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Dia-Compe 188 reverse brake levers

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Dia-Compe 188 reverse brake levers

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Old 05-13-11 | 10:47 AM
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Dia-Compe 188 reverse brake levers

Anybody ever use these levers? Picked up a set from nashbar a while ago for dirt cheap and I'm finally getting around to using them but they don't fit inside the set of old north road bars I have.

They have a shim on the outside and two expanders on the inside. Is the outside shim just supposed to be used for larger / road bars?



Found this picture of them without the shims:

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Old 05-13-11 | 10:57 AM
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some 'upright' bars are not designed to take reverse lever. especially steel ones. I can't reall tell if the 'shim' is meant to come off but I suspect it is part of the lever. the expanders are meant to press that outward to wedge against the inside wall of the bar.
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Old 05-13-11 | 11:12 AM
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I've got them on my Peugeot conversion (to porteur bars)....I like them though pictures of some of the other brands make these seem a little lower end....regardless, they work well. Mated to MAFAC brakes I found it difficult to get the brakes adjusted so they work without excessive movement of the lever (ie. to the bar). I did eventually get there so I can recommend them.
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Old 05-13-11 | 11:17 AM
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Mine have plastic shims and I removed them to use them on upright bars. Since I had the bars and the levers it seemed easier to just try it myself rather than posting the question here.
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Old 05-13-11 | 11:21 AM
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Found a set of those guys at the Dump a couple of months ago, fitted to some bullhorn handlebars. Sold the whole works for thirty or forty bucks, as I recall and the levers were new. Have a look but I do not know how well they work or what they fit...

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