20-30mm more drop in the hooks than others. Even my shallow drop EC90-SLX3 bars require the end of the brake lever to be a little above the bottom of the bar. If the hooks were 20mm deeper, then the brake lever ends would be even higher, relative to the bottom of the bar. Regardless of the shape or depth of the hooks, when I'm descending a mountain, I keep my hands relatively high in the hook, with my index finger near the lower edge of a Campy brake hood. With short fingers, any other position makes the brake lever unreachable.

Most riders spend far more time with their hands on the brake hoods than anywhere else, so the brake hood angle and the transition onto the bar top are the most critical things to get right. That's the way I set mine and I've never had any problem with the position of the brake lever, relative to the hooks. I never give the brake lever end any consideration in the setup process.

Dave,

You are arguing as though providing a reference is a judgement that has to be defended, attacked, proven right, wrong, etc. Furthermore, you continue to attack people as though they are making absolutist statement about the wrong way and the right way.

A reference is a reference:

When I provide ERD's, I provide a reference. "The flat of a 12mm standard profile nipple."

I'm not defining ERD, I'm not stating a standard for aiming point, I'm not telling people the "right way".

I am merely providing a reference. When I tell folks, ERD for Open Pro = "603 ~ Flat of 12mm"

They can:

1. Use as-is because they are doing the same.
2. Or adjust up or down to suit the nipple type, size, and preferences they have.

Same goes for the table top reference for installing levers on bars:

1. Levers on tables for typical old school and classic levers and bars for a starting point.
2. Levers on 2-3cm blocking for modern day compact levers on anatomic bars.
3. Levers on 1-2cm block for classic levers on very deep drop classic bars.
4. Levers on any size block desired to place levers anywhere desired - but with even height. (As LarDasse74 stated clearly, people can put the goddamn levers wherever they want...)

It's just a reference that ensures even brake lever height. That's all it is...

Stop arguing...it's pointless.

=8-)

I asked the shop guy about this when I picked my bike up and he said that for the shifting cable, a large curve is best for shifting performance. Also said that when they get bikes, they have to move the shift cable from the angled (middle guide) cable guide to the straight (outer) cable guide most of the time, to achieve this large curve in the shift cable.

Also, the brake cables go under and into the cable groove/cutout, just not the shift cables. A little bummed on the aesthetics of the cabling, but if it means ****ty shift performance to have all 4 cables in the cable groove/cutout, I'd rather have the good shifting!

I think the cable positioning in front and underneath is to avoid pressure points on ones hands even if shifting theoretically is not as good.

Looks pretty good. The drops look better now.