Meph

Hey folks, I recently acquired an '82 Trek 710 that has Suntour Superbe brakes on it that are missing hoods. Also, the previous owner tried to make things "comfortable" with some tennis racquet tape on the handlebars with electrical tape wrapped over it (it's pretty awful). What kind of hoods can I buy that will fit these brake levers, and where the heck can I find them? I'm not worried about keeping it "original", I just want something that will be comfortable.

Ex Pres 

IIRC my Trek w/non-aero Superbe had DiaCompe hoods on the levers when I bought it. I did replace them, but the Superbe hoods are pretty tough to come by.

Charles Wahl

I could be wrong about this, but I believe that the Superbe brake levers will take the "Campagnolo-style" hoods. Of course Campy hoods are really expensive, but enough people made similar levers (Modolo, etc.) that there are cheaper alternatives. Euro-Asia makes them in both black and brown, available from places like BikeToolsEtc and LooseScrews. Modolo hoods (nicer, though some don't like the 919 anatomical shape) auction regularly on eBay, as do the AMe version that's no longer produced.

cudak888 

Charles is right - these use Campagnolo-pattern hoods. (Addendum: This applies to first-gen, non-aero Superbe only!)

Any of the replacement Campag NR hoods would fit, in addition to Campag-pattern A'ME hoods and Suntour Gran Compe non-aero.

-Kurt

OLDYELLR

Yes. The Dia Compe pattern would probably fit better and would be much cheaper than the Campag pattern. They're available from Loose Screws.

lotek 

I found suntour superbe hoods on ebay for less than $20 recently.
If you can't find them I'd highly recommend the Modolo 919 replacement hoods
( or the 920 whichever isn't anatomic), they're readily available and were considered
an upgrade back in 1982!

Marty

cudak888 

You've got it the wrong way 'round The OP needs the Campag pattern.

-Kurt

lotek 

those have to be the ugliest dried out rotten hoods I've ever seen.
what'd you do soak them in benzene?

marty

rhm

I recently put Modolo hoods on a pair of Superbe levers. Fit perfectly.

RobbieTunes 

I've got a set of Dia Compe non-aero hoods in white, if they'll help.

Charles Wahl

I (respectfully) disagree. The Cane Creek/Dia-Compe/Weinmann 144/146 hoods will not fit well on the Campagnolo pattern levers. These want a more "cut-back" opening for the lever. The Dia-Compe hoods are meant for the pattern originated (I think) by Weinmann for their centerpull brakes, and imitated not only by Dia-Compe (who I think licensed Weinmann's design), but also very early Shimano Dura-Ace and 600. That's a different pattern altogether, in my book (I have several examples of both), and the hoods for it have more "dewlap" at the lever opening. Weinmann and Dia-Compe, by the way, did make levers on the Campagnolo model later on (racer style!)

At LooseScrews, what the OP wants (if anything) is the Campy-clone hoods #5 or #6 on this page.

Or, maybe I'm entirely out to lunch . . .

OLDYELLR

Kurt, Charles, you're right. I didn't know the OP's Suntour Superbe brakes were closer to the Campags than the Weinmann/Dia-Compe shape. However, I've used those hoods on Campag NR brakes for years just because they're cheap. They're not a perfect fit, but look and feel fine.

cudak888 

I have no idea what befell these hoods. They were caressing the scraped, bent, and mutilated Campagnolo NR and Triomphe brake levers that were on my 1970 Paramount when I purchased it. Hard as a rock and about as dry.

-Kurt

cudak888 

I wonder from what end of production those are from, for they seem to be far thinner and more adaptable to your Campag levers then nearly identical D/C hoods that I've seen on other machines. I rarely see them clear any section of the lever without baring part of the lever body.

-Kurt