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new levers for avid mechs?

2K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  gonzostrike 
#1 ·
OK so I'm pretty sure I'm going to get avid mechs this season, and I plan on getting some high end cables also (flack jackets?). My question is about using my old levers. I have 1st generation avid sd1 levers that have treated me very well and taken a beating over 5 years. I'm conserned about getting all the benifits of disks with my old levers as they aren't as tight or springy as they used to be. Wil this make a huge difference? Can I get the same results with avid sdti levers as with their "FR" levers or even pauls or kookas? Any feedback regarding these combos would be helpfull. Thanks.
 
#2 ·
guava said:
OK so I'm pretty sure I'm going to get avid mechs this season, and I plan on getting some high end cables also (flack jackets?). My question is about using my old levers. I have 1st generation avid sd1 levers that have treated me very well and taken a beating over 5 years. I'm conserned about getting all the benifits of disks with my old levers as they aren't as tight or springy as they used to be. Wil this make a huge difference? Can I get the same results with avid sdti levers as with their "FR" levers or even pauls or kookas? Any feedback regarding these combos would be helpfull. Thanks.
I had the SD-3 (OEM) before and they were OK. They bent on me so of course that meant upgrade!! :D. I looked on ebay and found the SD-5 levers for a good deal. So far they seem to be working fine. The speed dial adjuster makes the pull of the lever feel firmer or softer. I like the adjustablity of them because it feels right. Personally I have seen and tried the FR levers and I noticed that they felt the same as my old SD-3 levers.

my SD-5 levers
 
#3 ·
save the $$ you would spend on "high-end cables" and...

...buy Avid SD Ultimate levers.

Avid Mechs work fine with regular old cables. That's what I have been using for a few years, just replace 'em once a year -- you'd have to replace 'em that often even if they were "high end"

I've used Gore Ride-On cables and they didn't make any difference at all. I wouldn't bother with "high end" cables.
 
#4 ·
what gonzo said....i've got avid mechs on two bikes, front and rear. decent plain jane stainless cables, and full housing. properly cut and installed, will work great. way easier/cheaper than the expensive/fancy cable systems. save the money, and go for good levers. the lower end avid levers tend to develop slop you can tighten them up byt cramming larger washers in the pivots, but it's a pain to do. have to take them apart, and they end up still developing slop again later. if you like/have to have the speed dial feature, get the ultimate levers. if speed dial doesn't matter to you, go for the paul levers. using those on both bikes, and love them. light, not flexy, and eassy to adjust the pivot tightness.
 
#6 ·
Yeah,...

spacoli said:
Check out ebay, get some Avid Ti levers for $29.99

This guy has a bunch. Just put a starting bid in on one of them.

He usally list them in 5 at a time and 2 days apart.

http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...&lotr=1&from=R2&sacategory=22678&BasicSearch=
I was looking at those, but I just went on a shopping spree on ebay, so I guess I`m not buying anything today. I just got a wcs stem for $47-, and a selle italia "Marco Pantani " flite saddle for$71-! Anyone got one of those saddles? If it`s comfortable I might actually ride it. Otherwise I`ll keep it as a collectors item. I`m afraid it might have to many seems to be real comfy though.
 
#7 ·
Agreed (with everything and then some)...

Like mtnbikerdude87 observed, the FR-1 levers are Avid's Speed Dial-less entry level lever that replaced the SD3. They look cool but they don't give you anything. Avoid them ? later this year Avid is supposed to refresh their lineup of SD levers with Speed Dial versions of the FR (but who knows now with the SRAM deal it that is still on the schedule).

The Speed Dial adjustable leverage isn't absolutely necessary, but it's an important adjustment to have (along with adjustable spring tension and settable engagement point of the calipers) to making your Avids feel exactly the way you want to make them feel. O'course, you can do the same with Shimano & their "Servo Wave" feature, but why not keep in all in the family?

The SD5, SD7 & SD Ti are all pretty much the exact same lever ? performance wise. Shave a few grams as you pay more money, but you don't gain any useful features as you move up their product line.

And I 100% agree w/ Gonzo: Don't waste your $$ on speciality cables. The Avid Ultimates wouldn't be a bad place to redirect those $$ if you absolutely need to spend them. But as far as cable goes, the inexpensive plain black stuff from QBP works great. Proper cable/housing prep makes all the difference between having a slick or a draggy installation. Flak Jackets are difficult to throw away ? you'll be second guessing yourself ? while the 50¢ / foot generic stuff is a pleasure to cut up and trashcan at the first hint of stickiness!
 
#8 ·
Paul's Levers are very nice, but...

...if you're used to using the Speed Dial feature to dial in modulation, you'll miss it.

I almost got the Love Levers instead of the Ultimates. one of my riding buddies uses the Love Levers with his Avid Mechs, and YES INDEED they feel very good. same solid feel as the Ultimates, just no speed dial.
 
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