Brakes on drops

[colinr]

Possibly a stupid question but Google won't find me the answer.

How are brake levers + hoods attached on drop bars? Pictures look like there's a clamp on the back, how does that fit on / tighten? My bars are taped so I can't see the clamp without removing it, which I don't really want to do.

Just want to make sure I've the tools for the job before I muck about with new bars. If it matters, this is for fixed so there's no shifters involved. If it makes a difference, this is fixed, no shifters involved.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Shimano levers do clamp on as you say. The screw for tightening/slackening is accessed by unpeeling the rubber hood. To remove them, you would have to remove the tape too. Have a look at the technical documents on shimano.com

 

[GrasB]

There are 2 methods, but essentially they're the same. There is a metal band that goes around the bars, in the brake leaver there's a bolt that you tighten. This is where the variation comes in, on most leavers I've seen this bolt pulls the band into the main body of the leaver, when the main body comes into contact with the bars it pulls the band tight on the other side of the bard thus making a clamp. I have seen leavers where the band & body are fixed together I the bolt its self presses against bars to pull the leavers tight, this left marks & dents all over the 'bars.

 

[colinr]

Thanks, so it's a simple screwdriver / spanner job, no fancy special tools.

 

[GrasB]

Allen or torx key ime.

 

[youngoldbloke]

With some brake only levers (eg. Tektro) you can undo the bolt and leave the clamp on the bar - allowing you to remove the lever without bothering the tape - fine if you are putting the lever back or replacing with the same type.

 

[mickle]

Almost always 5mm Allen key unless your bike is particularly old, vintage 'Weinmann' and similar levers use either a large flat screwdriver or 4mm Allen key.

 

[colinr]

It's a 2008 vintage, Tektro levers, guess it will be Allen key then

 

[John the Monkey]

It's a 2008 vintage, Tektro levers, guess it will be Allen key then

A T/P handled allen key makes the job much easier, ime.