Re: Brake lever postion on handlebar????: Bikefanclub.com

Historically there are actually different traditions of placement of brake levers. Of course this goes back way before STI/Ergo. When levers are higher on the curve and the bar is also slightly tilted up this is called "Belgian high" (I'm not kidding...even though you can get a Belgian high drinking any one of the thousands of their beers...); a more level brake lever and level top so that the curve ends point more to straight back is "Italian." Anyway, there are drawings and explanations, as I recall, somewhere in Daniel Rebour's work.

STI/Ergo changed not only how we shift but how we fit and place weight on our hands. The larger platform further encouraged the lower front ends and the more aggressive racer's fit that dominates American cycling. There were a million other reasons but lever platform was a factor.

Lance and some others nowadays like their levers higher than what we saw just a few years back. I think too that LA had input in the new design of the Shimano levers (which are huge for someone like me...about Lance's size). I like them far better than the 9spd but am unimpressed with the cost/benefit. Anyway, there is more than one way to place levers and there is no rule of thumb, only different traditions that date back to before Coppi, et.al.

dbrk

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