Using Mafac centre pulls with straight bars

Shimano make lever sets in black or silver for use with Flat Bars and Road Calipers: http://www.shimano.com.au/publish/content/australia/en/cycling/products/road_components/flat_handlebar_.html

gclark8 said:

Shimano make lever sets in black or silver for use with Flat Bars and Road Calipers: http://www.shimano.com.au/publish/content/australia/en/cycling/products/road_components/flat_handlebar_.html

Thanks for that, although I'm still not sure whether the cable pull necessary for the Mafax centre pulls is the same as for conventional calipers. I suppose I'll have to get off my [censored] and go and measure it!

If not, replacment Promax Dual Pivot Calipers with cartridge pads were about a third the price of Shimano calipers and work perfectly with the Shimano Flat Bar Levers (on my Try bike). 🙂

Quoted post said:

Shimano BL-R440-S brake levers: A$34
Promax BR-451 AG F & R dual pivot road brake calliper set (Southcotts): A$55

gclark8 said:

If not, replacment Promax Dual Pivot Calipers with cartridge pads were about a third the price of Shimano calipers and work perfectly with the Shimano Flat Bar Levers (on my Try bike). 🙂

Thanks. Got to keep the cost to a minimum though, don't really want to have to get into wholesale parts replacement. Also, it's an old frame, wide clearance (so standard short reach calipers won't fit) and is also for brakes with an external nut fixing, not modern recessed allen keys. Although you've ot me thinking now, I'm sure I've got a spare old pair of Weinmann 605 calipers somewhere in the barn...

If you can't find them I have pair of new Shimano 600 brake levers here. 😄

gclark8 said:

If you can't find them I have pair of new Shimano 600 brake levers here. 😄

For straight bars...? If you happen to be passing Normandy, drop them in, and I'll swap 'em for a bottle of cider!

OK your on! Only if its bottle fermented!! We had a cellar full of it, Mimi had a creperie, I used to live in Pontivy.

Often caught the train from Pontivy to St Brieux and St Malo. Ferry from St Malo to Jersey where I worked most of 2 years. (86-88). 😎

gclark8 said:

OK your on! Only if its bottle fermented!! We had a cellar full of it, Mimi had a creperie, I used to live in Pontivy.

Often caught the train from Pontivy to St Brieux and St Malo. Ferry from St Malo to Jersey where I worked most of 2 years. (86-88). 😎

Oh we're talking proper Normandy cidre bouché here... made by a mad kilt-wearing, 2CV van-driving cockney scots canadian, and it doesn't get much more authentic than that! I'm near Coutances, the Manche - can see Jersey from here on a clear day!

It gets worse, I bought my Yellow RHD 2CV in Jersey for 50pounds, drove it all over France, brought it back to Aus and sold it for $8000. I wish I was there now!! 😄

Back to the topic. I just got the levers out, they are on my old TT bars. They would work OK as flat bar leves if you had down tube shifters. They (hoods) may foul flat bar shifters. 🙂

gclark8 said:

It gets worse, I bought my Yellow RHD 2CV in Jersey for 50pounds, drove it all over France, brought it back to Aus and sold it for $8000. I wish I was there now!! 😄

Back to the topic. I just got the levers out, they are on my old TT bars. They would work OK as flat bar leves if you had down tube shifters. They (hoods) may foul flat bar shifters. 🙂

Still got my 2CV, and the other 2CV, and three 2CV vans, and 2 H vans....
🙂

Any 2CVs RHD?? 😉

gclark8 said:

Any 2CVs RHD?? 😉

Yep, the 1985 grey/red Dolly and the 1982 black/yellow Charleston. Brought 'em over from UK. If you want one, a mate of a mine is a big 2CV specialist in UK - he's got hundreds of 'em! I gather it's a bit trickier registering them in Oz now than it used to be though...

Eastway82 said:

Thanks for that, although I'm still not sure whether the cable pull necessary for the Mafax centre pulls is the same as for conventional calipers. I suppose I'll have to get off my [censored] and go and measure it!

To get back on topic for just a moment ... YES, the pull is the same for the OLDer MTB levers which were used with cantilever brakes as the pull is for the Mafac center pull brakes (and, single/double pivot road calipers).

Of course, you certainly can tweak the "feel" a small amount by adjusting the yoke length for your Mafac brakes.

alfeng said:

To get back on topic for just a moment ... YES, the pull is the same for the OLDer MTB levers which were used with cantilever brakes as the pull is for the Mafac center pull brakes (and, single/double pivot road calipers).

Of course, you certainly can tweak the "feel" a small amount by adjusting the yoke length for your Mafac brakes.

Cheers Alfeng, I knew if we wittered on for long enough someone would get bored enough to come up with the goods!