Originally Posted by
verktyg
Quite a few years back in the
rec.bicycles.tech newsgroup some engineer types did some calculations on the mechanical advantages or lack thereof of various popular brake levers available at the time.
The universal opinion was that Universal brake levers had the lowest mechanical advantage as opposed to MAFAC, Campy and other brands. Also Universal and MAFAC levers are best suited for riders with large hands.
BTW, I photoshopped the picture of Eddy Merckx that I posted and they are definitely MAFAC levers with Universal hoods on his 1967 bike.
verktyg
Thanks! Apparently mechanical advantage wasn't a thing back then or the difference wasn't that big. They do sit a little closer to the bars, although not as close as Weinmann, IME. Federico Bahamontes was one who rode with the above-mentioned combination:
I've also read that the entire Batavus-Televizier team switched to Universal levers after one of the riders had tried them.
Sorry about the hijack. Back to Shimano!