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advice on brakes

by billyman
Wed, May 08, 2013 11:05
12

hello all, I had an encounter with the road a few weeks ago and gained my first set of road rash scars on my left knee and hip ( side note so glad I wear a good cycle helmet as my head bounced off the floor twice) actually quite proud of my encounter with the tarmac as I believe you ain't a true cyclist until you have had such an encounter lol, the thing is I noticed that the brake ( the lever part on the handle bars ) had a little movement that it never had before just a little side to side wobble, not being a tech type of person I have ignored it, but it is getting worse and after a little investigation ( lifted the rubber cap thing) I noticed that the clamp part has sheared so I need to replace them.

An upgrade for My brakes is my thought, but I have absolutely no knowledge of what I'm doing, I have a three year old Raleigh equipe very cheap entry level bike ( buying a new bike next May) have had a look around the likes of ebay and not sure what to get. I could just take it to my local bike shop but would like to have a tinkle myself, before anyone posts links and suggestions advice etc etc etc consider that I will be buying a new bike in twelve months and that I ride around 80 miles per week most weeks, I partake in 50 to a 100 mile events about 5 of them this year ( first one this Sunday the Lancashire lanes 75 mile supportive) and I don't have an endless supply of cash (4 kids drain most of my cash)

in conclusion, something reasonably tough, inexpensive and sexy maybe lol.

Cheers to all in advance for your replies, and I will ignore anyone that takes the Michael out of me lol

Billy age 42 and as fit as I was in my early twenties, it just takes a lot longer to recover.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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12 comments

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billyman | 11 years ago
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just been watching you tube videos on " how to" and it got me thinking, currently I have thumb shifters ( yes I know) can I add integrated brake and gear shifters and do away with the thumb shifters, it's probably a really stupid question I know but remember I have absolutely no knowledge of bikes apart from how to ride one lol.

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billyman | 11 years ago
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well for 15 quid I will go for them, plus I like your idea of them being in black to match the bike, so much has changed on the bike ie different wheels and tyres different crank and pedals and now different brake levers that I think I will remove the Raleigh decals and replace them with my own nickname " billyman" lol

thanks to everyone who has helped.

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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My bad, I pasted the wrong link. It was meant to be these

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektro-rl340-performance-drop-road-bra...

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billyman | 11 years ago
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brilliant, thank you, will pop down to my local bike shop tomorrow and ask, will have a go at it myself and off I struggle I will take it to "hoppys" ( the local bike shop) and ask him, he only chargers about a fiber for small jobs

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Liam Barr | 11 years ago
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I think a similar thing happened to me once when the bracket holding the brakes to the bar broke.

I went to my LSB and bought a similar looking lever from the bargain bucket (only cost £5 since they only had one but that was ok)and then i remove the grip tape and old lever replaced the bracket and then put the old lever and tape back on.

It was a cheap and fairly easy solution for me.

Hope it helps 1

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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Ok, seen as they are just brakes, you are cheaper to just replace them both.

Looking at your bike, for me, It HAS to be black levers.

So that in mind.

Budget but still good
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektro-rl520-aero-v-brake-levers-black...

Slightly more expensive, but VERY nice
http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p16361/Cane-Creek-SCR-5-Road-Brake-Levers.aspx

You can also get the compact version of the Cane's, so they don't stick out as much as your current ones 26

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FMOAB replied to Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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So that in mind.

Budget but still good
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektro-rl520-aero-v-brake-levers-black...

Aaargh, don't go for these, they are for v-brakes or mechanical disks. They'll pull so much more cable than your caliper bakes need that you'll go flying over the handlebars on first use!

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billyman | 11 years ago
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just been scouring the road website and seen this review http://road.cc/content/review/12041-tektro-r200-drop-levers
as far as I can tell they would be suitable and I guess that is all I am after in the end, someone to say yes you could swap them for the ones you already have with no problems.

our four around 25 notes does anyone know of anything that may look better ( not that them ones don't look ok)

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billyman | 11 years ago
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oops, loaded the same pic twice lol

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Cycle_Jim | 11 years ago
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I think wiggle do some brake levers for fairly cheap, I'm almost sure I saw tiagra ones for £20 (not sure if it was a set) but I'd imagine you could get cheaper.

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billyman | 11 years ago
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drop bar just brakes,

ignore the back wheel on the big picture that's my turbo training wheel to lazy to change it lol.
the smaller pic it looks like the main part has completely cracked and broken away.

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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Hello. Glad you had a good time with the tarmac..... 39

Sounds like a simple enough fix. BUT what kind of brakes do you have?

Are the purely brakes? Do you also act as shifters?

Drop bar, flat bar......

Got a picture, that might help us all to suggest things for you, but if the clamp has striped the threads where it was screwed in. Its going to mean a new set is needed. Otherwise its just a case of replacing the clamp

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