Looking for a certain brake "ferrel"
 

Long story short, I took my bike into a shop to get the brake hoods for my Shimano 600 levers replaced. Somehow 3 weeks later the brake hoods didn't come in, and I ended up with new cheapo aero levers (The Shimano's are non-aero). So rather than dealing with the numskulls at that shop again I accepted the levers and left.

About a month later I go into a different bike shop to have my old levers put back on, they tell me I'm missing the ferrel/ferral/furrel/ thing that stops the brake cable from going all the way through. So I went back to the original bike shop to get them back, and they told me they either threw them away or they used them in the new brakes they put on my bike, which according to the people at the 2nd bike shop, is impossible since I guess ferrels for aero and non-aero brakes aren't interchangeable. I've found several eBay auctions selling the exact same brakes I have, but I didn't win one auction, and another the guy won't respond with his address so I can send him the check.

Basically this is a really round about way of asking if anyone knows where I can get ferrels for 1984-87' Shimano 600 brake levers. Shimano 600EX brake levers. Part number BL-6207

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...id/Photo29.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...id/Photo30.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...id/Photo31.jpg

"Ferrule" is the word you are looking for.

Go back to the bike shop that lost it and request a replacement. These things are inexpensive.

If you lost only one, post a pic of the one you still have. Somehere may have a replacement part they'd be willing to send you.

What's the diameters (in mm) of the opening and the cable? I have a couple containers full of ferrules, and would be willing to send you a couple for postage if they're what you need.

The bike shop threw away ferrules for both levers.
I wasn't able to get a good measurement so I took this from an eBay auction that mentions ferrules for my handles.
"The cable opening at the top of each brake lever (and underneath the rubber hood) measures about 10 mm at it's widest point...a diagonal measurement...and about 8 mm at it's narrowest point...to form an opening that has rounded corners, but resembles a square in shape (and with this particular model only...this cable opening tapers down to about 7 mm in diameter...to form a circle...further down in the brake lever)."
[IMG]file:///Users/kylewrobel/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG]And this is an image they've included. Only problem with this auction is that they want $70 for a new-old stock.
http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/coronadel...inum_Alloy.JPG

Is there something I am missing here? Surely any LBS that has been around for more than a couple of years has a whole bin of them? Please let me know before you go spending $70, I think there is a fighting chance I have a some. Seems like I have a many different styles and yours do not look exotic.

jim

The ones in that pic look an awful lot like the ones that come with these brake cables. Just a tad cheaper than $70.

I probably have a few unused, like new, in the junk drawer. Perhaps I need to do some eBaying tonight, hehehehe.

Those are pretty standard equipment. They come with the $3 cable set from walmart if your LBS really doesn't have them.

You can buy a bag of 10 of these for $4
http://www.biketoolsetc.com/Product_Images/JW-NZ114.jpg

They're intended for Dia-Compe/Weinmann rather than Shimano 600, but I checked the base diameter, and they'll fit. They are about 2.5 to 3 mm shorter in terms of top projection than the original 600 EX tops, which had a more conical than domical shape.

Good luck finding hoods for them. They might take the ones made for Campy-clone lever housings, but the Campy clones don't have a separate ferrule in the top (good idea, considering the angst of losing them), so depending on the hood, the ferrule might stretch the cable outlet a bit. The Dia-Compe hoods (Weinmann, Cane Creek, etc) don't really fit.

If you are really in a hurry, go to Wal Mart and buy one of those cheap Bell bike tune up sets. They come with the ferrules, plus you get brake and shift cables. Throw the cheap housing away and you are still money ahead. I think the whole set is $6 or thereabouts.

I'd be happy to send you some too, if necessary.

I have a pair of those also. Let me know if you want them.

If I were you, I'd NEVER go back to that bike shop again and I'd be sure they knew about my decision.

Ferrules of the type you need are a VERY common item. They should be able to provide replacements at no cost to you, especially since they were the ones who lost the originals.

That they did not offer them up right away, as in IMMEDIATELY, is a problem, too. It reflects a bad attitude (IMO). It should have gone like this, "I apologize if we lost your original parts. I'm sure we have some thing that's identical or will work. Come on back and we'll fix you up with some. Bring the levers with you, please."

I'm not sure the hoods will be a big problem. eBay is selling them for around $30, while it is a bit pricey, if I'm desperate I'll still know where to find them. And my uncle who runs bike races for a living, lives in Chicago and says he knows of a ton of shops that sell various parts for old bikes. If he can't find or doesn't already have what I'm looking for I'll definitely talk to one of you guys.

And yeah, theres no way in hell I'm paying $70 for a set of brakes I already own.

Don't worry, I wont. The funny thing is, somehow they were rated the best bike shop (out of about 6 nearby) in town recently (after I went to them).

So are furrels almost like a universal shape that fit with any brand?

Ferrule
 

Not exactly. There are many different types of ferrule's. Here is a link to a store where you can buy all sorts of ferrule's and cable parts. I've used them to find unusual little parts for a restoration project.

http://www.bicycletoolsetc.com/index.cgi

For what its worth, find a new bike store.

Good luck.

The underlined word "these" in my previous post is a link to the ferrule I pictured, at Bike Tools Etc.

Those levers take a special ferrel unique to that lever. The 'base' which rests against the lever is rectangular in shape with flat sides rounded ends.

A conventional all round ferrel can work as long as the diameter of the base is larger than the width of the 'rectangular' opening

Well, that's odd. I have two sets of these brakes (BL-6207) with the (original) conical ferrules, and neither has a square base -- they're both round, and base is almost exactly the size of the Weinmann/Dia-Compe ones. Actually I have 3 sets of levers -- one lacking ferrules, and all the housings have squared (octagonal, to be precise) holes

If this is the best Sarasota has to offer as far as bike repair shops, I suggest you learn how to fix your own bikes.

I think thats what I was trying to say. The openings aren't round. You wouldnt happen to have a closeup pic?

Here you go (OP had a photo of holes in his first post, too):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3249/...7c1f3b.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/...a01d8e.jpg?v=0

I don't believe the Dia Compe(Cane Creek)hoods are the same at all. They have a completely different shaped body? I've have to see a pic to decide for myself. Is there a different DC brake hood available I don't know of possibly? And for $70, I would think that would buy complete NOS levers with hoods ferrules and maybe even calipers.,,,,BD

Reminds me of the time I took my wife's toyota to the dealer with a problem in the carb linkage. It was one of the last carbs that toyota used, and the carb was covered in linkages. One of them developed slop, lost a spring, and it would get stuck. I was going to try to fix it, but I figured the toyota dealer knew better. They took the linkage off, and threw it away. The car then developed the bad habit of going WOT at inopportune times.

One of our local bike shops apparently threw away all their old parts. I guess I can understand it, but it means that I go elsewhere.