Slippery brake levers

[Menno Schagen]

With the wet weather we are experiencing at the moment in the Cape, I am having a little trouble with my brake levers. I am running Sram Guide RSC and when my levers get wet from rain or brushing against wet branches, I struggle to hold on, on long decents. I'm scared I might have a miss-hap one of these days when I need it most.

I gave it some though and have some ideas, but would love your input:

1. Stick skateboard grip tape on the lever. Only downside it the wear on my gloves or roasting my fingers if bare handed

2. drill holes in the lever like on my dropper lever. Pro: weight saving!, Con: might affect the lever integrity

3. Rough up the surface with a file/grit paper.

What are your thoughts on giving a brake? 

[TheoG]

Get Shimano XT M8000, already have indentations on the levers for better grip ....  .

Edited August 16, 2022 by TheoG

[Jewbacca]

Take your fingers off the coward levers and only use them when you have to!

Maybe just rough the levers up with some 60 grit?

[Steady Spin]

Gloves with little rubber nubs on the fingertips.

[madmarc]

`I have the same problem with my carbon Ride Farr bars, the flat edges next to the stem where you can pose like a TT guy are very slippy and even more so when wet.

So - go to builders or take a Lot or somewhere and get some Alcolin silicon stretch tape and wrap the levers - You can thank me later

 

  

[Johan A Marais]

Just use your glue gun, and give it some rubber (glue) spots.  And come summer or the non raining season, you can just remove and next rainy season repeat.  No damage, no fuss, quick, quick.  And you will hardly notice it...

 

[RobertWhitehead]

Why not use a tube to wrap the levers? I am sure that it will provide sufficient grip

[Steady Spin]

Self adhesive Velcro. Stick the crunchy side onto the lever. Perfect with gloves and wont eat them up. 

[Mawbs]

Fabric plaster works great 

[AkwA]

I’m assuming you aren’t using gloves? Never have any issues with grip with decent gloves

Another pro is you rlly do save your hands in case of a fall

[TheoG]

3 minutes ago, AkwA said:

I’m assuming you aren’t using gloves? Never have any issues with grip with decent gloves

Another pro is you rlly do save your hands in case of a fall

Probably also prefer half finger gloves like me.  I never had a issue of fingers slipping on the brake levers, cramping fingers yes ...  , but no slipping.

[Schmorglebot]

Before doing anything you might regret, try cutting strips of kinesio tape and applying it to the levers. It's designed to still adhere in wet conditions, it's cheap, and a whole roll will last you years 

[dave303e]

Adjust your brake lever slightly closer to the bar so that it sits in the break of your first knuckle. As you pull you close on that and there is no way it can slip out. In shooting comparison you want the lever in a position that would pull a pistol shot to the right(right hand shot).

[MudLark]

You could try something as simple as surfboard wax or one of the many sports grip resins out there designed to enable one to grip wet slippery surfaces. Example below. You also get it in a spray form. You could spray it on the levers.

 

https://firstaid4sport.co.uk/product/trimona-wax-hand-grip-resin-125g/

[rock]

who had these?

[DieselnDust]

electrical heat shrink will work, I've used this in the past

Or get some Tamiya Matt clear spray and coat the lever with a coat. Don't get it all over the bike LOL.

These are non destructive options that won't void your warranty