Why are they red?
 

In the process of getting my new-to-me Raleigh Olympian, circa 1986, back on the road, I replaced the bars and stem (new stem is ugly but fits me) and removed the Dia Compe safety levers, exposing those bright red stubs where the lever used to fit. When I get energetic enough I will probably cut them off and file them smooth to make the levers more comfortable.
Anyway, I was riding along today when I looked down at the red stubs sticking out of the brake levers--this is what comes of having a lifelong interest in evolutionary biology--when I found myself idly thinking that in the natural world, an ornamental red feature like that would typically function as some kind of sexual attractant, like the patches of red on a red-winged blackbird. Later on in the ride I passed a couple of wild turkeys, and thought "right, or like the wattles on a male turkey." (They turn a brighter red during the breeding season.) That started me thinking that brake safety levers are sometimes called "turkey wings" by the irreverent.
So if the levers are called turkey wings, what do you call the stubs that are left after you have removed them? Turkey stubs? Someone must have a good answer for this.
On second thought, maybe I shouldn't cut them off--they'll probably make me into a chick magnet. Or at least divert attention from my low gearing (36 chainwheel, 38 tooth freewheel cog) that would otherwise cast doubt on the desirability of my genes.

They came in all different colors, just check out any vintage Schwinn. They color coded them to the bike quite a bit. It was the precursor to the "lets anodize everything" movement of the mid 70's to 80's BMX manufacturing method. It's making a comeback too. Lots of replacement parts, and some original equipment such as brake parts and hubs especially.,,,,BD

Turkey bolts? Turkey shafts? Thankfully their evolution was unsuccessful and ended in extinction.

They have made a comeback too. They're now called "cross Levers";). They do look cooler now though, hehe.,,,BD

I think Weinmann brake lever pivot bolts were anodized in cheerful colors before they started putting turkey wings on them. Someone might want to correct me on that, though.

Just visited your website Bob. I have a 1975 Dura Ace freewheel that is nearly frozen solid. Can it be done?,,,,BD

I once bought a box of parts from a closed bike shop that included a bunch of red pivot bolts without the safety lever stubs. I liked how they looked, so I used them to replace all my silver ones.

On his way to work that day, Nigel could still hear her nagging, shrill squeal....

"A red tie! Who do you think you are, a bloody MP?"
"You never buy me anything! Then you go and get a red tie!"
"Come back here, you dolt! I'm not bloody done here..... don't walk away from me!"
"Red, is it? Some sort of VP are ye?"
"There you go, off to work. Go ahead, leave me here....."

This is soo wierd, OK we all think strange things, but you can put it in print. I just throw the safty levers away, I do have cross levers on one bike. If, If I found a bike with the red ones I no doubt would use them as I like a little splash of color, it looks custom.

And work better.. :thumb: