brake levers, advice buying please...

Graeme_aberdeen

hi there, I have fix a new bullhorn bar to my bike and need some brake levers to fit it. can anyone please recommend something that will fit 25mm please? not too expensive though, bike is going to be used for commute to work . V brakes.

thanks a million to anyone that can help.

Graeme

Monty Dog

Firstly, most road levers don't work too well with vee-brakes - they simply don't pull enough cable. - you can fit a travel-adaptor but it will probably feel spongy. Secondly, most people fit reverse-levers onto bull-horns i.e. they fit into the bar-ends - all are designed for use with road calipers, not Vees - common makes are DiaCompe, Cane Creek or Tektro.

amaferanga

Dia-Compe 287 are what you want. Designed to work with v-brakes and they do.

Monty Dog

But how do you fit 287s with bull horns?

amaferanga

These are the ones I meant, but I don't think the picture is what they claim.

I have the ones that look the same as those in the picture and used them with v-brakes. Maybe they're not 287, but they definitely worked well with v-brakes whatever they are.

Butterd2

Reverse levers can be used with mini V's or mine work well with CX Canti's

Monty Dog

The lever in the link is a DiaCompe 188, not a 287 (which is a conventional drop bar lever) You could use a 188 or any reverse-lever but you'd need to be careful with adjustment to ensure the brakes were on 'full' before the lever hits the bars. The other problem is that you need enough 'wiggle room' to release the cable noodle to allow you to get the wheel out.