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review
Brake & STI levers
Acor Carbon TT leverAcor Carbon TT levers

Acor Carbon TT lever

7
by Shaun Audane
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jan 16, 2010

0
£69.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Lovely levers for pursuit bars but alloy versions are better value
Weight: 
120g
Contact: 
www.greyville.com
How we test

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Acor’s TT levers might not be pure carbon, like many competitors they’re 3K carbon mated to alloy/resin mounting kit and just the ticket for TT, triathlon and higher end fixer builds using pursuit type bars. However, their compatibility with traditional, wide arm cantilevers means they’re worth considering for racing tandems and possibly Audax too. Here's a thing, Greyville, the UK distributor, tell us these outsell their alloy siblings, despite costing £40 more and saving a measly 8g.

Fitting neatly inside most bar ends from 19.6 and 26mm diameters courtesy of an expandable crocus type plug, the threaded sections benefit from a liberal greasing and be sure to remove any internal imperfections in the bars-especially older drops that have been chopped and flipped. Snugged in place, their sensual, shapely profile won’t spoil a machines clean lines. Aboard my Holdsworth and paired to a modest dual pivot calliper, performance has been surprisingly good, stopping 16lb of machine and it’s seventy kilo rider on the proverbial sixpence with excellent modulation and feel when thanks to surprising rigidity, clean cable channelling and high quality cables.

Similarly hurtling into sweeping descents didn’t spring any surprises, inspiring confidence when grabbing the proverbial handful of lever to avoid close and unpleasant encounter with a nervous horse and inexperienced rider. Fixers running a single brake but wanting a symmetrical look will be pleased to know the dummy lever can be locked closed courtesy of two screws either side, although our test pair’s left unit vibrated loose, resulting in a quiet, yet annoying chatter over rougher road surfaces. Luckily this was an isolated incident and easily remedied.

Standards of finish are what you’d expect at this end of the market with the rich glossy lacquer complimenting the all-important carbon weave, although the pragmatic approach would be to opt in favour of the aluminium versions-especially for training mounts and/or daily drivers. That said if you can’t resist carbon’s calling and your bike’s shed every ounce of fat, these won’t disappoint.

Verdict

Lovely levers for pursuit bars but alloy versions are better value

road.cc test report

Make and model: Acor Carbon TT lever

Size tested: std

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

As their name suggests, Acor's Carbon TT levers are primarily aimed at time trialists/triathletes using pursuit type bars and lend themselves particularly well to the fixed fraternity.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

3k Carbon weave levers mated to alloy/resin mounting kit.Secures into the bar ends courtesy of an expandable wedge.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

120g (pr)

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

Shapely and very tactile.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Not bad given they're made from the wonder stuff but in practical terms their alloy siblings represent better value.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

These offer superb modulation and feel even paired to more modest dual pivots and have stopped a 16lb fixer on the proverbial sixpence come rain or shine. While there's less lever travel compared with a traditional road types, they've worked reasonably well with wide armed cantilevers too so might suit tandems and some urban warriors. However, in this context, I would definitely pay the eight gram penalty and opt for the alloy versions.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Good looks, solid performance and lovely shape.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing but pricey relative to the aluminium version

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, if they had to have carbon-otherwise I'd say buy the alumunium ones

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 1m 81  Weight: 70 kilos

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

Acor Carbon TT levers
Acor
TT lever
clip-on
Time trial lever
Shaun Audane

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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