Which brakes have the longest pull MTB or Road ?

[BADGER.BRAD]

Hello All,

As my main commuter bike needs a refurb ( I've run it into the ground) I have decided to speed up the conversion of my project bike and have just purchased some Trekking bars and an adjustable quill stem (the project is old 80's road bike which I'm converting for both commuting and touring) and was just about to order some brake levers when I remembered something about different brake levers having a different length of pull on the cables is this correct , which type of lever has most and if I can and I select the lever with more pull ( I'm intending to go for MTB) will this cause any problems to the operation of the brakes which aren't the best at the moment anyway ?

cheers all.

 

[raleighnut]

Hello All,

As my main commuter bike needs a refurb ( I've run it into the ground) I have decided to speed up the conversion of my project bike and have just purchased some Trekking bars and an adjustable quill stem (the project is old 80's road bike which I'm converting for both commuting and touring) and was just about to order some brake levers when I remembered something about different brake levers having a different length of pull on the cables is this correct , which type of lever has most and if I can and I select the lever with more pull ( I'm intending to go for MTB) will this cause any problems to the operation of the brakes which aren't the best at the moment anyway ?

cheers all.

Anything other than V-brake levers should be fine.

 

[Tim Hall]

V brake levers pull more cable than cantilever or caliper brake levers. Those two pull the same amount.
Some straight bar levers have two settings, one for V brakes one for cantis.

If you fit v brake levers to canti brakes you run the risk of the lever hitting the handlebars beforr the brake has done its stuff.

 

[T4tomo]

Surely it depends on the shape of the bars. By trekking do you mean those butterfly things?

If you have drops then road bike levers fit then, if you are fitting them to a “flat” bar then you want MTB style levers.

I believe mtb do have a slightly longer pull,, to answer the original question.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

yes they are butterfly bars and the brakes are side pull ?

 

[the snail]

yes they are butterfly bars and the brakes are side pull ?

Then you want 'road' levers. If you've got MTB levers you could try them, but braking probably won't be good.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Are you saying in order to use MTB levers I would have to change the brakes/alter the frame ? Road bike levers will not fit on the Trekking bars unless I put them somewhere odd.

 

[Tim Hall]

Are you saying in order to use MTB levers I would have to change the brakes/alter the frame ? Road bike levers will not fit on the Trekking bars unless I put them somewhere odd.

Have you got pictures of the brakes? From your earlier post it sounds like they're caliper brakes, a bit like this:

If they are then MTB levers as long as they're suitable for cantilever/caliper brakes should work.

Here's some: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-tia...35uk&pgrid=17507338502&ptaid=pla-128000413022
(Blimey, that was a long link). Other retailers and manufacturers are available.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

They are caliper brakes as per your picture,The bars haven't come yet so at this point it but it may be possible that I can find a position where the original levers both work and are comfortable to use. My other commuter is a MTB fitted with skinny tyres and bar ends which I find comfortable so was looking for something of a similar width but with more positions. It was fitted touring drops which I found very uncomfortable and also too narrow not allowing me enough leverage when signaling or changing gear on my local roads( it's getting to the point that the local canals have better surfaces) At this point I intend to keep the down tube shifters.

 

[TheDoctor]

You want flat bar levers compatable with cantilever or road brakes, not V-brakes.
Something like this - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-tiagra-r550-flat-bar-brake-levers/rp-prod34695 or these https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brake-l...-bar-caliper-brake-levers-222mm-clamp-silver/

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Thanks Doc !