# Schwinn Brakes Weinmann Vs Dia Compe



## momo608 (Feb 10, 2016)

Assembling some parts today and ran into a problem.

Putting these together for a 71 p-15 Paramount project using the Weinmann levers on the right. The safety levers on the bottom middle are way off on dates 79 and 80, but these came off the Paramount with a set of levers just like the ones on the right. As you can see they are notched out to clear the quick release buttons for cable tension release. Is this the way they are supposed to look?  This is the only set I have like this and am wondering if this was hand cobbled. It looks filed or ground. Not the best looking contact area for the other levers. They are Schwinn approved Japan which I believe makes them Dia Compe. Japan = Dia Compe?

On another front. Does anyone know when the transition took place for plastic vs metal barrel adjusters. I suspect plastic are Weinmann and metal are Dia Compe.


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## Metacortex (Feb 10, 2016)

momo608 said:


> The safety levers on the bottom middle are way off on dates 79 and 80, but these came off the Paramount with a set of levers just like the ones on the right. As you can see they are notched out to clear the quick release buttons for cable tension release. Is this the way they are supposed to look?




Yes, the shape on the end of the extension levers differ for Weinmann vs. Dia-Compe primary brake levers. The ext. levers for Weinmann (p/n 17 401 R, 17 402 L) have the cutouts to better clear the Weinmann push-tab quick releases, while the ext. levers for Compe (p/n 17 421 R, 17 422 L) are flat there so as to better engage the Compe flip-lever quick releases. Schwinn Approved Japan means the levers were made by Dia-Compe.







> On another front. Does anyone know when the transition took place for plastic vs metal barrel adjusters. I suspect plastic are Weinmann and metal are Dia Compe.




Weinmann adjusters were always plastic and Compe were always metal, however they are interchangeable and because the plastic ones deteriorate many have replaced the plastic ones with metal over the years. I believe Schwinn used Weinmann levers with the plastic adjusters pretty much exclusively on the Ladies' Super Sport in '72 and '73, then starting in '74 Dia-Compe introduced levers with metal adjusters and Schwinn used them on pretty much all '74 and later bikes with quick-release wheels. One exception was the '76-'78 Superior, which used only Weinmann levers (w/plastic adjusters) and gum hoods, however they also did not include the extension levers from the factory. Another exception would be the Paramount, which used Weinmann or Campagnolo levers exclusively.

With the exception of the '72-'73 Ladies' SS (and Paramount) one quick way to tell whether a Continental or higher model (with quick release wheels) is '74 or later production is by looking at the brake levers (assuming they are original of course) to see if they have adjusters.

Another transition to note from your pics is that starting in '76 (service bulletin #63 dated July-August) Schwinn modified the overall shape of the extension levers and placed a notch in the center point to enable properly measuring the max. 3.5" distance between the handlebar and extension lever mid-point (CPSC regulation). You can tell the '76 and later levers by the notch and the flattened profile of the top of the lever.





I'm pretty sure that a '71 Paramount would have used Weinmann levers without the plastic adjusters. The brake cable adjustment would be on the front and rear hangers. However just as with the Superior I do believe they changed to Weinmann levers with plastic adjusters on the '76 and later models (Campy levers were optional), and may have started using them as early as '74.


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## momo608 (Feb 10, 2016)

Thanks a lot! So I was right they were cobbled. My choice is to find some old Weinmann safety levers or do a better cobble job on some Dia Compe's. I have lots of Dia Compe's. Always something.

I was hoping someone might have a photo of a proper Weinmann lever.


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## Metacortex (Feb 10, 2016)

momo608 said:


> Thanks a lot! So I was right they were cobbled.




I think you misunderstood my post. Those are *not* cobbled! They are Schwinn p/n 17 401 (R) and 17 402 (L), which have the cutouts from the factory to better clear the Weinmann push-tab quick releases. Both styles of safety levers (with and without cutouts) were made for Schwinn by Dia-Compe, who in fact owned the patent on them (under the name Yoshigai Co. http://www.google.com/patents/US3403577



> My choice is to find some old Weinmann safety levers or do a better cobble job on some Dia Compe's. I have lots of Dia Compe's.




I believe Schwinn only used Compe-made extension levers whether they were for Weinmann or Compe main levers. I don't think Weinmann even started making extension levers until sometime between 1976 and 1977 as they aren't shown in the '75 or earlier Weinmann catalogs and do appear in a 1977 Weinmann advertisement, and they have a different design than the Compe-made ones that Schwinn used.

1975 Weinmann Catalog
1977 Weinmann Advertisement
1981 Weinmann Catalog

In other words the extension levers you have are the correct ones for Weinmann levers (with the factory cutouts), however the lever style you have dates from 1976 or later so technically they wouldn't be correct for a '71 Paramount.


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## momo608 (Feb 10, 2016)

Upon a closer inspection with a magnifying glass. That area in question seems to have been punched out after the final casting.


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## momo608 (Feb 10, 2016)

I think you are right on not using the adjusters by the way. I just assumed the parts on this bike were original until today.


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