Shimano STI Reach Adjustment Blocks - 5700 and/or 6700

buckmulligan

I'm running 105 5700 STIs with the default 5mm reach adjustment blocks installed, but I usually find I have to roll my hands a bit to reach the brake levers from the drops, which is not only annoying but I guess potentially dangerous as it probably adds a good few metres onto my stopping distance.

Anyway, I was considering installing the 10mm reach adjustment blocks to try to compensate for my somewhat stumpy fingers and come across this photo online:



There seems to be a giant gap between the silver face plate and the body of the lever, surely that's not normal is it?! If you're riding in all weathers (as I do) they'd fill up with grit and stop working before you know what's happened! Has anyone actually done this and can they post a photo of what they should look like when properly installed.

And crucially, is 5 or 10 mm the size of the spacer, or the amount that the 'lever reach' is actually adjusted by? I seem to recall it's the latter from reading some technical documents but thought it best to ask. Thanks! 8)

P.S. if anyone has any 5700/6700 adjustment blocks lying around surplus to requirements, I'll gladly take them off your hands, they're surprisingly hard to get hold of.

sungod

the way the adjustment blocks work is pretty crude, they just stop the levers moving into the hoods, so you can get a gap

if you look at the 5700 instructions there's a diagram that shows the effect of the pads on lever position...

http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/SI/SI_6TH0A/SI-6TH0A-002-ENG_v1_m56577569830702880.pdf

apreading

I dont think there is a gap here though, is there? Some of the adjustment blocks have a curved piece that goes down the side of the lever - so that there isnt a gap. Looks like the light shining off something in that space in this picure - I cant quite tell from but I am not convinced it is a gaping hole.

DiscoBoy

That picture looks the same as the 6700 setup with 10mm spacers that is three feet from me, I think that's how it is supposed to look.

mitchgixer6

Yes that gap is normal. I doubt it would do any harm to the levers, sounds more of an aesthetics issue then anything else

buckmulligan

sungod wrote:

the way the adjustment blocks work is pretty crude, they just stop the levers moving into the hoods, so you can get a gap

if you look at the 5700 instructions there's a diagram that shows the effect of the pads on lever position...

http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/SI/SI_6TH0A/SI-6TH0A-002-ENG_v1_m56577569830702880.pdf

Ah yes, that was probably the tech doc I was looking at, so it is the measurement of actual reach adjustment. They are pretty crude, but I'd be surprised if they left a huge gap when installed, that's a pretty rubbish design.

DiscoBoy wrote:

That picture looks the same as the 6700 setup with 10mm spacers that is three feet from me, I think that's how it is supposed to look.

Awesome, could you take a photo of your setup please discoboy? The 6700 levers use exactly the same spacers, and although obviously the lever body is a different design they look like a very similar design. Do you see an open gap to the rear of the silver face plate between that and the shifter body?

And did you 'feel' a signficant improvement by sticking the 10mm blocks in? A 5mm reduction reach doesn't sound like a lot, but I guess it could be just enough.

buckmulligan

mitchgixer6 wrote:

Yes that gap is normal. I doubt it would do any harm to the levers, sounds more of an aesthetics issue then anything else

B******s, really? What a crap design.

Maybe I'll just have to upgrade to Dura Ace with their fancy reach adjustment screws.

I say fancy, it's not fancy at all, it's really basic and what they've done on most brake levers for donkeys years. Goodness knows why Shimano use these silly spacers.

DiscoBoy

BuckMulligan wrote:

DiscoBoy wrote:

That picture looks the same as the 6700 setup with 10mm spacers that is three feet from me, I think that's how it is supposed to look.

Awesome, could you take a photo of your setup please discoboy? The 6700 levers use exactly the same spacers, and although obviously the lever body is a different design they look like a very similar design. Do you see an open gap to the rear of the silver face plate between that and the shifter body?

And did you 'feel' a signficant improvement by sticking the 10mm blocks in? A 5mm reduction reach doesn't sound like a lot, but I guess it could be just enough.

I can't tell you if it feels much different during much use because it's not on my bike (I don't have tiny girl hands ) But when I hold them it does feel pretty different to my 5700 with 5mm spacers.

I'll take some photos now.

Pictures (don't mind the scratches on the shifter....)
http://imgur.com/opngOaO
http://imgur.com/1lKSK19
http://imgur.com/0YDcq3t

buckmulligan

That's great, thanks discoboy!

At least those aren't completely open and exposed, hopefully the 5700s are the same.

mitchgixer6

All the reach rubber spacers do is stop the lever going all the way back in to it's normal resting position. If you pull your brakes on slightly this will indicate the gap you will have with the reach adjusters.

DKay

I have the same 10mm spacers on my 6700 levers and they have exactly the same 2 - 3mm gap as shown in the OP. The angle of the picture posted makes the gap look bigger than it really is in real life. You don't get any issues with ingress of dirt at all.

They do make a significant difference to the lever reach and my overall comfort of riding.