I have a 1980 Motobecane Mirage. Instead of bar tape, it has some thick synthetic material covering the handle bar that is stiched together at the front of the bar. The brake levers have hoods on them that appear to be made from the same stuff and appear also to be attached in some way to handlebar cover.

I want to move the brake levers but retain the original handlebar cover and brake lever hoods. Can this be done and how?

Thanks for any help.

The original covers are pretty cool looking. I have a set on some bars that came from a Vitus of about the same time frame (badged as a Motobecane). They make tasks dealing with the bar a major pain, though. You cannot reposition the levers without some serious modification of the covers (read that, cutting the ends off and leaving bare bar ends sticking out...)

You can (and I did) change the levers out. If you want to put a cooler weinmann brake lever on, just completely unscrew the old one and screw on a new one. If you want to change manufacturer, though, you have to slide the whole works off and slide it back on with the new lever in place. I used a long screwdriver and some detergent in a squirter bottle. Squirt some under the rubber, then rotate. As the stiction breaks the rubber will become easy to rotate. Eventually you'll get it all broken loose and then the thing'll just slide off.

Reinstallation is the same in reverse. I use detergent to reinstall, too, although some people prefer alcohol for that. Detergent makes a pretty good glue when the thing dries out (until you get it wet again...). Don't use glue, because the next guy won't be able to get 'em off at all. Heck, I might be the next guy. Who knows?

Thanks. The levers are Weinmann. They point inward toward each other a little bit and it is a poor position for operating the brakes from the hoods. I just want to move then so they point straight to the front. It sounds like I can do it. I'll fool around with it a little.