Please Refer Me to MTB Brake Levers
02-09-19, 12:00 AM
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Please Refer Me to MTB Brake Levers
I have an old touring bike with Tektro levers that work the best for me. I can get three (med to large) fingers in the blade comfortably and snugly. I have searched and am unable to find them anywhere. I will settle for another brand as long as the following criteria are met:
1) Black bar mounts with silver blades
2) 2.5 - 3 finger blade length
3) I DO NOT want to actually "see" the cable wire when I pull them. Seeing the metal end encapsulated in the lever is OK.
Thanks!!!
1) Black bar mounts with silver blades
2) 2.5 - 3 finger blade length
3) I DO NOT want to actually "see" the cable wire when I pull them. Seeing the metal end encapsulated in the lever is OK.
Thanks!!!
02-09-19, 10:41 PM
#2
Still kicking.
Well if you can see the cable when you pull them they are not setup correctly or using the wrong brake levers with the brakes. There are V brakes levers and there are Canty Brake Levers, what are the brakes and what purpose are they for?
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02-10-19, 03:35 PM
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02-10-19, 05:10 PM
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I have a set of mechanicals on one of my bikes and the lever looks like the same reach as v-brake levers. Have you tried typing in "mechanical disc brake levers" ?
02-10-19, 06:26 PM
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I got them to work by using slightly thinner cable, but now I find the 2 finger lever is too short and braking is somewhat impeded by my Thumbies shift levers... I really would like to find those 2.5 -3 finger levers...
02-12-19, 11:22 PM
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I have to replace these levers. During a test ride, I have found them to have little stopping power compared to my other bike sporting similar mechanical discs...
02-13-19, 02:32 PM
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What KIND of mechanical disc brakes are these? Road or MTB? They have different pull ratios.
Until that is clear, any suggestions on brake levers is a waste of time.
Also, what kind of brakes does you touring bike have that goes with these levers you like?
Until that is clear, any suggestions on brake levers is a waste of time.
Also, what kind of brakes does you touring bike have that goes with these levers you like?
02-13-19, 10:33 PM
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TRP Spyre discs that came with road levers (the bike was billed as a bikepacker). My touring bike has V-Brakes. THX!
02-14-19, 03:57 AM
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These would work: https://www.tektro.com/products.php?p=207
02-14-19, 07:15 AM
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These would work: TEKTRO BRAKE SYSTEMS - Products
You want levers that say they are for road brakes or cantilever brakes (which use pretty much the same pull). That is what the Spyres are designed for.
V-brake levers will not work well with the Spyres. TRP does make a version of the calipers you have (Spykes) that are made for v-brake levers.
One thing I would suggest if you are not already doing so is to use compressionless brake housing, such as the Jagwire Pro cables/housing.
02-15-19, 07:36 PM
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Yep. Or these: https://www.jensonusa.com/Shimano-R5...d-Brake-Levers
You want levers that say they are for road brakes or cantilever brakes (which use pretty much the same pull). That is what the Spyres are designed for.
V-brake levers will not work well with the Spyres. TRP does make a version of the calipers you have (Spykes) that are made for v-brake levers.
One thing I would suggest if you are not already doing so is to use compressionless brake housing, such as the Jagwire Pro cables/housing.
02-15-19, 08:14 PM
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Hey, not to make things more complicated (and expensive) but in my experience, if you are going with mechanical disc and flatbar levers, you will get better results using MTB calipers with MTB (v-brake) levers as opposed to road calipers with road flat bar levers. They reason is the cable pull of the MTB system is longer and it requires less tension on the cables, which means less flex in the cable housing which means less mushy brakes. Not that a road system can't work pretty well (especially with the Spyres), its just something I wanted to throw out there since you are trying to get better performance from your brakes.
02-15-19, 08:39 PM
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if you are going with mechanical disc and flatbar levers, you will get better results using MTB calipers with MTB (v-brake) levers as opposed to road calipers with road flat bar levers. They reason is the cable pull of the MTB system is longer and it requires less tension on the cables, which means less flex in the cable housing which means less mushy brakes. Not that a road system can't work pretty well (especially with the Spyres), its just something I wanted to throw out there since you are trying to get better performance from your brakes.
02-24-19, 01:52 AM
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I got the Tektro 1.0 cantilever levers and braking has never been worse in over 50 years of riding. Flexible handle, spongy and terrible stopping power...
02-24-19, 07:43 AM
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Maybe the problem is not the levers. To be honest, while some levers are nicer than others, I have never found the braking power to be all THAT different from one to another.
Are you sure these are Spyers and not Spykes?
Did the brakes work well with the levers the bike came with?
What kind of brake cables/housing are you using? You should be using compressionless housing.
02-24-19, 10:28 AM
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OK, so you have poor braking with two different sets of levers.
Maybe the problem is not the levers. To be honest, while some levers are nicer than others, I have never found the braking power to be all THAT different from one to another.
Are you sure these are Spyers and not Spykes?
Did the brakes work well with the levers the bike came with?
What kind of brake cables/housing are you using? You should be using compressionless housing.
Last edited by michaelm101; 02-24-19 at 07:35 PM.
02-24-19, 07:43 PM
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Hey, not to make things more complicated (and expensive) but in my experience, if you are going with mechanical disc and flatbar levers, you will get better results using MTB calipers with MTB (v-brake) levers as opposed to road calipers with road flat bar levers. They reason is the cable pull of the MTB system is longer and it requires less tension on the cables, which means less flex in the cable housing which means less mushy brakes. Not that a road system can't work pretty well (especially with the Spyres), its just something I wanted to throw out there since you are trying to get better performance from your brakes.
02-24-19, 09:03 PM
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Which calipers you use will depend somewhat on what sort of mounts your bike has. Are these I.S mount, post mount, or flat mount?
02-24-19, 09:17 PM
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Boy, I'm really getting tired of all the different standards (or lack thereof) in bike stuff... Thx!
Last edited by michaelm101; 02-24-19 at 09:28 PM.
02-24-19, 09:29 PM
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The front is mounted sideways on the back side of the fork, screw centers about 75mm apart. The rear is mounted on the top side of the chain stay, and screw centers about 73mm apart.
Boy, I'm really getting tired of all the different standards (or lack thereof) in bike stuff... Thx!
Boy, I'm really getting tired of all the different standards (or lack thereof) in bike stuff... Thx!
02-24-19, 09:48 PM
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