BL-R400 Road Drop Brake Levers Set (Black)

These are the classic hand brakes used on bikes in the 1980’s. Superior Shimano, quality workmanship. In a world where hand brake/shifter combos have become absolutely massive, these reasonably sized levers and hoods are refreshing. Inner spring helps the levers snap back into place and easy, “aerodynamic” installation. Their diminutive size has to be more aero than the big clunkers on modern bikes. Oh, and they work great paired with Shimano 105 or Ultegra calipers. Great upgrade for any single speed, drop bar bike.

This is a great replacement lever for an old road bike. It is much better than what was on there previously. The machining on these is great and they work perfectly. They were easy to install and have been a joy to ride. Definitely remove the grey plastic piece or glue it down, it does rattle on bumps. It is not as wide as the STI shifters on newer bike but they look sleeker. Good value when you factor in the included housing and cables.

These are perfectly adequate aero-style brake levers for your drop bars. As was mentioned in another review they do have an annoying rattle in the cable pivot mechanism if your cable is under light tension (or absent). I have a pair of these on my fixed-gear road bike, even though I only run a single brake caliper, as I enjoy riding the hoods. The hoods are quite nice for the price and fit my medium hands well. The rubber is soft and grippy without being sticky, and the hood can be "swollen" for larger hands with the addition of bar tape under the hood. The lever has a nice solid feel, unlike some of the cheaper stamped parts out there, and provides adequate feedback. Looking through Shimano's part diagram it appears all parts of consequence are shared between the R600 and R400 levers, and I am unable to tell a difference between them when riding. If you are not looking for an integrated shifter / brake lever set this is a great deal!

I am modifying a 70s-80s vintage Nishiki Sport (Taiwan). I was going to use the original Dia Compe levers, but the cable anchor was stuck in one of them. I wanted to shorten my time, so I went for these. They fit perfectly. They sit where I need them. They allow me with no problems to rode on the hoods. Just as when I went through the process of obtaining a CDL, I am relearning both bicycle mechanics and bicycle handling. I did not remember that I am supposed to operate the brakes with two fingers. These allow me to do this very elementary technique. I am 64, and coming back to riding, I found myself contending with cyclists palsy. I had had the symptoms before, but now that I understand the workings of the body a bit more, I knew this was something that should not be ignored, if I did not want permanent damage.

These Shimano brake levers have been on my classic road bike for years and have always worked perfectly. The grip is comfortable, and the braking feels smooth and responsive without requiring much force. They fit the bike perfectly, both in performance and in style. I’ve never felt the need to upgrade them. I replaced most of the other components, but kept these because they are still reliable and perform exactly as I need.

These were a replacement for an older model of these brake levers. I can say that they were incredibly easy to install, and have a much better (more "solid") feel to them. The are a little slimmer than the older model, so it will take a bit of getting used to, but the mechanism feels more fluid and less cheap. The rubber handle feels more secure, which make wrapping handlebar tape inside it slightly more tricky, but in the long run it's a positive thing. (It was one of the reasons I got new brake handles in the first place - the rubber coating was loose and didn't fit correctly) I don't really care for the company branding on the handle, but that is to be expected these days. I wish they came in all black or all white to compliment my bike colors but silver isn't too bad. You'll need an allen wrench too as this kit does not come with it. Make sure it is long enough to fit inside the brake handle (for installation). I have a Husky multi-allen tool which was BARELY long enough to fit through, but definitely not optimal. The good thing is that it does come with brake line and tubing long enough for the front and rear brake. Very well made. A very good basic hand brake.

These levers are awesome. They are super sturdy and feel like they are very high quality. There is some weight to them, but they aren't overly heavy, the weight simply makes them feel like they were better built. I ride a single speed bike and these are perfect for my bike. When I got drops on my bike, I realized I needed a set of levers for my brakes and I upon my research, these seemed to be the best ones. Shimano makes some of the best high-end bike components in the world and although these aren't priced at $500 like the Dura-Ace STI shifters, these are perfect for single-speed bikes. I have crashed my bike with them and have only scratched the lever, but that's about it. They still work as smoothly as they did on day one. I highly recommend these levers. Also, the package comes with the two levers, cables and cable housing. ENJOY!

Better than expected came with some good cables and gave the vintage bike much better stopping

Excelentes materiales, muy ergonómicos, cómodos y estéticos

Brake levers are having excellent quality and comes with front and rear cable & cable housing.

These brakes were great!

Poor quality missing parts and 1 lever didn't work. No support from Amazon

All good