# Has anyone seen one of these levers ?



## phantom (Aug 11, 2022)

I can't recall ever seeing this lever on a bike I have had. Lever up and wheel is able to drop between the pads to remove. Lever down and normal braking. This is on a 71 Racer.


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## Andrew Gorman (Aug 11, 2022)

Quick release for sidepull brakes- they were pretty common on better brakesets. who made the brakes?


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## GTs58 (Aug 11, 2022)

Pretty common on Schwinn? The brakes are either Weinmann or dia comp, And Schwinn never used those and they are not that common, I’ve never seen them before.


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## phantom (Aug 11, 2022)

Schwinn_ Approved_ Type LS2.8   I have never seen the lever before and I have seen a ton of Schwinn LW and MW front calipers over the years. It's a first for me.

Thanks for getting me to Bluebird status though.


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## Oldbikeguy1960 (Aug 11, 2022)

Dia Compe was big on them, my brother uses a type of release like that on his Laser 3000 BMX.
I may have aeen them on Weinmann brakes as well, I will look at my old brake collection.


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## dweenk (Aug 13, 2022)

I agree that the brakes are either Weinmann or Dia-Compe.


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## phantom (Aug 13, 2022)

dweenk said:


> I agree that the brakes are either Weinmann or Dia-Compe.



I don't know who they are made by. The Caliper just says Schwinn _approved _on it.  I have seen hundreds of the same caliper on LW Schwinn 3 speeds, just none with the dropout release function. My guess is someone who took the front wheel off on a regular basis to get the bike in a car added this to make it easier.


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## juvela (Aug 15, 2022)

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if you would wish to know which vendor contract produced the caliper you should be able to read markings on the backside of the caliper arms

here is the backside of a W model 730 from 1978 as an example -





in this case the date is marked in a clockface type symbol which also gives the month of fabrication

here is a closeup view of the front of the same caliper





the QR mechanism on the subject caliper is a DC one
the W QR mechanism at the time of the bicycle lacks the black covering on the lever

suspect caliper will be W produced and QR added subsequently

here is a W parts drawing for the sidepull caliper from a manufacturer catalogue of 1971
one can see what the W caliper mounted QR mechanism (#66) looked like at that epoch






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## phantom (Aug 15, 2022)

I'm not all that interested in maker marks etc. I had just never seen one on a Schwinn LW or MW or ever posted here before and I still believe it's rare, but thanks for your technical info.


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## phantom (Sep 2, 2022)

No one was able to show me another one except in a diagram so I still have to believe they are rare or they are all over the place and people just don't have time to send a picture.  Either way, I am now curious about this set up on a rear caliper. I have never seen these before, and that is no indication they are rare either, just that I have never seen them.


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## GTs58 (Sep 2, 2022)

Those gadgets look like a brake pad positioning gizmo. Keeping the pad in line with the rim. Look at the adjustment slot in that caliper arm. One caliper fits all. But it will need that set up to position the pad. Never seen that junk before.


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## phantom (Sep 2, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> Those gadgets look like a brake pad positioning gizmo. Keeping the pad in line with the rim. Look at the adjustment slot in that caliper arm. One caliper fits all. But it will need that set up to position the pad. Never seen that junk before.



Right, I know exactly what they are, just have never seen them before...LOL that must mean there are millions of them out there.


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## Oilit (Sep 2, 2022)

phantom said:


> No one was able to show me another one except in a diagram so I still have to believe they are rare or they are all over the place and people just don't have time to send a picture.  Either way, I am now curious about this set up on a rear caliper. I have never seen these before, and that is no indication they are rare either, just that I have never seen them.
> 
> View attachment 1689474
> 
> View attachment 1689475



I think those aren't put on correctly. The ones I've seen are turned 90 degrees to rest against the seat stays, I'm guessing to support the calipers when the brakes are applied.


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## HARPO (Sep 2, 2022)

The levers opened up the brakes to get the wheel off the bike. I've had them on several Schwinn road bikes I've owned over the years.


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## GTs58 (Sep 2, 2022)

Oilit said:


> I think those aren't put on correctly. The ones I've seen are turned 90 degrees to rest against the seat stays, I'm guessing to support the calipers when the brakes are applied.



I’m Pretty sure that is the most asinine thing I’ve seen. That can’t be correct.


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## Oilit (Sep 3, 2022)

What's with your quote? I never said that line about "the most asinine thing I've ever seen", but it makes it look like I did. How did that happen? I don't need anybody putting words in my mouth.


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## juvela (Sep 3, 2022)

Oilit said:


> What's with your quote? I never said that line about "the most asinine thing I've ever seen", but it makes it look like I did. How did that happen? I don't need anybody putting words in my mouth.





+1😁

especially since it is tin...maybe a few drops of lubricant now and again would be OK😉


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## Oilit (Sep 3, 2022)

juvela said:


> +1😁
> 
> especially since it is tin...maybe a few drops of lubricant now and again would be OK😉
> 
> ...



Yes, I probably have enough squeaks and rattles as it is.


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## GTs58 (Sep 3, 2022)

Oilit said:


> What's with your quote? I never said that line about "the most asinine thing I've ever seen", but it makes it look like I did. How did that happen? I don't need anybody putting words in my mouth.




Oh for heavens sake!!! Sorry Oilit! I recently replaced my flip phone for an iPhone and I'm still learning how to work the dang thing. I posted that from my phone and somehow that's what happened. I'll fix it!


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## Oilit (Sep 3, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> Oh for heavens sake!!! Sorry Oilit! I recently replaced my flip phone for an iPhone and I'm still learning how to work the dang thing. I posted that from my phone and somehow that's what happened. I'll fix it!



Verizon pulled the plug on my old phone this summer and I "upgraded" to a new model. It's supposed to be intuitive, but I'm starting to think I need to upgrade my intuition.


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## GTs58 (Sep 3, 2022)

Oilit said:


> Verizon pulled the plug on my old phone this summer and I "upgraded" to a new model. It's supposed to be intuitive, but I'm starting to think I may need to upgrade my intuition.



I personally cannot stand this touchy feely swiping BS. I can type out a message on my flip phone faster than I can on this iPhone when having to correct all the bs mistakes when you touchy something you didn't know you touched! PITA.......... Even the voice dictation is a majorly flawed feature IMO. I spend more time correcting that, so no great advantage unless you're using cuss words only. 🤣


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