What vintage brake levers for a woman?

[dirttorpedo]

I just purchased what I believe is a 1981 Trek 515 for my wife in modified condition. Its pretty much stock except for the saddle and crank/drive train. The idea is that it will be a general rider, but she's agreed to ride L'eroica with me in a year or two, so it would also be her "heroic" bike for that trip. So in addition to getting a vintage drivetrain on the bike I need to sort out the brake levers. Her hands are too small to use the Diacompe ones that were stock with this bike.

I've read that vintage campagnolo brake levers were better for people with small hands. I also saw some "junior" model Weinman ones on Ebay which sound like they might be a good idea. So hoping to tap into the wealth of knowledge here to see what options I have.

 

[Midlife]

Campag NR / SR curve quite badly away from the bars.........Mafac were even worse

Shimano were a bit beter for small hands as were weinmann. Tektro make special levers for small hands but are modern ...

Shaun

 

[torqueless]

Re:

I might be wrong, but I seem to remember CLB making levers in different sizes?

I guess the thing about Campag. NR/SR, and the copious copies thereof, is that the shape of the body was kind of 'waisted', so in that sense maybe better for small hands when riding on/braking from the hoods? And from that position, levers that curve away from the bars might provide a leverage advantage?

If it's a question of braking from the drops, I'd imagine it would be fairly easy to have a few mm. of something jammed in the gap between the 'lever' and the body, possibly with the cable passing through the middle of it for security, which would bring the levers closer to the drops? Need to have true wheels though, with the brake blocks pretty close to the rim, so that when braking the levers don't bottom out against the drops before the blocks are against the rim. Sounds like a bodge, but it needn't be.

It's quite possible that a lever that's optimally ergonomic from the hoods is a pig from the drops, and vice-versa?

 

[dirttorpedo]

Re:

I read a posting at another site on this topic and someone recommended Diacompe Jr. levers. Anyone had any experience with those?

 

[David B]

I just purchased what I believe is a 1981 Trek 515 for my wife in modified condition. Its pretty much stock except for the saddle and crank/drive train. The idea is that it will be a general rider, but she's agreed to ride L'eroica with me in a year or two, so it would also be her "heroic" bike for that trip. So in addition to getting a vintage drivetrain on the bike I need to sort out the brake levers. Her hands are too small to use the Diacompe ones that were stock with this bike.

I've read that vintage campagnolo brake levers were better for people with small hands. I also saw some "junior" model Weinman ones on Ebay which sound like they might be a good idea. So hoping to tap into the wealth of knowledge here to see what options I have.

Funny you should mention Dia-Compe; I could've sworn that back in the day they made an adjustable-reach lever (with a limit screw to alter the distance of the "brakes off" position from the bars) to suit riders with smaller hands.

David

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re:

I have a pair of the mini Weinmann ones knocking about if you want them

 

[dirttorpedo]

Re:

I have a pair of the mini Weinmann ones knocking about if you want them

That's How much do you want for them and how much to ship to New Westminster, BC, Canada?

 

[hamster]

CLB definitely made levers in 3 sizes.