Cracked tektro brake levers

[Jim S.]

Good morning. I have TRP brake levers on albastache bars. In removing the bar tape, I noticed that both levers are cracked near the point where the cable runs. I wonder why this would be. Did I tighten them too much when I installed them? Curious if anyone has had this experience. I think I must be doing something systemically wrong, as both levers are cracked.

[Bill Lindsay]

The OP asked: "Did I tighten them too much when I installed them?"

Possibly?  How tight did you tighten them?  Did you use a torque wrench?  

Probably it's a combination of four things:

1. Those bodies are plastic

2. Those bars present a contour that is a lot different shape than those levers were designed to register against

3. You didn't change the shape of the levers to fit the bars before installing them

4. You tightened them too much

If you had used metal bodied levers like the Shimano R400 it probably would have been less likely to have happened

If you had run the levers more out on the curve, which they were designed to fit against, it probably would have been less likely to have happened

If you had recognized that you wanted the levers on the straight part and took a file to that upper edge to better fit the straight part of the bars, it probably would have been less likely to have happened

If you had tightened the bolts to something like 5N-m like other cockpit bolts it probably would have been less likely to have happened

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Jim S.]

Bill Lindsay - you are my favorite writer on this board, and have been for years. You combine with knowledge with clarity. Hard to top it.

It occurs to me that I flipped the levers because I think they are more comfortable that way. Maybe that's consistent with the levers not fitting the bars.

[Bill Lindsay]

Thanks for those words.  I sincerely want to be helpful.  

Flipping offset levers on bars of this kind is an A+ varsity maneuver, in my book.  Running them "backwards" makes it look like they were made for Albastache or moustache bars.  The choice to swap them was NOT a contributor to the cracking, in my opinion.  

In my opinion you could still scrub off that top edge with a countoured file such that that top edge no longer contacts the bar at all.  The body still will register against the bar in the unseen middle and you'll still get a good clamp. Take the levers completely off and give a good look to that interior surface of the plastic and I think you'll see it.  

BL in EC