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v-brake levers - servo wave and small hands

AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
edited April 2008 in MTB workshop & tech
I need to get some V-brake levers for my sister's bike. I was thinking of getting shimano ones, as i personally always liked their servo wave system, BUT, I realised, seeing as she's got small hands, the reach would have to be adjusted somewhat.
Would that screw up the whole servo-wave cam thing? or is there an adjustment for that as well?

Posts

  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    just so we are talking the same thing. the block on the outer? or just the levers?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    The levers. I think I explained it badly.
    There is a cam on the brake levers, and the idea is that at the precise point of the brake pads contacting the rim, the cam changes the leverage ratio.

    I'm wondering if having small hands - thus necessitating having the lever closer to the handlebars, would throw the cam system out of aligmnent - or if the actual cam can be adjusted to suit.
  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    yeehaamcgee
    more to do with shimano having a poor naming policy!

    some of the top level servo wave levers did have some adjustability to limit the movement of the cam. but i was never a fan of the system as it increased the cable pull in the end of the stroke.

    If she has really small hands i would go standard and adjust reach as needed.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Thanks nick. Avid levers it is then!
    The servo wave stuff seems like marmite, you either love it or hated it. I actually really liked it.
    But then I liked BioPace as well, so there may be something wrong with me! :D
  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    i still have bio pace on one bike.... :oops:
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    LX had the dinky little levers, and STX RC. Here is a pic of one from a few years back:

    LX_Brake_Lever.JPG

    They suited small hands anyway, and I quite liked mine: even with the reach adjsuter wound in a bit, it didnt seem to effect the overall function. As you can see, can adjsut leverage too.

    They aint as good as Avid Speed Dial 7 though!
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Sonic, I used to have a set almost identical to them, but for some reason, M600 or something sticks in my mind. Might have been Shimano DX levers or something?
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Yes, the original was the M600
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
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