Re: [CR] who has trouble stopping with vintage sidepulls?

(Example: Production Builders:Cinelli:Laser)

In-Reply-To: <44BA784B-5C5A-42E7-B54A-1E6172C64D16@earthlink.net>
References: <mailman.2460.1232668132.55131.classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:16:50 -0700
From: "Mitch Harris" <mitch.harris@gmail.com>
To: Jon Spangler <hudsonspangler@earthlink.net>
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR] who has trouble stopping with vintage sidepulls?


On Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 12:07 PM, Jon Spangler <hudsonspangler@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Apparently, many European pro racers combined Campi levers with Mafac
> calipers after Mafac centerpulls came out. I suspect that their use of Campi
> levers with the Mafac calipers was sponsorship-related, but the combo must
> have worked OK.
>
> Has anyone else out there duplicated this, or used other hybrid
> lever-caliper combinations that they have found successful and effective?
>

Mafac calipers/levers were in use long before Campagnolo introduced their brake levers and calipers, but I may have misunderstood your first sentence.

I notice that it's common to mix and match levers and calipers, especially vintage stuff. Many people switched to aero levers but kept the same calipers, for example, when aero levers became popular. Because most later non-aero levers operate similarly, I don't doubt that Campagnolo levers work well with Mafac centerpulls although it's not a combination I've tried. The Campagnolo levers would be closer to the bar than most Mafac levers--maybe that was part of the attraction.

Mitch Harris
Little Rock Canyon, Utah, USA