Unicornz0

I have a Trek 310 Elance and I want to replace the road type handlebars with the upright moustache type. I saw various mountain bike brake levers that I thought would work, but I was told that I can not use my road brake cables with them. Is there a brake lever that will fit the moustache handlebars and the existing ten speed type brake cables or must I change the brake cables too? The brakes are Shimano 105.

Thanks for your help.

Bikedued

The road bike levers should slip right onto a moustache bar. You "might" have to trim a little housing off, but actually most times I didn't have to. Slip the lever on until your hand rests comfortably in the curved portion of the bar in front, and the brake lever reach is good for your hands. You can use aero levers as well if they happen to be aero type 105's. They work just as well as on a drop bar. If you're really wanting to change levers just to change them, Avid makes a MTB type lever that works with sidepulls. The model number excapes me though.,,,,BD

unworthy1

cables cost only a couple $, and it's never a bad idea to replace them periodically anyway. Many folks like to use road levers on moustache bars, but whatever levers you like chances are they will require longer or shorter cables/housings to put them in the right position...might as well get new cables that fit.

Fibber

The cast 'ends' on the cables are different. That is probably what the shop is referring to. My old road bike cables have bell ends at the levers, while the mtb cables have barrel ends. Shouldn't be a big issue, however. Last time I bought cables in housings, the inner cables had one style casting on each end. You simply cut off the one you didn't need, and that became the end that you threaded into the brake caliper holddown.

Unicornz0

Thanks for your answer. Using the current levers worked out well.