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Looking for brake lever, help?

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Old 01-23-16, 04:45 PM
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Stevenjr93
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Looking for brake lever, help?

Hey there, I'm currently trying to finish off my single speed bike with a front brake mounted on my flats of my drop bars. I've looked everywhere but it seems that my bars are unusually thin, measuring at 20mm. Am I overlooking something or just not looking for the right levers? They all seem to be 24mm+!

Any help would be great!
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Old 01-23-16, 05:10 PM
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Well, you could shim them down to 20mm pretty easily.
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Old 01-23-16, 05:13 PM
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So are you in love with the 20 mm handlebar?
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Old 01-23-16, 05:32 PM
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How would you suggest shimming it? Something solid, or something like tape?

And I'm not in love with my bars, but they do the job and I want to work with what I have; its just a fun bike to ride around on and do errands, hardly needs expensive components!
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Old 01-23-16, 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Stevenjr93
How would you suggest shimming it? Something solid, or something like tape?

And I'm not in love with my bars, but they do the job and I want to work with what I have; its just a fun bike to ride around on and do errands, hardly needs expensive components!

Beer can. Cut strips. Gonna take a few layers. 23.8 is typical road bar grip area diameter but many clamps can go a little lower than that.

HOWEVER, I'd look into getting a short pull BMX or olde cantilever-compatible MTB lever. They're made for 22.2 bar diameter.

These are nice, cheap and hinged, so easy to put on.

https://www.universalcycles.com/shop...&category=3304

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Old 01-24-16, 02:19 AM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by Stevenjr93
Hey there, I'm currently trying to finish off my single speed bike with a front brake mounted on my flats of my drop bars. I've looked everywhere but it seems that my bars are unusually thin, measuring at 20mm. Am I overlooking something or just not looking for the right levers? They all seem to be 24mm+!

Any help would be great!
Are you talking about clamp diameter or grip diameter?

Measured or listed?

Never heard of a bar with a +24mm grip diameter.
OTOH clamp diameters tend to start at 25.4 mm
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Old 01-24-16, 10:50 AM
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22.2mm & you are bad at measuring accurately? ... Its 7/8 " BTW..
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Old 01-24-16, 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by dabac
Are you talking about clamp diameter or grip diameter?

Measured or listed?

Never heard of a bar with a +24mm grip diameter.
OTOH clamp diameters tend to start at 25.4 mm
The OP is most likely looking for an in-line/cross/interrupter lever. I've seen them in 22.2mm, 23.8mm, 26mm, and 31.8mm, so that they can be mounted on either the "grip" area, or on the clamping area closer to the stem. Sometimes they include shims for fitting smaller diameters...the Origin8 ones, for example, can be shimmed down from 31.8 to 26, and from 23.8 to 22.2.
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Old 01-27-16, 01:26 AM
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Cutting a shim from a beer can should work pretty well. Or if you're a Mormon, a [strike]Pepsi[/strike] 7up can will do.
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