tekhna

Is there any way of adjusting the pull so it's shorter? I've got the brakes a credit card away from the rims, the pads are fine, the calipers themselves are fine, and still she seems to think she can't stop to her liking from the brifters. Her bike came with suicide levers attached, and I never took them off at her protest, but I've trained her never to use them. Today we tried it out using the suicide levers, and she could stop more quickly, making me think it's a wrist strength problem rather that a problem with anything mechanical.
Any suggestions on shortening the pull so she doesn't have to use so much wrist strength, or does she just need to deal with it until her hands get stronger?

merlinextraligh

1) if they are top mounted in line brakes, they work fine, and aren't the old suicide levers.

2) you can shim Shimano brifters with a little twosided padded tape to reduce the reach to the levers. did this on my daughter's bike and it works fine.

tekhna

Yeah, I don't know why I wrote suicide levers. They're top mounted in lines, and I'd love to take them off. Where do you put the shim in? Just on the backside of the lever?

jonathanb715

Specialized sells some shims that will do the exact same thing as suggested for a bit more money.

https://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqP...jsp?spid=30994

JB

Pharmr

doesn't Shimano make women specific shifters just for this reason???....maybe I'm wrong....I do know they make shims to address the issue

tekhna

They do, but I don't want to replace the shifters for this reason alone. That seems silly.

patrick07

My wife has the inserts. They're like a small wedge that's shaped just like the hoods that, when the brakes are not engaged, bring the brake lever closer to the curve of the drops. Basically, squeeze the lever, insert the wedge, and let go. That's it. I can't imagine them being more than $10 a pair.

AnthonyG

There are several things to look at. First get some shims as recommended above. Next loosen off the brake cable. They are too tight and require too much hand force when they are right up. The professionals have them set loose too I have been told and it makes a BIG improvement. Next fit some KoolStop salmon pads. They will reduce the effort required to brake quite significantly. Lastly but not least is to possibly fit some different handlebars. The reach on classic curve bars is quite a bit less than ergo bars with a flat section under the brake lever. I'm however currently using some Ritchey Biomax bars and they work for me because they're just like a tight, shallow classic curve bar to me with an extra curve bellow.

Regards, Anthony

nitropowered

yeah setting up your brakes really tight is actually counter productive to what you are trying to do. you have more control and strength when your fingers are more balled up (looser brakes, lever closer to the bar) than you would when the brakes are super tight and you are braking with your fingertips

umd

SwissStop FTW

dstrong 

nitro's point is valid. My brakes don't engage until I pull the lever half-way. I can ride in the drops with all 4 fingers on the levers, pulled half-way in, without having to stretch during long, twisting downhills. I still have enough room to lock up the brakes if I pull the levers all the way to the bar and have a lot more control if I need to feather the brakes when entering turns.