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Value Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Dundee
a Cross Country Rider
from EnglandDate Reviewed: September 12, 2000
Strengths: Weight, comfort, adjustabilityWeaknesses: Quite a bit of play has developed and where I cycle is quite flat so I hardly use the things. The bushings pop up slightly from the lever body but can be pushed back in.Bottom Line: These levers have a good feel and work well but the play they developed is annoying and is getting worse. Prefer Avid and Shimano.
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At: England
Similar Products Used: Avid 1.9s, LX levers
Bike Setup: Custom build
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Racer
from UKDate Reviewed: August 15, 2000
Strengths: Light, light, light, light
nice design
good clampWeaknesses: Don't feel as powerful as XTBottom Line: These levers look fantastic, are light and have a very good clamp.
I have found that they are not as smooth as the XT they replaced.
The RRP in the UK is about £80 but they can be had for £35. At £35 they look better than XT work as well if not quite as smooth and are a good buy.
I wouldn't recommend them at the £80 RRP its too much. 5 chilis at £35 about 1 at £80
Favorite Trail: ald bour down
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Similar Products Used: XT
Bike Setup: Team Ti, XT, STX, etc
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
iain
a Downhiller
from manchesterDate Reviewed: August 4, 2000
Strengths: low weight
very comfortable shape and size
adjustabilityWeaknesses: flimsy
poor bearings
don't fit well on thicker barsBottom Line: These lever are pretty good if you have very thin bars. Otherwise you're a bit stitched because you won't be able to tighten up the bolts enough. This means that the (very comfy) lever blade flaps about all over the place and is really annoying. Sometimes the barrel adjuster vibrates and alters it's position on bumpy bits of dh or whatever, so watch out for that.If you do have thin bars they're top though because they feel really nice. They require a hammer and chisel top get them onto a pair of azonic bars otherwise though. I also got them dead cheap (£15) so the value is good but £80 sterling is far too much.
Favorite Trail: sligachan
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Similar Products Used: dx, magura lever
dia compes
Bike Setup: azonic ds1, pace rc37, hopes roox
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Iron MountainDate Reviewed: March 12, 2000
Strengths: VERY Light, very cool looking, and easily rebuildable.Weaknesses: Overall, this product is very weak. I crashed ONCE and the lever bent at a 90 degree angle! It can be bent back, but it's a little surreal to see your lever at that angle.Bottom Line: While these levers are very cool, the strength is somewhat lacking. For no confusion, they are rigid, but they bend a little to easy.
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Similar Products Used: Shimano XT, XTR, Avid 1.9.
Bike Setup: Gary Fisher Mt. Tam
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore, MarylandDate Reviewed: January 24, 2000
Bottom Line: **Update on the review below**
I'd like to make a correction about what I previously stated. The '99 levers that I recently purchased have a forged lever blade which is bead blasted for a non-slip grip. I was informed of this by a Jeff Menown from Real Design's tech support. He also informed me that the lack of slots on the clamps occurs only on the original equipment model. This model also comes equiped with steel clamp bolts instead of the aluminum bolts on the after market model. As I see it, this only makes the X-lever more durable, because I did happen to break a bolt on my after market model.
So all of this only means that I should be perfectly satisfied with the performance and longevity of these new levers. Long live Real Designs and Jeff Menown for a quick response to my uncertainties!
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore, MarylandDate Reviewed: January 21, 2000
Strengths: Beautiful craftmanship, great adjustability, completely serviceable, and stiff as iron (crashed on them more than a few times)Weaknesses: Absolutely none!Bottom Line: I've tried a number of different levers on other peoples bikes, but none came as close to the X-levers' stiffness.
**BE WARNED**: I recently purchased a second pair which were made in '99----the lever blades appear to be of a cheaper quality....probably cast aluminum:( My previous pair have CNC'd blades which are very durable. I'll let you know about the second pair when I get some use on them. Also, the clamp on the new levers don't have that cool open slot like my first pair.
If you like these levers and are depressed about the cheapness of the new ones, give Real Designs an e-mail at tech@real-design.com.
OH! Did I mention that these levers are infinitely adjustable and serviceable.
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Similar Products Used: shimano
Bike Setup: It has great adjustability for using cantilevers or v-brakes. It has the best clamp design ever: uses a chainring bolt(very nifty-easy replacement).
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bomber
a Racer
from Singapore (but come from Sweden)Date Reviewed: December 11, 1999
Strengths:
Looks, reach, build quality, looks, its light, looks ,cnc machined clamp and did i mention looks?Weaknesses:
None yet......Bottom Line: This is a GREAT lever. It has everything that need and want from a lever, its lightweight, strong, it looks cool, its well made and it works well. I recommend this lever to any1 who wants a great trouble- free brake (that looks good too!).
Seeyall, bomber.
Favorite Trail:
Bukit Timah and Tampinies
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Similar Products Used:
Tektro 381 (broke after 2 months!), Kookas(FLEX)
and Lx(too small/short).
