Which brake levers for straight bars and caliper brakes?

topdude

Hi, just considering fitting straight bars to my road bike so anyone know what brake levers would be suitable for use with the caliper brakes ?

FransJacques

Welcome to the world of good braking. Flat bar levels seem to offer better braking power, which is strange because all you're doing is rotating your hands 90 degs.

So the answer must lie in leverage diferences. Do not get servo wave Shimano levers because these things are designed for110mm V-brakes, i.e. they pull a lot of cable for a given hand throw.

I have really cheap plastic clamp non-assisted levers which are great. Try googling Dia-Compe levers for starterts, they have some really nice simple ones.

Bozman

Avid 7 worked a treat for me.

warrior4life

Kane creek cross top for me

http://www.google.co.uk/search?um=1&hl= ... a=N&tab=wi

topdude

Thanks for the replies, did a bit of research and i see it is all about the amount of cable pull as calipers require less pull then "V" brakes.These look like a good option as well,

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34695&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=Google-Products-UK

Might be helpfull to anyone else converting from drops to flat

2alexcoo

Old (as in cantilever era, rather than V-brakes) MTB brake levers will work also. Can be had very cheaply on Retrobike, ebay, bike jumbles etc.

billysan

The best ones I found for the other halfs flat bar Giant were Shimano BL-R770's after a lot of trial and error. They can be had for £25 from CRC too so hardly break the bank.