- Now there is something oh, so frustrating
about brake levers not being level
or in line with one another.
It simply plays on your mind.
Now making sure that your brake levers are both in line
with each other is very important, why?
Well, a lot of the time, we ride along and we're wondering,
are they actually even with one another?
Today, I'm going to show you how to measure them
so they are perfectly in line with each other.
(hip hop music)
So why do we actually need to make sure
that they're level and in line?
Well, it helps prevent injury, imbalance, poor stability,
as well as even giving you better steering.
It only takes a few minutes to check and adjust,
so why not just do that?
Now even the legendary Eddy Merckx was a nightmare
for fettling around with his position.
He used to pester his mechanics constantly for a tape
measure and a tool, even during the neutralised sections
of a race, he'd pull over, grab a spanner, and fiddle
around, thinking that things weren't in line.
Tell you what, Eddy, if you're watching, this video
is for you, and the rest of the viewers.
(hip hop music)
So how can we do this without lasers and fancy equipment?
Let's start by levelling the levers first.
There's the classic one of
one eye open, one eye closed
and checking to make sure it's level.
That's one that most of us probably do.
Now even better than the one eye open
and one eye closed technique is this,
the mighty spirit level.
You can get them in most hardware stores
if you don't already have one, alternatively,
knock on your neighbor's door, they may have one.
So firstly, you're gonna have to make sure that your bike
is perfectly upright, not in any slants or slopes.
You can even use a spirit level to check that.
In my case, I'm really lucky,
I've got a very, very heavy work stand.
This bike is not gonna move or go anywhere.
Once you've got it, you're gonna have to put it across
the lever hoods in exactly the same place on both sides.
I'm really lucky, I've got some ridges
on these hoods, so I can count them
so I know that is in exactly the same place.
Then it's simply a case of looking where the spirit level
bubble is, and then adjusting one lever to match the other.
What's going to happen, though, is when you actually
finally do up the final torque of the lever,
that lever is gonna possibly move up slightly,
so you're gonna have to bear that in mind.
It might take a few attempts, but it's more than worth it.
Now if you don't have a spirit level,
or if you're unsure if your bike is perfectly level,
and you're having a bit of a nightmare with that,
get one of these, tape measure.
A flexible one like this is easier to use than a standard
steel one because they don't quite bend or curve
as much as this, this is perfect for a job.
What you're gonna want to do, hold it underneath
the brake lever hood, get it right in there,
and then it's simply a case of pressing it down
onto the bar tape and measuring to the end of the handlebar.
Then, you get that measurement and you repeat it
on the other side, so on the other brake lever,
just to make sure it's in the same place.
Again, when you tighten up the lever, it may well raise
a little bit, so be prepared just to do it a couple of times
and you're sorted, then your levers are level.
Now making sure that your levers are in line
with one another is very important too, why?
Well, it's to prevent any neck injuries,
back injuries, shoulder injuries,
as well as improving the handling of the bike.
So what you need to do is find a marking
on the top of both lever hoods that are identical,
so in exactly the same place, and then take
your tape measure or ruler, it needs to be accurate,
though, and measure from that marking
to either the centre of the stem, or one of the stem bolts
and then repeat that procedure on the other side.
Then, it's simply a case of adjusting the lever
which you feel is not pointing directly straight
or in the direction that you're most comfortable with.
Again, just like when we torqued up the levers
to make them level, they may well move a little bit,
so it might take a couple of attempts just to make sure
that those measurements are identical,
but it's more than worth it in the long run.
Now let me know in the comments down below
how you measure your setup, or if you've ever had
a steering or injury disaster because of misalignment.
I'll be very keen to read that, as would Eddy Merckx,
the king of tinkering himself.
Now, do remember to like and share this video
with your friends, and subscribe
to the Global Cycling Network,
click on the globe on the screen right now,
and for two more great videos, how 'bout down here
for Why Do Procyclists Slam Their Stems,
and down here for Slammed Vs. Non-Slammed.
That's a cracker.