First Crash and Bent Brake Lever

[NULevo]

It was going to happen, my first tumble off my pride and joy. Cruising along a bridleway, a couple of horses decide to charge across a field to greet me, As I look across I'm too late to get through a gate, straight into the post with my hand/handlebar hitting it bringing the bike to an abrupt stop. I however kept going. Thankfully, no one was around to see me make a complete fool of myself

So I'm sat here feeling sorry for myself with a swollen finger, swollen knee, grazed elbow and sprained shoulder. SWMBO keeps reminding me I'm soon going to 57 not 27 as I explain the post came towards me at an alarming rate, it wasn't my fault!

Anyway, my first thought was, is the bike damaged, as the force twisted the handlebar and the brake lever was pushed around. After a few minutes recovering I set everything back before making my way home. As I checked the bike over, I noticed the left brake lever is bent, no other damage at all, not even a scuff.

Is it possible to replace just the brake lever part on Guide RE brakes? Ive adjusted it so it's useable, but I'd like to replace it get the bike back to normal.

Thanks guys

 

[yern]

Dont know the difference between R and RE but maybe this one?

SRAM Brake Lever for Guide RS / R / DB5 not incl. Reach Adjust as of 2015

 

[NULevo]

Dont know the difference between R and RE but maybe this one?

SRAM Brake Lever for Guide RS / R / DB5 not incl. Reach Adjust as of 2015

Thanks yern, found this, looks like they are different.

Is it possible to swap the lever blade without bleeding the brake?

SRAM Guide R/RE Brake Lever | Miscellaneous Shop

 

[B1rdie]

I think bleeding is a must, and parts matching a nightmare, for this job I would go to a bike shop.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I majorly mangled both code levers on one descent a few months back. After much contemplation afterwards I still couldn't work out how it was even physically possible to bend them as they were.

A quick go with some pliers got them usable on the ride and than some patience with two sets of pliers and then a file to remove the sharp bits and they were as good as ... Well, no worse than any other SRAM brake.

They're surprisingly pliable !

 

[NULevo]

I think bleeding is a must, and parts matching a nightmare, for this job I would go to a bike shop.

Thanks B1rdie, that's what I'm trying to avoid, it's not badly bent, and still works, thankfully.

 

[NULevo]

I majorly mangled both code levers on one descent a few months back. After much contemplation afterwards I still couldn't work out how it was even physically possible to bend them as they were.

A quick go with some pliers got them usable on the ride and than some patience with two sets of pliers and then a file to remove the sharp bits and they were as good as ... Well, no worse than any other SRAM brake.

They're surprisingly pliable !

Thanks Zimmer, as I've mentioned above, it's not badly bent, and interestingly there's no damage to the paint either. I adjusted the the lever screw to get the lever closer to the handlebar and it seems to work. I'll get a better idea when I'm fit enough to ride again, in a few days I hope.

 

[Zimmerframe]

With a bit of luck, you'll find that if you stick something like a microfibre cloth over it and then use the pliers, you won't damage the paint. The great thing is that you have a mirror lever to work off for what it should look like

I forgot to ask, how's the post ?

 

[NULevo]

With a bit of luck, you'll find that if you stick something like a microfibre cloth over it and then use the pliers, you won't damage the paint. The great thing is that you have a mirror lever to work off for what it should look like

I forgot to ask, how's the post ?

Good idea Zimmer, I'll have a look when I'm better.

As for the post, it's fine, I'm sure I heard 'you should have seen me coming - idiot!' as I flew off the bike.

 

[Roger20]

Good idea Zimmer, I'll have a look when I'm better.

As for the post, it's fine, I'm sure I heard 'you should have seen me coming - idiot!' as I flew off the bike.

Did you just bend back or go for a replacement?

 

[NULevo]

Did you just bend back or go for a replacement?

I managed to bend it back, took a bit of patience and brute force. I used pliers after wrapping the lever with lots of duct tape.

 

[steve_sordy]

Earlier this year, my grandson borrowed my bike, fell off and bent the big gear lever. Everything worked and looked OK, so he didn't say anything. When I came to use it, as long as I only shifted one gear at a time all was well, but as soon as I tried to shift several gears the big lever got trapped under the little lever. I happened to be within a few hundred yards of a bike shop at the time, so I dropped in. The tecchy fixed it within seconds!

He put a ring spanner around the lever and just straightened it.

He did tell me in advance what he was going to do and warned me that the lever may snap, and was that OK to try?
"Well yeah!" was the answer!
Been fine ever since.

 

[CodyDog]

Crashes at almost 57 definitely feel different than crashes at 27. Don't ask me how I know!

 

[Howz]

Another 57 year old crasher here as well, I was out in the forest the day before yesterday, snow on the ground and very mudddy....came down a hill and lost the front on a deep mud filled bend, did a lovely roll into the brambles....lying on my back waiting for the pain that didn’t happen, brilliant I feel fine, nothing broken as I felt the cold muddy water seep into my back and bottom from the muddy ditch hidden in the brambles......

 

[Zimmerframe]

Damn. I crash often. ? and ? prob shouldn’t be mixed but oh well.

Does that make it a Cock Tale ? ?