verktyg 

In the late 60's maybe early 70's Weinmann offered these QR levers with spring loaded buttons. They worked well but the buttons stood up and could be annoying when "riding on the hoods". They weren't very common.



My all original 1971 Hetchins Italia has some interesting Weinmann QR brake levers. The grooves in the QRs are kind of crude and look like that may have been hand filed. I've seen one other set of Weinmann levers like this so they may have been available from the factory or other sources? Note the arrow pointing to the QR. They're not as easy to release as the later style levers.



The Weinmann 161 & 164 QR levers pictured below first appeared in their 1975 catalog. The early versions had a tendency for the QRs to release in use allowing the calipers to open up. Thinking back maybe it had something to do with the unlined cable housings and rough, poor quality cables available back then. The levers didn't always return quickly when the brakes were released

I used these levers with Weinmann 500 side pull brakes for a while on a beater or two back around 1974-75. The Weinmann 500's were some of the lightest brakes available in the early 70's. They stopped reasonably well with the X-Block pads that were used on the Weinmann Carrera brakes.




Weinmann and Dia-Compe levers with cable adjusters were poorly designed and clumsy for riding on the hoods. I have fat hand with short fingers so I always felt crowded riding on the hoods with Weinmann levers.

Weinmann

Dia-Compe


Most Weinmann and Dia-Compe brakes came on entry level or lower priced models. It was uncommon to see rubber hoods on the levers on those bikes during the bike boom consequently we sold very few replacement Weinmann hoods.

Rubber hoods didn't become popular until ~1975 when many customers were upgrading from their gas pipe bikes to mid range models. With the exception of Weinmann equipped Raleighs and Motobecanes, it was mostly the Dia-Compe equipped Japanese bikes that came with brake lever hoods in that price range.

One other thing about both Weinmann and Dia-Compe was they offered a staggering number of variations of levers. Also, I avoided mentioning the drillium style levers because they've already been covered.

verktyg

verktyg 

James, they look really well designed and comfortable for riding on the hoods but to too geeky for my aesthetics in C&V bikes.

Sort of like these Dia-Compe Tandem levers I'm running on my Colnago frankenbike. (no QRs) I have Cinelli bars and matching levers for those brakes that have been sitting around for about 10 years. I guess that I'm not vain enough to give up the comfort of those levers.



verktyg

MarcoBianchi

+1 they're perfect for my hand shape.

jamesdak 

Yep, comfort wins for me most of the time. The Prologue was such a mess when I got it that any change was an upgrade.

Some bikes I want to keep original looking for their beauty but since I ride everything I have and 25 miles is my normal short ride, comfort usually wins over looks.

speedevil 

I installed a set of the TRP RRL levers on my Cannondale ST600 with Tektro 559 nutted calipers. I like the QR button too, and the shape of the hoods and levers work well for me. The dual-pivot calipers improved the brake feel from the original single pivot calipers, or maybe I'm just used to dual pivots now.

One drawback of running 35mm tires is that the lever's QR and the caliper release together are not enough to insert or remove a fully inflated wheel. Narrower tires won't have this issue. The Compass tires are well worth this small issue.

RiddleOfSteel

Ah, you are right! I think the logo is fine, I just find that when it is used as a spread-out texture on a nice looking brake lever, it doesn't look as nice or mature. If anything it clashes with (usually) a nicely built up (vintage) bike. I suppose the embossed salamanders are good for extra grip? So if having to choose 'the most graceful' out of either the identically-shaped Cane Creek or the Tektro lever, the Tektro, to me, would most qualify. I have a pair, and have been angling to fit it onto a bike, but I have groupsets that are pushing it away for the time being. I am thinking of taking my 3x9 Veloce-equipped Miyata 1000 and going with Superbe Pro friction shifting over those same gears, putting the Tektros on as levers.

BCDrums

I investigated these, and one of the comments I read was that they didn't open up the brakes very wide. Maybe someone who has them can comment. Also, they are $17 each. I'd rather put the cash toward levers.

Pars 

I dunno. I like the Tektro R200s but they discontinued them. I also checked with Tektro on replacement hoods for these and they told me to use the Cane Creek.

I have a pair of Campy Athena on my RRA that I bought new for dirt cheap years ago from Bicycle Classics that I like a lot. Comfy, understated and durable. These can be run aero or standard (I've only used them aero). Not sure what hoods fit these, but mine are still in great shape.

VeloBase.com - Component: Campagnolo BL-02AT CG, Athena

smontanaro 

Yeah, that class of Campy lever is what got me thinking about alternatives in the first place. I will put them on my list. They will at least look like they belong with the Monoplaner calipers...