[CR]Mafac Tandem Levers

(Example: Framebuilders:Mario Confente)

Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2001 17:29:30 -0800
To: "Mark A. Perkins" <bicyclemark@juno.com>, olof.stroh@hem.utfors.se
From: "Joseph Bender-Zanoni" <jfbender@umich.edu>
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
In-Reply-To: <20010109.140958.-370653.2.bicyclemark@juno.com>
Subject: [CR]Mafac Tandem Levers

I have the Mafac levers on my very early Santana also, with the same set up as Mark. They are also a handful to adjust just right so the braking is balanced front and rear. I agree with Mark that having the stoker tend a brake, especially the drag brake is a good idea.

Joe

At 02:09 PM 1/9/01 -0800, Mark A. Perkins wrote:
>You'll probably get more than one reply to this, but here's my two cents
>worth:
>
>Yes, these levers are for tandems. They are usually used to connect both
>cantilever brakes to the same lever so that a drum- or disk-brake can be
>connected to the other lever by itself. Of course a tandem with no hub
>brake won't need this lever at all. My personal Santana tandem has this
>set-up, and for years I've thought that if I ever do a complete overhaul
>of this bike that I would like to put a brake lever (or two) on the
>"stoker's" bars so that each brake has only one lever. Just think, it
>takes about twice as much force to actuate two rim brakes by the same
>amount it would with one lever per brake. Try removing the cable from
>one brake sometime and see how much better the other brake works, I did.
>I think that having a little bit of trust in your "stoker's" ability to
>know when to use the brakes, and when not to, could prevent you from
>being run into by someone who the "captain" has failed to see. I have
>personally had a few close calls where I didn't see a car or something
>coming, and my "stoker" did, just in time to tell me to stop or slow
>down.
>
>> Bicycle content: Bought a set of Mafac brake levers for _two_
>> cables/lever today.
>> Was said to be for tandem use. Bought them mostly for fun,
>> experience somebody?
>>
>> Olof in Uppsala
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>
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