Quick brake lever question....
 

i have a old univega suprasport that ride great !!! my only problem is that the actual lever on the break lever is really lose..i was looking on ebay for some break levers and i found a pair of break levers that fit a 700c bike.. would that fit my 27" univega ??? anything helps.. thanks alot in advance...

Define loose. Are you just saying there is a lot of slack in the cable pull before it engages the brake? Is the pin in the lever body worn out? Before you go buying things, throw us a few more details.

Brake levers are brake levers. If your using them on drop style handlebars they will work with any wheel size.

But I agree with 20grit; just what is loose?

Ok the lever has a lot of wiggle room and does not retract back to normal position all the way... i have to push it out a bit....iits not as stiff as newer ones are..is it something i can tighten or do i just uave to.replace..if you need pictures i can take some. Thanks alot guys for you help....

Wiggle room is still sort of vague. Does it wiggle side to side or is it the wiggle room when it doesn't retract all the way? Retraction occurs when the spring on the brake caliper(the brake arms that the pads ar attached to) pulls the brake pads away from the wheel rim when you let go of the lever. It sounds like something is preventing that from happening. The brake caliper spring may be weak, the bolt on the pivot may be too tight, the cable may be worn out or dirty. Something in the system is dragging. Try to detach the cable and check each part for smooth operation and lubricate everything except the pads. I bet that will work.

im definitly going to try that...also are all break cables and housing the same size on a road bike**********.. the housing has some cracks and the cable it pretty old .... what i meant by wiggle room is that the actual level wiggles from side to side...

Binding in the housing or some other thing preventing the cable from moving. Doesn't sound like it's your levers.

I agree with the others. Sounds like it is most likely excess friction or binding in the cable and housing. That's the usual problem when I am fixing up an old bike. Clean or replace the cables and housing.

replace cable and housing, tighten lever clamp

awesome thank you guys very much i just had two more questions to ask.. does anyone know what kind of cable and housing i need to get for my univega supra sport ??? or have any good links to buy them from??? also how do i tighten the lever clamp.????. thank you guys very much i really aprreciate it ...

Pull the lever down and look down inside it. Should be some sort of fastener straight down that tightens the clamp.

For housing and cable, I would use 5mm lined housing and stainless steel brake cables. Jagwire or similar. LBS might sell good housing by the foot, any of the online sellers (Niagara Cycle, Universal Cycles, etc., Amazon) will have it. Something like a Jagwire Racer kit is nice. Get some ferrules as well, metal (brass, chrome plated). The Racer kit will come with them.

You will need the correct tools to cut cable and housing. As it is something one does not have to do often my suggestion would be to take the entire bike to a bike co-op or shop and have them cut the proper size housing. They will likely charge you just for the housing/cable you purchase.

use generic (shimano style) brake cable and housing for a road bike. it needn't be a specific brand like jagwire nor cost $40. though i do often use 'jagwire basics' brand cable, i often don't know the brand my lbs gives me, nor is it ever an issue. your lbs should only use stainless cable.

If you get a universal cable, it will have two different types of end blocks, one style for road brakes and another style for upright bars. Simply cut off the end you don't need.

Cables and casing can be had as cheaply as $6 at Walmart, however I'd suggest using better cables unless you are on a very strict budget. braking feel and performance will be much better. I usually buy something like this for my own bikes: Aztec cable & housing set at Nashbar

You may want to get a cable cutter as well. I've used wire cutters long ago, but you really are better off investing in the right tool. This one is $15 and works decently, though there are better ones that are worth the money. http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...59_-1___202578

Good advice above. I also forgot about cable end crimps, though I have been using Gorilla glue lately and it seems to be working well. I would solder them, but I don't have the right flux.