Bike Setup:
Wheeler 2900, Lx/Xt, Bomber Z3 Light, 646 Platforms, Mavic x517, SDG Bel Air, Fuji Foam Grips and Tektro 824'S.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross-Country Rider
from Fremont CADate Reviewed: November 26, 1999
Strengths:
looks,funtion and light wt.Weaknesses:
noneBottom Line: these levers look and work great and only the Kookas are lighter but that does not matter because the Kookas suck- they flex to much
Favorite Trail:
Toads
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Similar Products Used:
Kooka-junk,XTR,XT
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz superlight
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dave s
a Downhiller
from houston texasDate Reviewed: November 4, 1999
Strengths:
weight looks strengthWeaknesses:
nothing to complain about yetBottom Line: i have used these levers for over a year without any problems. they are so much better than the xt levers they replaced. they have better reach than the shimanos i had been using.
Favorite Trail:
all
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Similar Products Used:
xt
xtr
avid
Bike Setup:
cannondale caad3 w/fatty sl
caramba cranks
white hub/ syncros rims
xtr derailleurs
kore stem/bar/seatpost
specialized team ed. tires
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bikematt
a Cross-Country Rider
from CaliforniaDate Reviewed: August 9, 1999
Strengths:
light, cool looks, versatile, compatible with all cable brakesWeaknesses:
none so farBottom Line: I really have enjoyed these levers, I run a mix of v-brakes and cantilevers on my bike (personal secret) and like the fact that these levers are strong responsive, and work with both types of brakes. They look really cool to. I looked at similar levers but like these for there weight, recommended strentgh and versatility. I would reccomend these to anyone.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Similar Products Used:
lx levers
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross-Country Rider
from WesburyDate Reviewed: August 6, 1999
Strengths:
Light, Strong, simple, versatile, did I mention LIGHT, and Strong !Weaknesses:
well, they're not free, but otherwise have no significant faultsBottom Line: Buy these if you want excellent lightweight flex-free levers.
They function perfectly, and are pretty to boot. ( perfect finsish by the way, with good lever grip even wet due to the matte finish )
Great design - replace the clamp bolt with an alloy chainring bolt for extra weight savings )
left / right interchangeable, so a set of spares goes a long way (though you probably won't need them )
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Similar Products Used:
Avid ultimate, XT, ESP9.0
Bike Setup:
Klein Attitude race
Avid 2.0 V brakes w/ REAL X-Levrs
XT Rapidfire
XTR rd, XT fd
Z2 BAM
Ritchey Alpha/Omega WCS-K
on XTR/517 wheels
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Racer
from Irvine, CADate Reviewed: April 27, 1999
Strengths:
This lever has a nice shape without any sharp edges. For the weight, the lever itself is very stiff. Also, the lever is well suited to fit around Grip Shifters.Weaknesses:
I don't think the lever was finished as well as it could of been. Also, I did notice some play out of the box that I assume will only get worse.Bottom Line: This is a decent brake lever, but for the price ($75) I think that the tolerances on the pivot could be better and the ano could be improved.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Similar Products Used:
Avid 2.0 SL and Grafton Levers
Bike Setup:
Dean FS with a Manitou Carbon SX fork. XTR V-brakes
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DJD
a cross-country rider
from SF Bay AreaDate Reviewed: March 10, 1999
Bottom Line:
I liked their canti product, and I like the X Lever also. But be careful, if you tighten the handlebar clamp too much, it impedes the cable movement (it squeezes the cable path so it is too narrow to allow smooth movement). If your brakes seem to be sticking, then try loosening the clamp.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a weekend warrior
from ConnecticutDate Reviewed: January 26, 1999
Bottom Line:
These are GREAT levers !!
No slop (is it fair to compare to the clapped out XT levers they replaced ?!)
The pivots are designed and built much better than XT
EXCELLENT pull with my Avid SD 2.0 V brakes - at least as good as the XT set
(and they work great with '98 XT arms as well)
lighter than almost any V-levers (except Kooka Rachas!)
- left/right interchangeable
- I love that they used chainring bolts for clamp bolts - excellent feel
- the only thing I've tried that I like as much are ESP 9.0 levers.
Get them at UniversalCycles for $56
I don't think Keven Macgowan (below) reviewed RealX-levers - they definitely are V levers!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Keven Macgowan
a weekend warrior
from Rancho Palos VerdesDate Reviewed: January 20, 1999
Bottom Line:
I have to say Im not impressed with these levers. I have owned
them for 2 years, and they have developed lots of play. The bike
store I bought them from claimed they could be used for V-brakes.
Not so, they do not have the pulling range. They look really trick,
and are light weight, but cost to much($75) and dont work with V's.
I bought a pair of Shimano XT levers for my V's for only $39 and
only added about 30gms to my bike. The Shimanos have no play,
and tons of stopping pull/leverage. Unless you love your cantis,
dont buy these levers. Two stars for looks, and cant performance.
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