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Misaligned brake/shift leaver

Old 01-18-22, 06:20 PM
  #1  
Cramic
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Misaligned brake/shift leaver

Hi all,

Took a tumble on my Giant TCR and displaced the left brake/shift leaver (Shimano). It still functions fine (I, almost unbelievably, didn’t even notice it had moved for ten days!). Pictures below.

Anyway, it feels very secure in its new position and I suspect it’s actually adjustable? But can find the mechanism for moving it back. Brute force is having little effect.

It’s booked in for a service on 2nd Feb, but I’d like to sort sooner if possible. I’m getting a bit of soreness in my left wrist after rides longer than 45 minutes.

Thanks in advance!



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Old 01-18-22, 06:39 PM
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If you squeeze the brake lever and look inside using a small flashlight, you should see an Allen head bolt at the bottom. That tightens the steel strap around your handlebars. Loosen it (probably a 5mm and you will probably need a 6"/15mm crescent wrench or the like to turn the Allen wrench), turn the brake lever and re-tighten.

I've never owned brifters so I'm guessing they are the same as the brake levers I've been dealing with for 50 years. If I"m wrong 1) you won't see that Allen head - I have seen regular hex heads and even screwdriver slots - and 2) another poster will jump in soon and correct me.

Edit: if you do see the Allen head, release the brake cable; either with the lever on the caliper or by undoing the cable nut. That will make your job of getting the wrench in and properly on much easier.
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Old 01-18-22, 06:52 PM
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Originally Posted by 79pmooney
If you squeeze the brake lever and look inside using a small flashlight, you should see an Allen head bolt at the bottom. That tightens the steel strap around your handlebars. Loosen it (probably a 5mm and you will probably need a 6"/15mm crescent wrench or the like to turn the Allen wrench), turn the brake lever and re-tighten.

I've never owned brifters so I'm guessing they are the same as the brake levers I've been dealing with for 50 years. If I"m wrong 1) you won't see that Allen head - I have seen regular hex heads and even screwdriver slots - and 2) another poster will jump in soon and correct me.

Edit: if you do see the Allen head, release the brake cable; either with the lever on the caliper or by undoing the cable nut. That will make your job of getting the wrench in and properly on much easier.
Wrong. They don't attach like old levers. Pull the hood forward from where it covers the bar tape. On the top you'll see the bolt that attaches to the clamp. Loosen that and straighten it out. For the OP...you didn't notice that for 10 DAYS?!? You should have noticed in a second, that's hugely out of position and different from the other lever. And yes, it's LEVER not leaver.
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Old 01-18-22, 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Cramic
Took a tumble on my Giant TCR and displaced the left brake/shift leaver (Shimano). It still functions fine (I, almost unbelievably, didn’t even notice it had moved for ten days!). Pictures below.
How did you manage to operate the front brake during the last 10 days? (Please do not tell us you only use the rear brake.) As for realigning the STI lever, do as cxwrench described above in post #3.
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Old 01-18-22, 10:09 PM
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That's quite an assortment of mounts and accessories.
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Old 01-18-22, 10:26 PM
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Originally Posted by cxwrench
Wrong. They don't attach like old levers. Pull the hood forward from where it covers the bar tape. On the top you'll see the bolt that attaches to the clamp. Loosen that and straighten it out. For the OP...you didn't notice that for 10 DAYS?!? You should have noticed in a second, that's hugely out of position and different from the other lever. And yes, it's LEVER not leaver.
One for two. I predicted the correction wouldn't take long.
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Old 01-18-22, 11:06 PM
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Originally Posted by 79pmooney
One for two. I predicted the correction wouldn't take long.
No prob, I'm here for ya!
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Old 01-19-22, 07:29 AM
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Originally Posted by cxwrench
And yes, it's LEVER not leaver.
Hey, at least he didn't call it a "brifter"!
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Old 01-19-22, 08:46 PM
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I always attach my controls "race tight", which is secure enough to stay put under normal use, but able to be moved with firm force so that in a crash you are less likely to be impaled and the part is less likely to break due to being able to move.
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Old 01-20-22, 10:33 AM
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Originally Posted by dsbrantjr
I always attach my controls "race tight", which is secure enough to stay put under normal use, but able to be moved with firm force so that in a crash you are less likely to be impaled and the part is less likely to break due to being able to move.
Yup. Standard practice for experienced mechanics.
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Old 01-24-22, 01:38 AM
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Believe it or not, without looking, it's quite hard to notice a difference between the left and right LEVERS by feel alone. Both the gear lever and brake lever work absolutely fine, which is what made we wonder if this was just a "normal" configuration with some simple mechanism to move between.

