# C-Record Powergrade brake levers



## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

Calling all campag gurus...

I recently bought a bike off ebay that came with old ITM time trial bars and Campag C-Record brake levers. I immediately swapped the bars but I am having trouble setting up the brake levers. 

I believe they are 'powergrade' levers, whereby the leverage can be adjusted by turning a 1mm cap screw. I also understand that these levers can be set up for traditional or aero cable routing. 

The main problem I have is that the only way I can see the aero routing working is for the cable to go around quite an angle from where the end is located until it goes through the hole in the brake lever body. It just looks like a terrible design for the cable to need to run around a corner (albeit on a metal track).

The second problem I have is that it appears to me that the piece in the brake lever that holds the cable end appears to be upside down for aero routing such that the cable end would be prone to slipping out of its a slot when tension is released (especially given the earlier mentioned bend the cable needs to follow). I've had the brake levers out of the body for cleaning but I couldn't see how to switch around the part that holds the cable end. 

The original owner had drilled a hole through the top of the brake lever to house the cable end. I was originally apalled by this but now I am wondering whether he had his reasons.

So in summary my questions come down to this:

1. Does routing C-Record brake levers aero instead of traditional require a change in the orientation of the barrel like part in the lever that holds the cable end? If so how do I achieve this?

2. Does the aero routing of these levers really require the cable to run around a reasonably sharp bend between the cable end and the hole in the body?

Hopefully someone will be able to work out what I am asking 

I'll cross post this on the wrenching forum also. 

Thanks in advance.


----------



## ericjacobsen3 (Apr 27, 2007)

Based on my exp w/ non-leverage adjustable c record..

1. No
2. Yes, but keep in mind it doesn't have to slide around the corner.


----------



## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

*thanks!*

Ok thanks...that's the confirmation I needed. I buttoned it all up this afternoon and it works. but I still shake my head at the design.


----------



## ericjacobsen3 (Apr 27, 2007)

greg75 said:


> Ok thanks...that's the confirmation I needed. I buttoned it all up this afternoon and it works. but I still shake my head at the design.


Yes, it is silly and the levers are also incredibly painful ergonomically, for me at least. Nuovo/super record is even slightly less terrible. For me the problem is that the hook of the thumb area is far to low and the levers have insufficient finger space on the bottom to get a good grip. Old Modolo levers are taller and a bit more comfortable if an issue for you.


----------

