Shimano Brakes Hoods - advice needed

[twosheds]

Can anyone please advise - I am ready to put bar tape on my latest restoration, but my Shimano 600 brake hoods (non aero) are hard and cracked. (see picture). I am sure they will just break if I try to turn them back to apply the bar tape. I am considering replacing them with new but I am not sure how well replacement hoods fit on the Shimano levers. Can anyone please advise me about suitability of the Dia Compe or Cane Creek hoods? Or is there another make of hoods that work? This is a budget restoration, original Shimano hoods are out of the question, even if I could find any. Thanks.

 

[RubberLegs]

I have some Dia Compe hoods on 600 levers and they are fine.
I'll try and get you a pic tomorrow.

 

[originalshinkicker]

If you don't want to bend the hood back, then try fitting the bar tape around the lever clamp only then, once taped, fit the lever to the clamp. When you are happy with where the levers should be, mark the handlebar around the clamp with a sharpie and also around the hood outline so you can see where your tape needs to cover and remove the lever, leaving the clamp in place, tape the bars then refit the lever - it is a bit more fiddly but works.



In the past with split hoods, I've managed to squeeze in a bit of Duck Tape into the inside of the hood to bridge the split and add some reinforcement. Duck Tape is very sticky but has a kind of mesh within the tape that helps. It is a pain to do but has saved a few of my hoods.

Cheers
Neil

 

[twosheds]

Re:

Thanks guys,

Neil - that looks like a very acceptable compromise. I can use the Shimano hoods for now and change them later for the Dia Compe ones if they deteriorate further, without having to retape. Cheers.

Rubberlegs, thanks, yes if you could post a pic, I'd like to see how well the Dia Compe hoods look on the 600 levers.

Cheers,
Bruce

 

[RubberLegs]

Re: Re:

Rubberlegs, thanks, yes if you could post a pic, I'd like to see how well the Dia Compe hoods look on the 600 levers.

OK, will do as I didn't get round to it today..
Looks like I'll need rain gear to get into the garage tomorrow. Well I've got to get in there as I need to sort out mudguards on the winter hack. Yep, it's that time of year again, sigh.

 

[RubberLegs]

Here you go TwoSheds. As you can see these Dia-Compe hoods on 6207 levers are a bit tall/high, a little loose at the top and could do with trimming back under the lever. Still they work fine and comfortable to ride on.

 

[twosheds]

Re:

Thanks very much for that Rubberlegs, very good of you. I know what you mean about trimming them underneath - even the Shimano ones interfere there too.
I think will get the Dia Compes, they look better than the Cane Creeks that I have on another bike.
I have got some rubber electrical tape that I could use inside to take up the slack you mention at the top.

Cheers,
Bruce