Monday, July 29, 2013

Suntour Sprint Brake set (part one)

A pair of fine brake levers that closely resemble the Shimano BL 600 I currently use on my randonneuse. In fact the hand rest is slightly wider and the lever is engraved to prevent finger slipping (it provides a nice feeling but I seriously doubt this is of any use). Hoods were obviously not original (gum hoods don't age well) but the current ones follow quite accurately the lever's body.  The suntour logo is printed on the outer side so there's no question whether which is right and which is left.

Since I had no instruction sheet, breaking them down was a matter of trial and error (as usual). First thing is to locate a small and hidden screw artfully recessed that prevents the lever's pin from sliding out through use (a smart and thoughtful design). Once located in the inside of the lever's body you need a 2mm Allen to unscrew it off.

Now the pin comes out quite easily (just use some kind of rod to press it out from the inside) and the lever falls off.

Next step is to unscrew the tightening bolt so you can detach the body from the handlebar.  In this picture the recessed bolt is shown partially screwed on the pin.

 The tightening system is a bit more elaborate than current Shimano's we are used to but it works just the same.



Now it's time to clean, add some lube on the moving parts and reassemble it the reverse way.


Summing up: a clever design intended to last for ever.
Just a minor drawback: there's no build-in quick release (though none contemporary models had them, as far as I know...)





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