Might anyone here know the time frame for the grip pattern on these Weinmann levers? I can't recall what I removed them from.

Pattern on the left lever appears to be a soft, rolled-on design, the other appears to have been molded into the casting - either that, or stamped with a far deeper tool.

-Kurt

Or maybe the right lever is NOS from a year when the stamping tool was new, and the left one is from the day before they finally replaced it! Are the quick-release tabs also slightly different?

Your post sent me to my parts boxes, and I have one that looks like the one on the left, with the "fade" at the bottom; but I don't really know when it was made, except that it came with a frame that's most likely 60s-vintage. It has a red-anodized quick release button on the lever, a stainless steel QR "stop" at the top of the lever, and engraved (not stamped or cast) logo at the top with a circle rather than Weinmann enclosed in an oval. Some NOS levers I have don't have the stamped knurling at all, but instead are of the "drilled" variety, only the upper holes are only partway through the metal -- and this set doesn't have QRs at all. And while the logo design looks like your levers, it's got "Weinmann" in recessed lettering, not raised.

It's amazing how a design that was in production for so long, and became so ubiquitous, has many small variations to it.

Then, there's the whole Dia-Compe spinoff of the same design!

I believe those are both early '70's levers with built-in QR tabs.

This is a '60's lever. Notice the different Weinmann logo.

You can eliminate 1960's, for no bike that I have stripped for parts has dated back from then. The 60's examples also used the red-dot Q/R setup, rather then the tab at the top. From your inputs, I am inclined to believe the bolder stamping came later on in the run.

I know at least one of them was the original off the '71 Schwinn Continental - I am putting a guess to it that it is the one on the left side, but I do not recall exactly.

I've seen the drilled variants, I've seen variants with a sharper angle to the side of the lever bodies, vertical drillings as used on the Raleigh International, etc. They must have made at least 20 distinct variations in the basic design, let alone this small revision to their original design.

-Kurt

Just had to bump this to see if anyone else had any suggestions.

...and more honestly, to fish for someone parting with a lever like the one on the left

-Kurt

Kurt,

I missed your OP. Let me look but I might be able to help. Could one be Swiss made and the other German made? Just a guess.

I saw your post in the trade thread. I have several pairs of Weinmann levers - including a couple different drilled versions. I was sure I'd have some thing for you... but alas, nothing. I have 2-3 pairs of the style on the right; if you decide to go that way, I can help you out. Is there good symmetry in the pattern? It looks a little asymmetrical in the pic.

Thanks, Bob. Could very well be differing locations of manufacture, but as the levers are not stamped, I dare say we'll never know.

I found one of the style on the right at the LBS myself. Passed on it, as I could never get the pair to look similar/get away with it.

Which pattern are you referring to in regards to the symmetry?

-Kurt

Left.

Kurt,

The set I have are the same as the one on the right. They look to be NOS, but as they are not in any packaging they are not perfect, but better then your lever on the left. Perfect Red Dot pivots and no road rash any place. Let me know if you are interested.

Hello Bob,

I will pass. I already have the left (in the photo) lever mounted, and from what I can tell, the deeper indentations were not used until the later '70s.

-Kurt

FWIW, the levers on my '69 Varsity are the same as the example on the left.

Sounds right - my '71 Schwinn Continental has identical levers as well (in fact, that is where the example on the left came from).

Rabid Koala reports the same design as original from his '72 Paramount. I've seen the example on the left on machines dating from the late '70s and into the '80s. I gather it is safe to assume that the change happened sometime either in the mid to late '70s.

-Kurt

I wonder if the later ones were made by Dia-Compe but branded as Weinmann?

The indentations do look very much the same as the DiaCompe levers that I have.

Kurt you are such a perfectionist! The way I hodge-podge bikes together must drive you crazy! (an old fred)

Keep up the great restoration!