capetown_fixed

After doing some extensive reading and searching all available online resources (including the archives) I made what I thought to be an informed choice in replacement hoods for a set of Galli Criterium brake levers. They arrived and didn't fit at all, after extensive alterations (read 'hacking') I have a workable solution.

Because I consider the CV forum on here to be the best collection of cycling wisdom about old bikes I thought I'd post my findings in here as a resource (hopefully) and a starting point for others to add to and build a good compatibility guide (with a few pictures) of which hoods fit which lever bodies well across the widest range of non-aero levers possible

So here goes, grouped by lever body shape:

Group 1 - Campagnolo non-aero body shape or similar
This group is by far the most common, with many copies to the Campy non-aero lever, distinguished by a tapered shape away from the handlebar and a prominent slope up to the cable entry atop the lever. Some examples include:
Suntour Superbe
Shimano (old Dura Ace and 600EX etc)
Modolo (both anatomical and regular hoods)

Campy-nohoods.jpg

Group 2 - Weinmann and Dia-Compe shape or similar
This group has possibly the easiest replacement hoods to come across, made by either Dia-Compe or its modern version, Cane Creek. Its distinguished by a more boxy or rectangular lever body with a slight flare at the cable entry.

A great flick collection of Weinmann bodies and hoods can be found here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/strongl...7607612250679/

Group 3 - Universal and Galli shape
A small and seemingly rare group, the only examples I've found that seem a perfect match are Universal (type 61,68 and 51 I think) and the Galli Criterium levers. These are distinguished by a long, perfectly straight top and bottom to the lever body, with no flaring toward the cable entry except for a straight ferule attached as a rivet to the body, to accept the cable housing.

Galli-nohoods.jpg

universal-withhoods.jpg

universal hoods.jpg

Notable exceptions to my groups include Mafac and Mavic, which appear to almost need their own groups, hopefully someone else can add to them. Of the aftermarket options aimed at non-aero levers, including Euro-Asia Imports, A'me and Belvin as well as many non-branded versions, most of them seem to fit either groups 1 or 2 very well. Having said this, when I've found pictures of Galli Criterium brakes with NOS Galli hoods, even then the fit doesn't look great.

This list is by no means exhaustive, please feel free to correct and add to this as needed. Also if you ever come across any black hoods to fit group 3, please let me know, I'm still looking...

RobbieTunes

You can probably add the Universal AER to Group 1. Their hoods don't match the other Universals very well. I have two sets sitting here.

rhm

What about Mafac's, with the half-hoods held on with a little metal tab at the bar end and by the cable at the other? Is that a Group 3 variant or a fourth group?

Also I'm curious where the various GB hoods fit in... I think some are in Group 2, but not all.

unworthy1

this is a great little resource, thanks for starting it...maybe it can be copied to velobase at some point (when it's "completed").
Only thing I can add is that maybe you can get black hoods for Universals from the guy (robbie ) who molds his own and offers them to the CR list...I'm sure he'd do black, but expect to pay around $50/pr.

Shp4man

So if I understand correctly here, Cane Creek hoods will work on Weinmann levers?

cudak888 

Only on some Weinmann non-aero - the most common pattern. Weinmann had a few variants which differed from the traditional hood entirely.

-Kurt

jacksbike

Thanks for your research.

old's'cool

FWIW, I'm using Cane Creek on Weinmann and Dia Compe levers and they fit with no issues.

Charles Wahl

If you want to get really depressed, delve into the madness that's Shimano. Seems like every set of brake levers they ever made took a different type/shape/size hood.

capetown_fixed

Thanks for the additions, to answer a few comments I think that Shimano and Mafac could each probably have their own groups. The main reason for me posting here was not being able to find one place to answer all these compatibility questions. Although its a little limited to the brakes I have and was looking for (Weinmann, Suntour, Galli). Hopefully this starts to collect some of the information I'd found while looking around. A lot of it comes from visual searches through Velobase and ebay etc.

Re: Weinmann brakes and Dia Compe hoods, I have a set of Weinmann 605 brakes and the levers that came with that are a perfect match for the common Dia Compe 144 model hoods.

Thanks for the extra input and please anyone who knows more about either Mafac or Shimano hoods, add a group to my list with some images and shapes.