Anyway, thanks all for the advice on fixing!
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Old 01-24-22, 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Cramic
Believe it or not, without looking, it's quite hard to notice a difference between the left and right LEVERS by feel alone.
I am a believer, we had a thread on this not too long ago. I have a town bike with bar end shifters on top of the bullhorn bars and found I had left the shifters slightly loose after a new tape job and when I got back I noticed both shifters slightly canted in toward the front, not nearly as far as yours. Seems my old arthritic hands liked it and I have now shifted others.
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Old 01-24-22, 10:48 AM
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I don't really believe it because it is canted so far inwards a little tiny move, maybe not but that far would both physically and visually cue me right away. Maybe it might take a second after a hard crash and I was in pain and maybe a little delirious but I can't imagine not noticing that for that long on that extreme of a movement.

Now on my last crash which happened to be on my touring bike my brake lever was actually a little higher then the other side and I didn't notice that right away granted I had hurt my hand pretty bad so I couldn't really grip it right but it was very slight up and down (we got it adjusted side to side OK but didn't notice the other change till I got a real chance to examine back at the house after the tour was complete.
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Old 01-24-22, 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by Cramic
Believe it or not, without looking, it's quite hard to notice a difference between the left and right LEVERS by feel alone. Both the gear lever and brake lever work absolutely fine, which is what made we wonder if this was just a "normal" configuration with some simple mechanism to move between.

Anyway, thanks all for the advice on fixing!
You're kidding, right?
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Old 01-24-22, 04:59 PM
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Last two posters calling me a liar, why would I?

The ten days it went unnoticed I only did two rides and they were separated by having a new baby.

I subsequently rode 241km over eight rides and can confirm the FEEL of using the front brake and gears is almost the same as the right. Very hard to feel a difference. Both brake and gears work absolutely fine.

In terms of gripping the handlebar, it depends where your hands are. If they are furthest away from me, it does turn turn my wrist in, which became uncomfortable on first two rides after noticing. That is the only significant difference in FEEL I can attest to.

Obviously it looks striking, but it seems I don’t spend a lot of time looking at my handlebars when I’m riding.

Honestly, most posters on here are friendly, helpful, and very informative. I guess these two just looking for a rise?
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Old 01-24-22, 06:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Cramic
The ten days it went unnoticed I only did two rides and they were separated by having a new baby.
This explains the lack of attention to everything else!
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Old 01-24-22, 08:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Cramic
Last two posters calling me a liar, why would I?

The ten days it went unnoticed I only did two rides and they were separated by having a new baby.

I subsequently rode 241km over eight rides and can confirm the FEEL of using the front brake and gears is almost the same as the right. Very hard to feel a difference. Both brake and gears work absolutely fine.

In terms of gripping the handlebar, it depends where your hands are. If they are furthest away from me, it does turn turn my wrist in, which became uncomfortable on first two rides after noticing. That is the only significant difference in FEEL I can attest to.

Obviously it looks striking, but it seems I don’t spend a lot of time looking at my handlebars when I’m riding.

Honestly, most posters on here are friendly, helpful, and very informative. I guess these two just looking for a rise?
No, I just find impossible that someone could ride a bike w/ the lever that far out of position and not notice. I hope you pay more attention when you're driving.
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Old 01-24-22, 09:20 PM
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Originally Posted by cxwrench
No, I just find impossible that someone could ride a bike w/ the lever that far out of position and not notice. I hope you pay more attention when you're driving.
So calling me a liar. Situation has been explained to you, but sure, your opinion has to be right eh?

I hope you’re less of a cock in real life when you’re not behind a keyboard.
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