There is one other possibility. On a few brake models, one actually moves the lever up to lock it rather than down. I just installed such a pair, gold anodized aero profile Gallis, probably late 80's or early 90's, on my red and gold 50th Anniversary Paramount. This really confused me at first, as I thought I was installing them wrong, but the position of a stop in the back of the arm to stop the QR lever confirmed that these lock in the up position and release in the down position. The QR is on the upper arm rather than the lower arm. I think someone posted a photo recently of another Galli brakeset with the QR on the upper arm. These were said to be a cyclocross model, I think. Mine are pretty darned short reach, so I don't think they would be real good for cyclocross.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Steven Willis <smwillis@verizon.net> wrote:
Here is my can of worms. The lever is as you said open it up and the wheel
comes out better also if you knock the wheel out of true you can open it up
and still get home with out too much rubbing. You could also do it backwards
and use it to lock up your wheels so if you want to leave you bike it will
not roll away. Other than that, they are probably just ignorant about the
workings of the qr on a brake.
Steven Willis
The Bike Stand
1778 East Second Street
Scotch Plains NJ 07076
908-322-3330
http://www.thebikestand.com
> Hello members,
>
> Taking Dales request to have more CR 'readers' contribute; here is a
> preface
> and some questions I have had on my mind. Being a youngster in the bike
> world, I have been puzzled by the lever on side pull brake calipers. It is
> my assumption is that they exist so a wheel can be easily taken off. Just
> flip up the switch, the calipers open further and a wheel can be taken
> off.
> When the switch is down, the calipers are closer to the rim and make for
> tighter/precise braking.
>
> My conundrum with this little feature of brake calipers has come to
> fruition
> for a number of reasons.
>
> First, when screaming down Germantown hill (a great quick climb and
> descent
> just outside Portland) on my '82 Univega my rear brake caliber became
> very,
> well, 'squishy' for lack of a better term. Come to find out my rear
> caliper
> opened because the switch lifted on its own.
>
> Second, I observed at the last Hand Made Bike Show in Portland a very nice
> -in fact, amazing; the lug work was beautiful- build with a 25th
> anniversary
> Dura Ace groupset. The calipers were open/up on both the front and back. I
> thought maybe they just didn't close them when they put the bike together
> for the show; however, at closer look the brakes were tight and tuned to
> where they should be for riding. Why did these expert builders tune the
> brakes lever up?
>
> Since then, I have observed a number of cyclists/bicycles that keep the
> lever up/open, and many who keep them closed/down. Why?
>
> Am I incorrect about their purpose? Do people keep them up to avoid what
> happened to my while barreling down Germantown? Do other CR members have a
> preference, and, if so, why?
>
> Just a thought,
> Jeremy L. Robillard
> Portland, Oregon USA
> via Bellingham, WA
>
> PS: Hello Kurt Sperry. I never knew that the place I was born in, raised,
> and attended university had such a bike aficionado. I was just up for the
> holidays. Bellingham is truly a beautiful place, I recommend any CR member
> to visit.