Bikedued

Ain't that the godawful truth!!! Use the wrong hood, and it overlaps in all the wrong places, or worse leaves a huge gap at the top of the levers. Hell, even
the ORIGINAL hoods on the 600EX Centurion don't fit all that well. (White rubber, the gum versions seem to fit much better).,,,,BD

top506

I would add Balilla levers to your group #3 as well.
Top

aolson

Thanks for putting together this guide, capetown. I have a mid-80s Trek 600 series with non-aero brake levers that fit into 'group 1'. The original hoods are disintegrating so I'm looking for replacements. I'm more concerned about reasonable cost than about maintaining the matching original components. I've found NOS Shimano hoods for ~$30, but this seems excessive for a cheapskate like me. What other options are available for hoods that fit this group? I am looking at Cane Creek hoods (e.g. https://aebike.com/page.cfm?action=de...=30&SKU=BR5050), which are ~$10, but am not sure how well they will fit my levers. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

chevy42083

I tried those exact hoods, as well as dia-compe hoods on my "group 1" Modolo levers. Neither fit well AT ALL. They fit on them, but didn't cover the lever body all the way to the bars, and also seemed very tight around the lever itself. I never put them on the bike.

Your levers may be slightly different, not sure exactly how close "group 1" matches eachother. I see it as false advertising that they were listed for my levers... they technically fit over them (with a struggle)... but they aren't molded for them, that's for sure.

aolson

Interesting (but not encouraging) to learn about your experience, chevy. It's a good point that the exact shape of the lever assemblies within groups may differ. My levers are Shimano 600s, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Cane Creek or Dia-Compe hoods don't fit these well either, since they appear to be made for 'group 2' lever designs.

Out of curiosity, who listed the hoods as being compatible with your levers? I haven't found much information about lever/hood compatibility.

It seems crazy that hoods for an older brake lever style cost nearly as much as a new set of levers and hoods!

jtgotsjets

I'll just throw in...

Got some Gran Compe levers that came on my Pro Tour, bought the Cane Creek replacements. They fit well enough to use, but its far from perfect. They seem a little small, and require some trimming under the actual lever assembly (right now the rubber prevents me from actuating the lever completely.

corkscrew

I had to do the same with the Cane Creeks when fitting them to the Weinmenn levers on my 84 Motobecane.

Chombi

What about Mafac/Spidel LS-1 sidepulls.

Their hoods are now unobtanium. Only direct fit equivalent I found out there was the Gipiemme version of the brakes which like many Gipiemme compnents are just rebranded French stuff (Mafac, Stronglight, Simplex), but even the Gipiemme hoods are very hard to find.

Chombi

mudboy

I thought that the Spidel brakes were rebranded Modolo's?

Chombi

They are not Modolos but a whole different design by Mafac. Shapes are outwardly similar, but the Spidels seem to be a little bit more robust.(They certainly flex much less than the Modolos I tried out over the years). Also much better finish and hardware (all allen head fittings). I had a chance to buy Mavic/Modolo SSC brakes for my Vitus Carbone build, but after really looking at the SSC brakes, I decided that it just wasn't up to the quality I wanted on the bike, so I went ahead and mounted my spare NOS Spidel brakeset you see in the pic. I was lucky enough to buy it a couple of years earlier, complete with the hard to find lever hoods. You can still find the levers out there, but they almost always do not have any hoods or have rotten dried out ones.
I'm still searching daily for spare hoods for my levers cause they are not going to last forever!

Chombi

BigPolishJimmy

I'm waiting for someone to successfully make some hoods out of Zubber. I have no idea of that would even work, or possibly look good, but hey the colors are all there for your next fixie.

https://www.amazingzubber.com/?gaw=1&...FSQMDQodV3ew7A

capetown_fixed

Thanks for the ongoing additions to the thread, I'll edit the original post to add a few to the existing groups and maybe start another one.

Regarding Cane Creek or Dia-compe hoods on Group 1 levers, it was one of the most common 'false advertising' examples I found, where they were said to fit campy or equivalent bodies but dont resemble the shape at all. I would imagine that only a certain few of the older dia-compe hoods, and none of the modern reproduction hoods (mostly cheaper options found on ebay) would fit group 1 without major modifications.

uprightbent

Thanks Capetown-Great thread. I was going to buy Cane Creek replacement hoods for these Shimano 600 levers on an 84' Trek 610, but now I'm thinking these are in your group 1. If so can anyone suggest a source for new hoods?

rothenfield1

When I bought them, the Cane Creek ones were advertised as fitting Superbe. They did not at all. They were too big around in the barrel. I see that they have removed the ad now. I shimmed them up with some foam rubber for awhile, then put them on these 600 levers which fit much better, though they are a little short as you can see.

rothenfield1

BTW, which group would the Shimano 105 SLR BL-1050 non-aero levers fit in? They don't appear to look like the example shown.