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Why are your levers pressed up next to your grips?

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Why are your levers pressed up next to your grips?
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flag phillemaistre
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 19:41 Quote
I've noticed looking at the bikes posted by riders on good 'ol pinkbike that too many riders are not using the mechanical advantage of leverage provided by their brake levers. If you're clamping your brake lever right next to your grip (unless you have those super-long Kona Mooseknuckle grips) there is no room for your index and middle finger to be in the right position when they contact the lever. Slide your brake levers in, towards your stem, and give your hands some breathing room. You will notice improved comfort (more space on the grip for your hand; no more slaming your index fingers into the shifters), improved braking (more leverage=more usable power) and less fatigue and arm pump (more usable power=less effort at the lever). Take a look at the distance between the lever clamp and the grip on Rennie's bike, Hill's bike, Peat's bike, Minnar's bike. Holy crap, look at Barel's grip-to-lever gap, there must be an inch and a half there.
Anyway, if your hand is resting comfortably in the middle of your grip, your index finger (pointing straight out) should come to rest right next to the hook at the end of your lever. By the way, this works for ALL flat bar bikes, DH, DJ, XC, BMX, Hybrids, everything. Try it, it'll be like a whole new sport.
flag brodierider6
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 19:44 Quote
1 finger braking owns. It pretty much all comes down to preference for different people.
flag phillemaistre
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 19:47 Quote
Yes, different strokes for different folks I suppose, but you can't argue with physics. Or common sense. "Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I shall move the world." Who said it?
flag ajaxpowder
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 19:49 Quote
my issue is that juicies get harder to engade as they are used more thats why i hane them slammed
flag scotteh
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 19:49 Quote
truth
i never really thought about it until someone did it at the shop for me when they bled my brakes
i always have a space there now, it rules
flag phillemaistre
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 19:52 Quote
Good work dude. I think it was Archimedes. If we are wrong, though, I would love for someone to let us know.
flag t3rry
Mod
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 19:54 Quote
my grip moves if the lever doesn't hold them in place... and really. I like mine in closer anyways. I don't have to reach for the lever than.
flag brodierider6
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 19:54 Quote
Haha Im not completely sure, but I've heard it somewhere.
flag scotteh
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 20:01 Quote
you are correct
'twas him
flag hodges
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 20:06 Quote
for me in most cases, *shifter>>10mm>>lever>>1inch>>grip

or as close as i can get to it, my shit goes long
flag phillemaistre
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 20:10 Quote
Wow, is that tough? Using two mesurement standards like that? Do you drive many miles but record your rate of travel in Kph?Smile
flag skatebanana
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 20:11 Quote
well this has always bothered me. i have hayes mag brakes. i prefer the 1 finger braking but then my finger has to reach out farther than i would like to have it. im always adjusting them. right now i have it so i can 1 finger brake towards the middle where the curve in the lever is. but i dont get as much power. i still dont no what i like more. any other ideas on how to set them up?
flag phillemaistre
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 20:20 Quote
Use the lever position adjustment screw (it's a 2mm, it's inside the lever body, find it by looking down the length of your bar) and adjust the lever so it sits closer to the bar. Then, with 2-3 cm between your grip and your lever, your finger should hit the sweet spot.
flag t3rry
Mod
Posted: Oct 4, 2007 at 20:31 Quote
phillemaistre wrote:
Use the lever position adjustment screw (it's a 2mm, it's inside the lever body, find it by looking down the length of your bar) and adjust the lever so it sits closer to the bar. Then, with 2-3 cm between your grip and your lever, your finger should hit the sweet spot.

ahh... sweet spots. Mine is definately about 1 to 2 cm from the bar. I am kind of different than most.

When your adjusting, be careful not to strip that screw, it is easily done.
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