Tektro

R341 Ergo Brake Levers

converted my specialized tricross to a single speed bike and these levers do provide better actuation than the stock STI's which came with the bike. Braking improved tremendously without squeezing the levers too much - don't have to change pads for now, will change to the Kool Stop pads I purchased with these levers during winter riding (stock pads don't hold up when it gets wet).

I was skeptical how Tektro R341 would treat my smallish hand (men's glove size small, 7). The hood provides more grip area (similar to shimano STIs) and is not as bulky to grip than its previous version (Tektro R100A). The look isn't that bad either and the ergonomic bend feels just right w/o feeling any odd strains/pulls on the hands. It works as it was intended- practical and comfortable. I'd recommend it to any competitive and practical cyclist alike.

These levers appear to be a singular item in the marketplace. I searched for "small-hands" brake levers to set up a light and comfortable road bike for my wife. She has small hands and limited hand strength due to a neuromuscular disorder. I settled on bar end shifters and these brake levers. These levers are light and shaped to tuck in snugly against the handlebars. They have a return spring to make cable routing less critical, and a brake release similar to Campy levers. The price is nice, since Tree Fort had them on sale!

I set up my GT with dirt drops, specifically the Midge bars. I was a little worried about being able to reach the levers due to the different angle that the brakes have to clamped. The R341 levers work great with dirt drops. They place the levers within easy reach and I am able to comfortably get two fingers on each brake while in the drops. Some people may be turned off by the non-traditional look, but I've always been an advocate for function. And it really doesn't look bad on a bike at all.