sore hands - brake levers

[mimitabby]

Went to the LBC (Local bike club) annual summer picnic yesterday
and one of the classiest bicyclists (career woman, never had kids; owns EXPENSIVE custom bikes, goes on LONG HARD RIDES) sat next to me.
She mentioned something about a visit to her lbs because she was having problems gripping her brakes.!!!
(on your custom Davidson? I asked)
well, yes.. I guess they gave her a new set of handlebars...
meanwhile, I had written to our New Zealand friend, Steve Hogg who suggests the Modolo Venus bars.. anyone have these?
he also said..
(Modulo Venus bars) They
are a shortish reach shallow drop round bar which means that the brake hoods
can be fairly high but still leave you able to reach the brake levers from
the drops. That said, Campag levers sit further from the bar than Shimano.
Shimano also make a short reach STI lever which no one seems to know about but I sell plenty. Modolo Venus bars are measured centre to centre just like your Salsa bar. The Salsa have a tight radius bend in the bar that means
there are practical limits to how high the levers can come and still reach
them from the drops.

So, shortly I plan to take the bike to the same shop that my rich friend went to and talk about new bars. I like the description of the Modolo Venus bars though..

[aka_kim]

I was just looking at the Venus on the Modolo (http://www.geoplan.it/modolo/1_road_handlebars_temp.php?id=9) web site last night. Their specs are a little hard to understand - I can't tell if the brake lever reach is 78 or 80 mm. But they come in silver! (Uh, I can't decide between silver or black for my new bike.)

Also check out the 3T Eva (http://www.3ttt.com/ing/curve_eva.htm), which has a 77mm brake lever reach.

[mimitabby]

Kim, that sounds like the one my club member got! she said it was wider on the bottom!
thanks for the links :)

[PinkBike]

those lever thingies have brakes on them too?

[mimitabby]

not sure what you mean. On the front of the handlebars? yes, they shift gears and are brakes too. the brakes part is on the top.

go here: http://www.3ttt.com/ing/curve_eva.htm

scroll down to the bottom. you can see the 4 fotos with hands, the lever on the top is the brake and the one underneath shifts gears.

[PinkBike]

kidding . . .

[Trekhawk]

I was just looking at the Venus on the Modolo (http://www.geoplan.it/modolo/1_road_handlebars_temp.php?id=9) web site last night. Their specs are a little hard to understand - I can't tell if the brake lever reach is 78 or 80 mm. But they come in silver! (Uh, I can't decide between silver or black for my new bike.)

Also check out the 3T Eva (http://www.3ttt.com/ing/curve_eva.htm), which has a 77mm brake lever reach.


Ooohh new bike. People talking new bikes everywhere at TE. What are you getting Kim - nosey Trekhawk wants to know.:D

[Clare]

I don't know if this helps or what you need, but I was having a hard time reaching the brakes even on my WSD Ruby. The brakes are placed "higher" up so I could sit a little more upright, too. I took it in to the LBS to get the brakes lowered to see if my reach would be better but instead got spacers placed in between the hoods and the brakes and now my reach is ever so much better! I can actually place my hand around the brakes without stretching!!

Maybe this is a simpler (and cheaper solution:$9.95)?

Clare

[mimitabby]

I don't know if this helps or what you need, but I was having a hard time reaching the brakes even on my WSD Ruby. The brakes are placed "higher" up so I could sit a little more upright, too. I took it in to the LBS to get the brakes lowered to see if my reach would be better but instead got spacers placed in between the hoods and the brakes and now my reach is ever so much better! I can actually place my hand around the brakes without stretching!!

Maybe this is a simpler (and cheaper solution:$9.95)?

Clare

Clare, i don't quite understand. they put spacers in between, wouldn't that make them further apart?

[Clare]

I wish I could draw a picture! Let me see if I can explain it better...If you squeeze your brakes a space opens up on top of the brake/shifter. You put the spacer in that space and so when you let go of the brake it doesn't close all the way and thus the brake is closer to the handlebar.

Does this make sense? Are we talking about different things?
Clare

[velogirl]

She's talking about shims.

[aka_kim]

Ooohh new bike. People talking new bikes everywhere at TE. What are you getting Kim - nosey Trekhawk wants to know.:DA Kelly (http://www.kellybike.com/2nd_rr_gobsale.html) Knobby X.

[mimitabby]

I wish I could draw a picture! Let me see if I can explain it better...If you squeeze your brakes a space opens up on top of the brake/shifter. You put the spacer in that space and so when you let go of the brake it doesn't close all the way and thus the brake is closer to the handlebar.

Does this make sense? Are we talking about different things?
Clare

ah, i think i understand. my campy components have a dealy in them that actually does that already...
and now Hubby is upset because i want to change yet another thing on my bike.

[Trekhawk]

A Kelly (http://www.kellybike.com/2nd_rr_gobsale.html) Knobby X.

Ooohh I like. Please post a picture once its all set up. What colour are you going for??

Sorry about the thread hijack.

[mimitabby]

Ooohh I like. Please post a picture once its all set up. What colour are you going for??

Sorry about the thread hijack.

These thread hijacks are really amazing!
several of the most active threads today ARE Hijacked but
the players all know right where they are and keep it up.

Women are amazing..

[aka_kim]

Ooohh I like. Please post a picture once its all set up. What colour are you going for??

Sorry about the thread hijack.It's called "burgundy metallic", but it's more purple, less red, than I anticipated. I'm thinking about a custom head badge too. Maybe, maybe, it will be ready to ride at Siskiyou.

I still haven't settled on choice of handlebars, but I don't want to use shims.

[Trekhawk]

It's called "burgundy metallic", but it's more purple, less red, than I anticipated. I'm thinking about a custom head badge too. Maybe, maybe, it will be ready to ride at Siskiyou.

I still haven't settled on choice of handlebars, but I don't want to use shims.

It sounds lovely. Custom head badge sounds cool. I hope its ready for Siskiyou I would love to get to see it in person.

Good luck with the handlebar search (see the thread is back on topic already).:D :D

[aka_kim]

I hope its ready for Siskiyou I would love to get to see it in person.So you've left LimboLand?

[Trekhawk]

Yep I will see you there. Yipee.:D :D

[aka_kim]

Yippee skippee! (as CorsairMac says) :)

[Kathi]

Back on the topic, here's a pic of the Modolo Venus drops. I put them on both my Aegis and my Serotta. I love them because braking from the drops is so much easier.

They measure 75 mm from the drop to the lever, with tape on them. Just enough to allow me to reach the brake lever.

BTW, Campy does not have a shim or way to bring the brake lever in closer like Shimano does so these handlebars are a good solution.

[mimitabby]

Thank You!