Adjustable shorty levers -- simple question!

[corksil]

Okay, simple question. If you have adjustable levers... they are obviously adjustable. I'm hesitant to see the actual need for these. Hypothetically, if the brakes were to fade in a track situation, you could "adjust" the lever to have more mechanical advantage on the master cylinder, therefore translating more force from your fingers into the MC/SC/brake caliper.

As for the clutch -- I don't get the point. Maybe a clutch gets 3% more or less sticky as the result of high heat.. but I don't think it would be any more significant of a change than 3%. Why would someone need an adjustable clutch lever? Given, it looks nice and it matches.

Okay and for the people with adjustable levers -- how often do you use [adjust] them? Realistically?

I've been admiring a pair on ebay from the popular seller [the2wheels] and I know of a few members on this forum who have them. @csmith

After thinking about this for a long time I'm wondering if "short" levers would actually be going backwards in terms of performance. By shortening the lever, you would lose leverage [duh] and I don't see how it could be made back up by any fancy "adjustment".

Thanks guys.

[adouglas]

It's more about adjusting reach. Some of us have short fingers. Once set, they stay where they are.

I have full-length clutch but shorty brake... two-finger braking, I can adjust the lever for a more comfortable reach without pinching the other two fingers.

[csmith12]

^^^ he has got it. Ergos vs performance are is what you mostly buy when purchasing adjustable levers.

If you're looking for "on the fly" adjustability while riding/racing then you need to be looking for something like this;



Note, it is NOT a short lever but can be, and the range adjuster is separate from the fade adjustment knob at the end of the cable.



EDIT: as far as the clutch goes, I haven't seen an adjustment on those but some fancy ducati's or other bikes with hydraulic clutches may have such things. As for us poor folk, we just change oil weights first and then graduate to stiffer clutch springs. :\

[corksil]

Originally Posted by adouglas

It's more about adjusting reach. Some of us have short fingers. Once set, they stay where they are.

I have full-length clutch but shorty brake... two-finger braking, I can adjust the lever for a more comfortable reach without pinching the other two fingers.

Okay I'm gonna think about this for a few days. With relatively long fingers I don't have to worry about reach very much.

Also am pretty active with my hands so hand strength should be adequate for operating the short levers and losing the "leverage" found on full size levers.

What is really attractive to me about short levers is that it would be a hell of a lot harder to pinch my fingers when moving the bike around in tight spaces. With a full size lever, I typically use two fingers on the lever and two on the grip when moving the bike in the garage, leaning it on things etc. For some reason it REALLY hurts when I bump the lever end into something with the weight of the bike behind it and get my ring and pinky finger pinched between the grip and the end of the brake lever. That seems to happen often for some reason.

Honestly I'm just trying to justify the cost of some tiny little parts which probably won't make my life significantly better in any way.

Thanks dude!

[corksil]

Originally Posted by csmith12

^^^ he has got it. Ergos vs performance are is what you mostly buy when purchasing adjustable levers.

If you're looking for "on the fly" adjustability while riding/racing then you need to be looking for something like this;



Note, it is NOT a short lever but can be, and the range adjuster is separate from the fade adjustment knob at the end of the cable.



EDIT: as far as the clutch goes, I haven't seen an adjustment on those but some fancy ducati's or other bikes with hydraulic clutches may have such things. As for us poor folk, we just change oil weights first and then graduate to stiffer clutch springs. :\

Yep, stiffer clutch springs were the solution for me.

Ergos vs performance. Got it.

Being able to place the lever in the exact right spot and have it's range of movement be selectable. There isn't much of that with the bike in stock form.

I like having the clutch cable tight enough that it starts to disengage as soon as the lever is pulled. Having it loose sets the lever a little closer to the bar, but it rattles like hell while riding. Hopefully adjustable levers will be my solution.

I'm gonna look for a youtube video demonstrating them.

[corksil]

After watching a video or two, I get it.

Not sure if this link is going to work but it shows it all in a few seconds..
https://youtu.be/w3MExdZdv6w?t=534

The "adjustable" part has nothing to do with the mechanical working of the clutch or brake. The only thing that "adjusts" is the physical position of the lever itself.

I always thought that adjustable levers had something to do with taking up slack in the clutch cable when the clutch is at different temperatures.. or for increasing mechanical leverage/advantage on the front brake pads when brake fade starts to occur. Whoever told me that was obviously misinformed.

Thanks again