The Paul Love Levers are made in USA from billet 6061-T6 aluminum, The Love lever uses the traditional pivoting handle to pull the brake cable. The clamp piece is cut from a single piece of aluminum with a 3" length, a 1" height and just over a 1/2" width. The clamp itself is cut leaving a 1.5mm thick wall to surround the handlebar. The handle section is nicely machined leaving smooth edges and lines. Unlike the mass produced lever sets, the Love Levers don't have a return spring so the springs in the brake arms will have to close the lever. The area for finger grip is 65mm long and intended for three fingers.
Submitted by
futska
a Weekend Warrior
from Palm Bay, FL
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2010
Strengths: strength, simplicity, stylish, construction
Bottom Line:
I received these in '95 as a gift from my dad. They are indestructible. I have gone down numerous times and barely scratched these levers, let alone diminish their function. The only reason I changed levers was because I had canti levers being used with a short-to-long pull adapters. They feel great! Paul still sells these and parts for them, relatively unchanged from the design I bought 15 years ago. I'll probably own a new set of the compact levers soon.
Submitted by
steadite
a Weekend Warrior
from Erie, PA
Date Reviewed: December 26, 2009
Strengths: Beautiful CNC construction, smooth operation, tight clearances (no slop).
Weaknesses: $$$
Bottom Line:
I use these levers with my BB7 disks. They are amazingly smooth and really transformed the brakes in terms of feel and power. I no longer even wish for hydraulics...
I think the people talking about return springs are off base...you don't want the lever pushing the cable back, you want the brakes pulling the cable back (it's like pushing on a rope). If you think you need a return spring, then you need to clean your brakes, or install new cables IMO.
Submitted by
TurboWookiee
a Cross Country Rider
from Washington Pa usa
Date Reviewed: November 5, 2008
Strengths: lightweight, bike art, sexy, quality,craftsmenship
Weaknesses: soft aluminum, very ease to break if ur a abusive rider,
Bottom Line:
i recieved my love lever as a 18th bday gift from my dad, i love them i've had them for over 10yrs now and they still rock as much as the day i got em, too boot there anodized red which are uber rare now. paul makes such a amazing component period. customer service is top notch i just lost a piece to my moto litles and they had me a new brake 4days later. pauls a awesome dude to deal with make top notch american made parts. A+++
yes theyre light and pretty, but function like crap without a return spring, they feel sluggish and my xtr v brakes felt like loosing power, never felt confident with the pauls. If these lever had a return spring, they would be the best. To me the pauls are like a ferrari that has a weak engine, or a nice designed hluse that doesen´t work, how good is a pretty design and perfect craftmanship if it don´t work???, bought new xtr levers and feel back at home again. Sorry Paul.
Similar Products Used: xt, xtr, tektro, sram 9.0 composite
Bike Setup: salsa moto rapido, full xtr, sid race, mavic 517 ceramic rims, thomson seatpost, stans tubless, titanium bolts
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Adam Hunt
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkeley CA
Date Reviewed: August 4, 2007
Strengths: Light, well made, can be rebuilt. Works best with Paul brakes but works well with others too.
Weaknesses: Soft aluminum, can scratch or be easily if over torqued.
Bottom Line:
I've used Paul's original short pulls with Stop Lites and Cross Tops, and their new long pull Love Lever 2.5s and Love Levers Compacts and I've had good experience with them they may not be for ever one. The Compacts work great for a single speed because you don't need to have the lever reach around a shifter.
One of the things Paul recomends is to help prevent damage to the levers in case of a crash is to have just enough torque to keep the levers in place on the bars but loose enough to move if you really smack them with the palm of your hand.
I'd love to see Paul make a long pull lever for road bikes because the Dia Compe long pull road levers suck.
Submitted by
loonyOne
a Cross Country Rider
from Waterloo, IA, USA
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2005
Strengths: Very light, great anodizing, solid feel, great modulation, bombproof.
Weaknesses: A tad 'catchy' on the CNC'd void on the back of the lever, older style with brass bushings
Bottom Line:
These were on my Bontrager when I bought it and I just never really had any urge to replace them, so I kept 'em...the next best bike decision I've made outside buying the Bontrager. These are damn fine brake levers! The only thing I would really do to them is replace them with a new set that have cartridge bearings. For anyone willing to spend the coin to get them, they are an excellent product that will last a lifetime. You get what you pay for. Great product made in the good ol' USofA.
Bike Setup: Bontrager converted single speed, Avid brakes
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from branford, ct
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2004
Strengths: good lookin, smooth and simple.
