I am an idiot

I thought perhaps some people would like to laugh at a total idiotic move by my noob self.

To cut a long story short, I got my first fixie yesterday night, it's brakeless and I thought I'd be OK since I've been riding brakeless BMX for so many years. Didn't get on too well so went to bike shop today to buy a front brake, cable and lever.

Since I've been lurking for a while (and my gf works in Bethnal Green-ish, right in the middle of all the galleries, so I've seen a few scenesters about on fixies), I noticed a few people seem to be running those Dirty Harry levers. I remember I had one when it 1st came out on my BMX and I hated it, so I thought, if one BMX lever works, they all must work... So I went out and bought an Odyssey Mono Lever because one of my riding mates has one and I like it.

So, yeah, totally didn't fit... Here's some great bodging photos for your viewing pleasure. Yet another case of me getting excited and buying something without actually properly checking 1st!

Sorry photos are a bit shit, my camera on my phone is wank and I can't be bothered to get my proper camera out. If you can't tell I've zip-tied it on.

Finally I guess if anyone has a BMX as well and wants to swap a "like new" Odyssey Mono Lever for a 25.4 bar suitable BMX style lever let me know because I'd like one that fits properly.

looks like it's an oversized bar, you need a different lever

sure we've all done something like this, welcome aboard! :D

yeah, looks like the bars are oversized. that's your problem right there.

Looks fine to me.

The Odyssey dosen't fit (as you can see). The dirty harry works well for me (the Odyssey would look much better though).

Go to BLB and purchase a negative shim.

Looks fine to me.

Get Prav to look at it, he's good with bolts and that...

try a cross inline lever like this

also try and smooth out the curve on your brake cable it will work better.

Go to BLB and purchase a negative shim.

+1 That's the answer right there. They are also sometimes (confusingly) called inverse shims.

+1 That's the answer right there. They are also sometimes (confusingly) called inverse shims.
Inverse shims are campy whereas negative shims are NJS.

Did exactly the same when I first got my IRO start of last summer. Negative shim from BLB £1.50 will see you fine. Tell Jan in there Ben sent you and he'll probably let you have a used one for free.

Carry an anchor,
you 'scenester'...

Carry an anchor,
you 'scenester'...

I think its all about the stylemeisters

I thought perhaps some people would like to laugh at a total idiotic move by my noob self.

What's with the old school car speedo thing on the floor?

The man steals mini parts

.

I've got a 31.8 cross lever kicking around if you want something that'll fit..

fucking stupid oversized bars. I wish they'd fuck off and die.
They caught me out too, although not so badly I just have to put up with wider bars than I'd like.

I've got a 31.8 cross lever kicking around if you want something that'll fit..

That wont fit on fuji track bars -- they are 25.4.

change your stem and bars then it will work.

i spent Monday evening freezing my tits of in garage filling down the inside of the brake lever clamp cos it was too small. to even out all the scratches a i nitromors the whole lot then filled it all off. looks like i found it in a skip... :)

bar clamp diameters:

bmx =22.2mm
road =26mm (some older cinelli are 26.4)
mtb =25.4mm (also some Nitto road and track bars)
OS =31.8 (deda say 31.7 but it's the same damn thing)

You just did a list....

it's a fuckin sonnet