Brake Levers.

[Len J]

Looking for some ideas on some good Looking, great functioning Brake levers for my New Fixie. Preferable non carbon.

Ideas & where to buy.

Thanks

Len

[manet]

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rivbike.com/images/catpics/15-123.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.rivbike.com/webalog/brakes/15123.html&h=792&w=675&sz=165&tbnid=8v5pLHkVG336uM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=121&hl=en&start=6&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcane%2Bcreek%2Blevers%26svnum%3D10%26 hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

[dirtdigger88]

or

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=173279&postcount=12

Jason

[manet]

or

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=173279&postcount=12

Jason

http://www.advancedmower.com/images/full_tbc-3010.jpg

[dirtdigger88]

http://www.advancedmower.com/images/full_tbc-3010.jpg

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/prodimages/200/170284.jpg

Jason

[Fixed]

bro I like the crane creek they come in two sizes and silver and black or you can go like dirt with just a font brake if you go bigger than a 44 x15 i think you will need a brake cos you get going to fast to depend on leg power i.m.h.o. cheers that is a nice ride bro :beer: :beer:

[bluesea]

Lever(s)? This is a very clean, inspirational setup.

dbrk's (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=7791&highlight=nagasawa)

Hope DB doesn't get bummed that I showed off his stuff.

[dirtdigger88]

or these

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=166594&postcount=1

Jason

[shaq-d]

i like these, campy lookalikes by tektro.

http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB='1348-00'

lickbike also has a bunch of other cheap cool brake levers

http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB='1348-00'

sd

[11.4]

Here are some good choices for a fixie:

The nicest (more or less) are Shimano Dura ace BL-7402's. They now go in mint condition for $125-150 a pair on eBay (about $25 if they are scratched at all but otherwise working well, which is really the way to buy them). They are aero, beautifully made, rather small in your hands compared to STI levers, and are what Lance used on climbing stages instead of his left STI lever. I guess that's why the prices are so ludicrous. Just the replacement rubber hoods are around $55-60 a pair. The tops in bling, unless you like Campy carbon brake levers or get off to something very retro.

Shimano R600 levers are similar without the nice pewter finish. Nice mechanism, replacement hoods are still available, and I believe they go for about $79 a pair.

Suntour Superbe Pro makes an aero lever that's similar to the R600's but commands a price as bad or worse than the 7402's. Very nice levers, however. Their hoods tend to dry and crack (it's nice that the Shimano levers above don't have deteriorating hood problems) and can be a bit pricey to replace.

There's no reason on a fixie to use aero levers. Suntour makes a Superbe Pro non-aero lever that's really nice (and has a longer-lasting hood to boot), and Shimano makes the Dura Ace 7400 levers. These are both quite nice and you can actually score retro points for having a loop of cable emerging from the top of your brakes. I usually find these levers in new or mint condition for about $25-30 a pair.

As pointed out above, there are also the Cane Creek's, Tektros, and similar less expensive levers. They're not bad, but they aren't by and large as stiff and as tough as the Shimano or Suntour. If you're trying to keep a lid on prices, they're fine.

The non-aero levers are particularly small. If you like to hold your levers and have big hands, you may want to consider the R600 which is slightly larger, or go to the Campy carbon levers which are quite a bit bulkier.

Then, if you want the hip brake lever for your converted keirin frame, Paul's hinged removable cross lever is really nice and clamps next to the stem. The Goldfinger bmx lever is even smaller and more inconspicuous, and a lot less expensive. There are several bmx levers that are superbly made. These levers let you brake easily from the tops of your bars, but if you want to ride your bars like a road rider you will prefer regular road levers. Also, if you find yourself absolutely flying down a steep hill, it's more reassuring to have your hands on the drops and be able to brake from there.

Oh, and if you want to use cutoff bars, you can do something very nice with some aero base bar levers such as the dandy Oval Concepts carbon aero levers. Not a bad way to go.

[Climb01742]

11.4, you're f*cking astonishing. you're like a human google for all things bike. and this is meant as an absolute compliment. color me awe-struck.

[Len J]

11.4, you're f*cking astonishing. you're like a human google for all things bike. and this is meant as an absolute compliment. color me awe-struck.

I appreciate it.....I had found most of these but was looking to see if I'd missed anything.

Len

[Too Tall]

Using a reverse lever with a really good f. brake is an awesome setup. I use a campy chorus and diacompe. A really neat aspect of this is an ability to loosen two bolts and the bike is brake free and the wires stay in place. Zero hassle.

[Marburg]

I guess the first question is where do you want the brake lever?

Tops? How about a cross lever?
Drops? How about a reverse lever?

Do you want brake hoods? Either shimano or the Campy-a-like (Tektro, Cane Creek) aero levers

Or go retro with the non-aero levers