Weaknesses: Traumatic clamp failure (see below)
Bottom Line:
I'm a devotee to Pauls after a brief hiatus. My old Ibis SS was set up with stoplights and love levers (circa 1993) and were in my view the best there was. This was at a time when I was a very informed and competitive mechanic and endurance racer. After getting a Ti hardtail frame I was a little short and settled for XT's when I built the frame. Nice, won't kill you....but never gave you a great sense of confidence. Now that I'm back on Pauls the world and it's dirt are a bigger more beautiful place. One word of warning... follow the directions and DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE CLAMP BOLT. The lever needs to be able to turn under force. If not it will break should you hit it in a crash or in my case (on the original pair) the handlebar spins around and the lever smacks your toptube. Pauls is for the purist. If you use vice grips on a regular basis you will hate these brakes and they will hate you. If you love elegantly designed equipment that works flawlessly, you're who they are named for.
Similar Products Used: Pauls Motolite, Pauls Stoplight MC, orig Love lever, Love compact, Pauls R. derailleur, Avid Arch Deluxe, Shimano XT
Bike Setup: Ti Hardtail, XT drivetrain, Raceface Cranks, Hugi Wheelset, Time pedals, Black fork
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Dillon,Co,USA
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2003
Strengths: Incredibely strong and very light. Very well made.
Weaknesses: Nada, zilch, nothing.
Bottom Line:
Ive owned these levers for 6 years and ridden probably 7000 miles on these levers from 24 hour races to leisure rides without doing anything to then and I weight 205 lbs. They have a very comfortable feel and good modulation.I can not say enough good things about then.
Submitted by
Matt Donnelly
a Cross Country Rider
from Aspen, CO
Date Reviewed: September 3, 2002
Strengths: Not shimano
Weaknesses: The two T nuts at the lever pivot fell out on both levers within the first 2 rides. Nearly lost the levers on both F and R. Luckily I was able to save the bottom part of the assembly and loc-tite'd it when I got home. Not sure if this is an inherent product flaw or lack of detail assembling.
Bottom Line:
Really sketchy brake levers. Didn't know whether they'd be there for the whole ride!
Haven't yet to contact manufacturer about it though. Hopefully they can send some replacement nuts for the levers so I don't loose mine on a ride!
Favorite Trail: Some trail in CB near Taylor Resevoir, can't remember the name
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: Wrench Science
Similar Products Used: Shimano
Bike Setup: Titus, SRAM XO, RS Sid, Eggbeaters
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Clay
a Cross Country Rider
from yuma-az
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2002
Strengths: Lightweight,easy reach,style,smooth operation,+I like em'
Weaknesses: Was cost,but I've found em cheaper elsewhere.(If I need more)
Bottom Line:
They provide better leverage,than you would imagine. This bike is road ridden mostly,and I have the brakes set up tight with little modulation.(When I need brakes I need em' now!)on avid S-D mag v brakes.Yet I feel I have better control over the braking on this bike than my outhers.And I can brake a cable just as easy with these levers as I can with my XTs. Even though these are compact levers,I feel they provide better access with twister's than the avid s-d,or the xt.(Which "I feel" all three are designed for pods) I've had no trouble with them at all.since I put them on july,15,2000 and after 25673 miles.They show very little wear.though I'll probably order anouther pair of bronze pivots,when it comes to mind just to be safe. If you can find them,buy them.XCs-urban assualt.Downhillers might want a duece and a half lever.But nowdaze most of them use disc's *****Bottom-line***** They're light,They're strong,You can reach em',They work good,They look good. Buy em' They're as close to "perfect" as anything I've tried.*****
My adjustment screw went through the lever. The metal was too thin were the reach adjustment screw hits the lever and left a hole so the brake now gets stuck all the way open. Not sure what Paul will do about it. No crashes involved just light use. WIll repost when I get info back email back from Paul. Worked great for years!
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from BUCKTOWN PA
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2001
Strengths: LIGHT, SUPER STRONG, STIFF, FEELS REALLY NICE IN HANDS, NOT SHIMANO, COOL SMALL AMERICAN COMPANY
Weaknesses: UMMMM....AFTER A YEAR CAN'T THINK OF ANY
Bottom Line:
IF YOUR IN NEED OF A NEW SET OF BRAKE LEVERS, LOOK NO FARTHER....THE LOVE LEVERS ARE EVERYTHING GOOD LEVERS SHOULD BE...LIGHT, STIFF AND AFTER DOZENS OF CRASHES THEY STILL LOOK NEW SO THAT PROVES THEY'RE STRONG
Strengths: Attention to detail. Superb Modulation even without return springs. Grinds the big S into the ground.
Weaknesses: None to be found
Bottom Line:
I like These levers so much that I can't believe how poor the Amp disc brakes performed compared to these. Take it from someone who learned the hard way that disc brakes are not always the better performing alternative. For a bomb proof setup that doesn't require as much maintenance buy a set of Love Levers and Motolite brakes. Cross country riders you will be amazed with this setup I promise.
