# Campy 11 brake lever reach long? Hbar Recommendations



## blbike (May 12, 2006)

Recently switched to Campy 11 speed parts, have to say I like it a lot. Used Dura Ace 7800 stuff for years, but didn't care for the 7900 design. Only issue I have is the reach to the lever from the handlebar drops is noticeably longer. I don't have big hands, and while I like the shape of the bars I use (Reynolds Ouzo Pro Alloy anatomica, and Bontrager VR) it doesn't seem I'll be able to continue using them. I live in CO, and tend to bomb down the mountains at 50-60 MPH, so I want good brake control. Any suggestions on handlebars with bends that lend themselves to getting a reduced reach to the levers? thanks


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

Does something like this work for you? 

The distance indicated by red line is 3.5 inches. My hands are 'average' and it's an easy reach, in the drops. 

The distance from the 'valley' at the base of your thumb, to tip of your fingers, might give you an idea of how easy it would be to wrap 1 or 2 of your fingers, around the brake lever.

These are 3T Ergosum Team (carbon) bars, they also make an aluminum version having same (I think) profile. 

There are some riders here with Easton EC90 SLX3 bars , I think their 'red line' distance might even be shorter.
.


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## veloci1 (Nov 29, 2005)

Deda elementi Shallow Compact. those are as short reach and you are going to find.


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

veloci1 said:


> Deda elementi Shallow Compact. those are as short reach and you are going to find.


Keep in mind the OP is _not_ referring to the "reach" as specified by handlebar mfr and shown in my 2nd pic ... he wants _short distance to the brake_ levers. That's not necessarily related to the "reach" spec.

Also, due to the way the levers attach to the bars and interact with the curve of the bars, small adjustments to the levers's position up-and-down along the curve, can have a big effect on lever-to-bar separation (red line in 1st pic). Short of empirically measuring this distance, I don't see how to predict it on basis of 'drop' and 'reach' specs, alone.

Note that I chose to optimize for a flatter transition from top of bar, to the brake hood ... and not for distance to brake lever, although it turned out be a very comfortable and easy distance for my 'average' hands.


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## volubilis (Jan 2, 2009)

tom_h said:


> .
> These are 3T Ergosum Team (carbon) bars, they also make an aluminum version having same (I think) profile.
> 
> .


 The 3T Ergonova Pro are aluminum and almost the same profile, seen here on my bike. No trouble reaching the levers for my average size hands. Also, the 11 speed Ergpower shifters come with an optional "large hands" insert that will increase the distance between the bar and the lever, so you need to be sure that that is not installed in your case.

v.


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## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*the solution..*

There are some bars that produce a very large reach from the hooks to the levers. One of the worst I ever owned was the FSA K-Force compact bars, I tried two years ago.

The Easton EC-90 SLX3 is better, but the bars that have been shown are similar in reach.

There is a way to greatly reduce the reach without changing bars, if yours already produce a reach of around 9cm, like those shown.

I've been modifying my ergo levers for about 5 years, so they all have only a 7.5-8cm reach. There is a practical minimum and that is limited by having enough space between the finger shift lever and the bars, so the finger lever does not bottom out against the the bar, when maximum braking is applied.

I apply a small amount of epoxy putty to the ergo body, where the quick release pin rests against it. I've got some detailed instructions for doing this. It's really quite simple, once you've done it a time or two. The mod is not permanent. The epoxy adheres to a properly cleaned surface. It won't come off easily but a little prying and scraping with an Xacto knife will remove it. 

In the picture, note how the top of the brake lever protrudes slightly in front of the ergo body. This is a minor reduction in reach. Quite a bit more can be done. About the minimum space between the finger lever and bars is 7/8".


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## blbike (May 12, 2006)

Thanks for the replies so far. Yes, I'm referring to the reach from the hooks to the levers effected by various bends, not "reach" as is normally referred to from the front to back of bars ctc. I think I need to look at some bars with a deeper bend that would parallel the bend of the brake levers versus some of the ergo bars where the bend of the bars diverges from the bend of the brake lever. I was going to look at the Deda Newtons, and PRO round bars.


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

Based on the picture you really have a short reach from the bar to the hood.Nice set up.


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## jpdigital (Dec 1, 2006)

Consider some of the newer Deda stuff as well i.e. Deda Zero100 bar. That's what I've found works w/ my 09 Centaur levers, and I have what I consider shorter fingers as well. Not sure on the exact dimensions off hand, but they really do feel like they were designed around Campy 11speed. They have a realllllly nice bend to them as well, and feel super comfy in the drops IMO.


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

Just bought a Ritchey Super Logic II bar 40cm with 72mm reach and 125mm on drop for $199 from Excelsport, will see they that stack up against my FSA K-wings 90/145mm drops.


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