New Bike Pics!

[bikerHen]

Yes and no on the brakes. I can reach them ok but don't seem to have the leverage to stop quick, as in a panic stop. I discovered last summer I couldn't stop well at all with a fully loaded trailer! I ended up replacing the brake system and adding in-line brakes. Which are a second set on brake levers on the top of the bars. I really only use the in-line brakes when I'm pulling the trailer or loaded up for a tour. They have a LOT more leverage and I can stop going down the steepest of hills. bikerHen

[Catrin]

Yes and no on the brakes. I can reach them ok but don't seem to have the leverage to stop quick, as in a panic stop. I discovered last summer I couldn't stop well at all with a fully loaded trailer! I ended up replacing the brake system and adding in-line brakes. Which are a second set on brake levers on the top of the bars. I really only use the in-line brakes when I'm pulling the trailer or loaded up for a tour. They have a LOT more leverage and I can stop going down the steepest of hills. bikerHen

Interesting - and you say they went on top of the bars? That is something to consider. If I wind up needing to go that far then I may just replace the bars and go with trigger shifters/brakes. I am not going to rush in that direction though, I want to get some miles on this bike before I start changing something like that

If we could just get the levers closer in, that might take care of things - but I don't know if they are adjustable. Until we get this worked out I have to stay out of the drops - but as I've never HAD drops before I won't know what I might be missing (can't reach levers in the drops).

This was unforseen, especially since the bars/levers are compact and meant for small hands/short reach.

[bikerHen]

Oh! You're trying to reach the brakes in the drops! No way I can do that on any bike I own. I spend 99.9% of my time on the hoods and/or top of the bars. Even getting into the drops has been a very recent accomplishment for me. I was actually surprised how hard it was to even try for the brakes while in my drops. I wouldn't worry to much if you can't reach them in the drops. Just my 2 cents. bikerHen

[Catrin]

Oh! You're trying to reach the brakes in the drops! No way I can do that on any bike I own. I spend 99.9% of my time on the hoods and/or top of the bars. Even getting into the drops has been a very recent accomplishment for me. I was actually surprised how hard it was to even try for the brakes while in my drops. I wouldn't worry to much if you can't reach them in the drops. Just my 2 cents. bikerHen

Wheww! That makes me feel better - I asked my fitter if I should be able to do so and he said yes - sounds like he had me worried for nothing. Let's face it - at this point I probably won't be going anywhere NEAR the drops Getting my hands down to the shifters will be enough.

I am thinking though that if there are levers that would fit me better then I am going to let them switch them out - I don't know how much leverage I actually would have in an emergency stopping situation the way it is now.

Yeah, trying to reach the brakes in the drops was like some contortionist activity

I keep looking at the weather forecast for tomorrow morning in hopes it changes - I don't want to wait until Sunday to take my new bike out for his first real spin!

[PamNY]

Beautiful bike! Have fun!

[Atlas]

I love that blue!

[Catrin]

I love that blue!

I didn't realize how close a match it was until I picked it up

[bikerHen]

Whew! Now you don't have to buy a new car. Well done on matching the colors. bikerHen

[Tri Girl]

That's too funny! I think the LHT was *meant* to be yours all along!!!

[Catrin]

That's too funny! I think the LHT was *meant* to be yours all along!!!

hehehe, I think you are right.

This little brake lever detail is just a small thing in the end. It may also be that since I am NOT accustomed to road bars that I am unconsciously putting all of my weight on my wrists and not my core - which would certainly lead to wrist issues...

Monday I am taking it to the LBS so we can all confirm what brake levers are actually on the bike, and then proceed from there.

[Tiddle]

That is an absolutely beautiful colour Catrin! Some crisp white accessories will look great on that

Re the brakes - on my vintage road bike, I found adjusting the angle of the bars allowed be to reach the brakes comfortably in the drops (where you get much better braking). If I tilted the bars up higher so it was more cofortable in the hoods I couldn't reach quite as well in the drops. It seems to be a bit of a trade of, but it allows you to adjust for your preferred riding position.

Play around with the up/down angle and see what suits.

Personally I don't use the hoods much cause the braking is a bit soft there. Looking forward to fitting the cross/top bar levers on my new Cross Check though - they sound like a huge improvement on the old-style top levers (which my LBS called "suicide levers"!)

[Catrin]

I am using blue accessories, along with a little white and black I found some delightful blue/black bar tape to use and my LBS will have it on my bike before they return it to me.

As it turned out the brake levers were the wrong ones, they were for a much larger bike and were NOT compact at all as they were supposed to be, and the bars that came with my bike were too wide for me - so both are being replaced I hope to bring him home this weekend and go try riding him again!

[kmehrzad]

As it turned out the brake levers were the wrong ones, they were for a much larger bike and were NOT compact at all as they were supposed to be, and the bars that came with my bike were too wide for me - so both are being replaced I hope to bring him home this weekend and go try riding him again!

Beautiful bike, Catrin.

About the brake levers, my hands are small and on some of my bikes, I've felt uncomfortable applying the brakes. On my Specialized Ruby, the LBS put shims in the levers, which helped tremendously. However, that's not an option on some of my other bikes' levers. On my single speed Scattante, I had in-line brakes added, which was a good fix. If you're still having problems reaching the brakes properly, ask about shims.