Current Projects chat and miscellany

So today I've taken delivery of these lovely levers courtesy of Mr b'jammin.

Like all half decent levers they are sans return spring. I was contemplating getting some S900s at some point so had this in mind...

I was thinking about a bodge to work on a lever without springs and thought about threading a small amount of brake cable through the lever with maybe 2cms sticking out the back, putting a small diameter but long spring on there (like those you get in a biro but tougher), compressing that spring and crimping a brake cable end on to hold the spring in tension.

Anyway, had a go tonight and it's worked quite well.

I gutted a biro for the spring (kept the parts though, could be a restoration project in the future).

Inserted a brake outer cable ferrule into the hole from the back and threaded a cable through:

Trimmed the cable down a bit after trying the spring for size

Compressed the spring and crimped a cable end on. This picture shows how relatively unobtrusive it is with the hood back in place.

Here's gravity being defeated by a biro spring

And for further proof it works:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWqVJP8Owh4

(I did have to test it a full six times in case you ask)

I'll be trying it out on the clacton ride on sat so the proof will be then. If I pulled the lever hard it would definitely pop the cable end off, but I suppose I'd rather damage that than my lever! Plus, I'm used to riding with one connected lever only anyway.