Eemwah

Hi, I apologise if this is not the right place to post but I've recently purchased a Peugeot CFX-10 in well, working order. It has Dia Compe 'Red Dot' brake levers on the drops as of current, they work perfectly but have no hood covers which makes them quite uncomfortable. I recently purchased some NOS Dia Compe hood covers and upon going to install them realised they won't fit due to the "Red Dot" screw end sticking out way out of the brake cover. From what I can find online (With my limited knowledge of bikes, vintage or not) it would seem that these are used for another set of top brake levers to screw into.

Do I need to buy new levers altogether? Can I find a replacement screw that's shorter or will I have to simply modify the hood covers to accommodate for this screw (the route I really don't want to take as the screws are uncomfortable to rest hands on)? I've attached some pictures of said levers,

Thanks!

Lazyass

I'd whip out the dremel and cut it off.

oddjob2

Use whatever tool you have available to cut them off.

79pmooney

We used to just hacksaw off that end of the pivot. Quick and dirty is to just use the lever body side as a guide though you will end up with hacksaw scratches on the body. Well hidden by the hoods so only you will know. Or you could scribe the protruding bolt with a knife, disassemble the lever and do a clean cut and filing of the pin and have it looking like it was made that way. (You may have press fits for the pin that may or may not take well to disassembly. The Q & D approach means not messing with them.)

Ben

OldsCOOL

Remnants of turkey wings. Be off with them.

The Golden Boy 

Is that a chromed Marin?

Congratulations! I hope you get it all put together and enjoying the ride soon!

Eemwah

Thanks for the responses folks! I didn't even think sawing it off would be a viable option so that helps a lot and saves me money!

Eemwah

It is indeed, I believe it's a late 80s Marin.

Chombi1 

IIRC, the CFX was sold as Peugeot's 80's genuinely racing frameset, with it's high quality full Reynolds 531 double butted tubeset, so it's not surprising to see such components that might have just been conveniently on had installed on it. Saying that, I would have just replaced the levers with something better that matches up with the caliber of the frame as those DiaCompes were pretty much bottom end market items that had been adapted to the race frame. If you want to stay with DiaCompes, you can still buy better ones at very reasonable prices like the non-aero versions of their RGC (Royal Grand Comp) model levers vor very reasonable prices, even at NOS condition. Otherwise, you could also consider European made levers and brakesets (Mafac, Spidel, CLB........), but those will most likely cost quite a bit more than Japanese period components. Swiss/German levers from Weinmann will mostly be cheaper than thaose French brands, but will be at home on that Peugeot frame, as Peugeot had Weinmann brakesets on a lot of the bikes in the 70's and 80's.

schwinnderella

Those levers are not what collectors refer to as red dots.

Eemwah

Ah right, what are they referring to when they say Red Dot? I just assumed as it has a red dot on the other side of the leaver.

Eemwah

Yeah I recognised the frame and acted pretty swiftly on purchasing it. It's got Campy hubs, a Weinmann stem and Sakae bars, the Shamano derailleur lets it down a bit, are Wienmann a much better lever over the Dia then? I'm trying to find parts without breaking the bank as I'm not really interested in restoring it to original period or parts.

Here's a photo of the bike with a carbo tourmalet behind:

Chombi

No, Weinmann aren't generally better, just more common to see on Peugeots. In fact, the DiaCompe's higher models tend to be finished better and maybe generally better engineered than the Weinmanns. But you also have the choice of going upmarket with both brands, As I already mentioned, DiaCompe's "Grand Compe" brakesets are very good quality, and is one of their top line models, but you can also consider looking for a Weinmann Carrera 400 brakeset (the one with the hollow metal front bolt that the brake pivot bolt goes through for centering the calipers. Not the version with the acorn style front nut or the black plastic knurled bushing.). But is usually quite a bit more expensive than the Dia Compes.

repechage

Some levers had a red button on the front that acted as a lever stop. Push it in and the lever would travel farther into the body, opening up the caliper for easier wheel removal. The next application of the brake would expose the red button and the lever would stop at the dot once more.

Senior Ryder 00 

Hi,

If you have a co-op in your area, you might be able to pick up some nice drilled levers, either Weinmann or Dia Compe. At the Portland Co-op I got a nice pair of drilled Weinmanns with decent hoods for $10.

Good luck

Salamandrine 

It's been ages but IIRC the LBS I worked at in the early 80s had a drawer of replacement pivots for people that took off their turkey wings. Personally I would just saw them off if gum hoods are going over them anyway.

Dia Compe brakes were Weinmanns built under license. Generally exactly the same. I know there's people that feel one or the other was better but IMO not really. Gran Compe were an upgrade though, for sure.

Oh, like this. No guarantees or affiliation though. Or ask at an older bike shop.

Eemwah

Thanks! From all my googling I couldn't find the exact part, I think I'm gonna go for the saw option and then pickup some Gran's or Campys eventually.

JohnDThompson 

IIRC, they refer to the levers with the button quick release:

Miele Man

Yesterday I rode out of town to a guy I know who fixes bikes but doesn't like dropbar bikes because there's not much demad for them out there. I was hoping to get aa lever with that exact pivot on it so I could do a step by step of how I use that protruding bit to mounf dropbar shifters as shown on one of my dropbar MTB conversions.

Can i use your image as a "Before" image?

Cheers