[superj]

how is the cable routing done in the aero brake lever housing? i am trying to decide what type of brakes to put on my specialized hybrid conversion but i don't know how the cables hook up and pull in aero brake lever housings so i am having a hard time picking brakes. the aero brakes are so much more plentiful on ebay and in tons of colors versus the non aero. and the shimano non aero in a 90s to newer style are very hard to find. then, i want black or blue, to match my bike so it cuts it down to one set of aero and three sets of non aero.

how do the aero cables hook up and pull in those housings?

[salvage_bikes]

The modern brake levers pull the cable ends towards the front of the bike, and the cables come out the back, beside the clamps, toward the inside of the bars, normally wrapped with the bar tape. I make my own bar tape from bicycle tubes and spray adhesive.

What kind of handle bar and brakes are you using?

If you just want road brake levers (non shifting), they can be had for $15 in shops' bargain bins, or about $20-30 for new ones.

"Aero" levers.
http://www.modernbike.com/images/Product_Images/main_2126181578.jpg


Non Aero levers (1970s style, still apparently being made new in India and China)
http://www.socalbicycles.com/SafetyLever-5286.JPG

[superj]

Yes sir, I have found the differed types but I don't know how to wire up the aero type. I have never had a set to open up and check out so I don't know how to route the cables or how they work.

I have the Scott drop in 2 bars and whatever stock brakes came on the specialized expedition sport. They are the side pull cantilever (I think is what they are called, the wire hooks and pulls across the top and the mounts are on little poles on the frame)

[salvage_bikes]

Here's a whole thread with lots of photos of drop-bar conversions on 26" mtn bikes. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/828426-Show-Your-Vintage-MTB-Drop-Bar-Conversions

If you are using the clip ons with sawed-off mtn bike handlebars, you can use your mtn bike shifters and canti-brake levers.
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTCSDqgFdNm8ljA4EJWoI08J1qgeG5ZA 4QMWdXFXEZ-aAwIdCbPhBm-2Elh0A

If you are using the wierd double road bike bars, you will probably need some friction levers or stem shifters (for 1" old style stems). https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRjkrTVPMtab-l2hJAFvBBZb9U5gwyHDpxBmi5mS5bNlJMY2eE3


You can use the modern aero levers with canti-lever brakes. https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT4-8sAFj8q3jFjlYIoU0jwEnZGLr6nID237LhzP8keD3Dqjsxe

If you want to use V-brakes, you will need special levers which pull more cable.

Road brake cables use a different ball end than mtn bike brake levers (canti or v-brake). Most brake cables have both types, and you cut off the one you don't need.

The cables will need to be routed along the handlebar tops, near the stem, with some slack for turning, and to the frame bosses, same as the original configuration (you may prefer to run Right Hand Front Brake, though).

http://www.productwiki.com/upload/images/2006_specialized_expedition_sport.jpg

If you've already matched your bar and stem, you don't have too far to go, but it does seem an odd bike to put a drop bar on. It's cool, though. I liked the old 1990s (before cyclocross got big) drop-bar mountain bikes.

[salvage_bikes]

Maybe these are what you were asking for.
$10 if he still has them (old ad)

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=630176&postcount=1
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2168/2230338362_6b51faab9a.jpg

I don't think they would be very comfortable though.

[superj]

I actually found some cool tektra (I think is how it's spelled) that are super cool but are aero so I have to figure how to lace them up. I have the stem shifters which is kind of what I figured I would have to do since I cannot do bar end shifters because of those bars, they are the ones you pictured up above, ha ha ha.

I am hitting the link you provided though to check out all the pictures, thank you

[superj]

Oh, and not those v-brakes in the pic, the other style cantilever that comes on mountain bikes with the side pull wire on top that has an easy quick release for removing the tires.

[Merlincustom]

Originally Posted by superj

how is the cable routing done in the aero brake lever housing? i am trying to decide what type of brakes to put on my specialized hybrid conversion but i don't know how the cables hook up and pull in aero brake lever housings so i am having a hard time picking brakes. the aero brakes are so much more plentiful on ebay and in tons of colors versus the non aero. and the shimano non aero in a 90s to newer style are very hard to find. then, i want black or blue, to match my bike so it cuts it down to one set of aero and three sets of non aero.

how do the aero cables hook up and pull in those housings?

Are you running indexed shifting (Ergopower, STI, Sram) or friction shifting, i.e., shifting through the levers or elsewhere (stem, downtube, etc.)?

[Merlincustom]

Never mind. I see you have stem shifting. Cable threading is easy. The housing inserts into the lever body until it bottoms out. Squeeze open the lever and just look for the hole.

[salvage_bikes]

Yeah, non-shifting road brake levers will have an allen screw (or really cheapos will have a big phillips screw) between the brake lever and housing (hood), you see it when you squeeze the brake. That screw is for the clamp on the handlebars. There will be a little metal pin with a hole drilled in it for a cable end like this: