WHAT BRAKE LEVERS FOR UPSIDE-DOWN HANDLEBAR & SIDEPULL BRAKES?

April 13, 2006

    I turned my drop-bar handlebar upside down and I love it. It gives me a higher riding position but still with plenty of options.
    I am looking for bar-end brake levers, but I am not sure if most of them will match my Bianchi Europa sidepull brakes (mechanical advantage, distance of movement). Do you know if they are the same? I know that "direct pull" levers don't have enough mechanical advantage, but most of the bar-end levers don't identify themselves as direct pull or classic. Thanks.

Mike J.

Mike:
    I ride a 40-year-old 3-speed with its original brakes. I like the idea of calling them “classic,” as it allows me to wait even longer to replace them. (“When you gonna fix those brakes?” “No way—those are classic!”)
    Anyway. You shouldn’t have a problem finding brake levers that work with your bike’s sidepull brakes. Compatibility problems arise with bikes having cantilevered brakes; not all levers work with some styles of cantilevers.
    Simply choose brake levers made for road bikes. And don’t put ‘em on upside-down.

Mr Bike

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