Doing a conversion on a 78 Raleigh supercourse and I want a front brake. I don't want to spend much (ive always been happy with basic components) but I wonder if anyone can recommend a reasonably strong, dependable brake/lever combo? I would like to mount it on the top of the drops which if imm not mistaken is 25.4. Anything in like an mid to late 80s sidepull. Dia compe is good enough quality.

https://www.retro-gression.com/colle.../brakes-levers

Pretty much the same stuff I was finding. Everything I like the look of, like the tektro 750s, are 22.2. All the 25.4 stuff looks out of place (to me) on an 80s ten spd frame.
I appreciate it though.

***Edit: well I'm glad I measured. I actually need a 24mm clamp.

If you have drop bars, why don't you just buy a set of hooded drop bar levers, which will look a lot better on drop bars ? You will gain an additional hand position on the hoods, and will be able to operate the brake(s) from either the tops or the drops.

Also, FYI the bar is 25.4mm only where the stem clamps to it, and is 23.8mm elsewhere. So, you should be able to use any lever with a 23.8mm clamping diameter anywhere on the bar, including the flats on top.

I realized I only needed 24 (or I guess 23.8). See my edit above. To answer your question, honestly I just love the minimal look of a small brake lever on the top of the drops. I rode fixed gear for many years before I bought this raleigh and had it pretty much dialed in exactly the way I wanted. I didn't use the front brake much but it was nice to know it was there and that's all I'm really looking for now. Add that to the admittedly arbitrary superiority of the looks and that's it.

Thanks for the info! I would have been pretty annoyed if I hadn't thought to remeasure. I was basing my measurement on my mid-80s Schwinn and a much older fuji, and for some reason I just never thought to double-check and make sure the Raleigh had the same size handlebar.
Is that your bike in the photo? It's in unbelievable shape. If mine was that nice I would feel bad turning it into a fixed gear, but mine's pretty banged up.

No, it's just a photo of a Raleigh Super Course I found online to demonstrate that the 25.4mm bulge in the handlebar is just at the stem clamp, and that the rest of the bar has a smaller diameter. I do have some nice vintage bikes, though.

Okay well, that picture is still super pretty. What do you have?

This was my track racing bike for thirty years:


1976 Schwinn Paramount P14

1976 Schwinn Paramount P14

and this is one of my geared road bikes:


1976 Ron Cooper

You have geared bikes??? Kidding kidding, I knew you did and that Hangin' With Mr. Cooper is a nice one!

Fancy! Love them both. I had a 2007 Fuji track that I rode for years and I loved it so much. I wish I'd never sold it. I bought this raleigh as a heated bike and enjoyed it but I've been hankering for a fixed gear. I picked up a 1987 Schwinn le tour to use as a geared bike and so I'm finally going to convert my Raleigh to fixed to reclaim the glory of the old days. It's turned out to be more complex than I thought. Kind of wish I'd just bought a kilo.