|
Altek
Vbrake Sharktooth Levers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
Frank
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntington Beach CA
Date Reviewed: January 8, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | the one i'm on | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$78.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay vender | | Strengths: | For my money, perfect caliper brake levers that found a new use | | Weaknesses: | none, unless you count they don't make them any longer | | Similar Products Used: | XTR servos, AVID speedials, | | Bike Setup: | Turner Burner w/four inch linkage - PUSHed TALAS - Nevegals | | Bottom Line: | I converted to disc's not long ago, had XTR servowaves on AVID BB-7's. The servo part made the brakes really touchy. Lucked into a pair of these on eBay, (had them on my hardtail since 199.)
PERFECT pairing. Absolute ONE finger braking, had to move the mounts in a bit so I only used one finger. Perfect modulation, pull lots of cable so you can get the brakes set just right. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bruce Carpenter
a
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | tight fast single track | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | from friend | | Strengths: | Strength is the strength of these. | | Weaknesses: | No longer made, SUCKERS! | | Similar Products Used: | Wide variety of shimano crap. | | Bike Setup: | 1994 polished Cannondale Killer V single speed, Race Face crank w/ Salsa bash guard, 2004 Super Fatty Ultra w/lockout. Crazy Ringle hubs w/ ti bladed spokes. Altexk brake levers w/ XTR V brakes | | Bottom Line: | If you have these levers you know they rule and that everything else out there is crap. I'd probably only part with them for a top of the line full suspension. Beautifully made and lots of pull. Simple and strong design. I don't know why some company didn't buy Alteks design when they went under, or try to make something similar. I guess you can't improve perfection. I've been running them with XTR v's, but plan on getting some Avid single digit SL's. The XTR v's squeal like a stuck pig. I got these on a old bike with Paul front derailleur XTR rear for $300. Scrapped all the gears and now it's the lightest XC single speed possible. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Eckley
a Weekend Warrior
from Avon Lake, Ohio USA
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Internet Classified | | Strengths: | Brand New!! for $25.00 Buy them if you see them! I am running a pair of Avid Arch Rival Supreme's on another bike, they modulate as well if not better and I love the Arch supremes! | | Weaknesses: | No longer manufactured. | | Similar Products Used: | Avid Arch Rival Supreme | | Bike Setup: | 2001 GT Zaskar Team w/Rock Shox Sid Race Carbon. Running the levers w/avid mag v brakes w/gorrila booster in rear and Fishbones booster up front. | | Bottom Line: | Awesome stopping power when used w/highend brakes. I'm running Gripshift 9.0sl work great w/ ODI ruffian lock on grips. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron Jelich
a Cross Country Rider
from Greensboro, NC USA
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Owl's Roost | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | On Pro*Flex 957 | | Strengths: | I've used this brake level for 5 years now, it is the BEST! Stiff as anything, modulates better than anything, pivot is bomb proof. Not a scratch on them, and they look FANTASTIC! | | Weaknesses: | Only that I can't find them new anywhere so I can put them on my other bikes! | | Similar Products Used: | SS-7, Shimano XT, LX | | Bike Setup: | These things ROCK with XTR V-brakes! | | Bottom Line: | If anybody steals my tricked out 957, I'm going to miss these brake levers the most! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mark
a Racer
from new zealand
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | local shop | | Strengths: | as everyone says,outstanding design and finish matched with outstanding performance,easy maintenance(I've taken them apart once in the 3yrs I've had them,and that was only out of curiosity!)strong pulling power,nice modulation | | Weaknesses: | altek no longer exists | | Similar Products Used: | shimano,tech-lite | | Bike Setup: | trek 9.8 '02 | | Bottom Line: | I almost bought kookas the day I got these(phew!)
if you can find any second hand buy them,although I doubt many will be up for sale | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric Larson
a Cross Country Rider
from Dahlonega, GA
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | internet classified | | Bottom Line: | Awsome when used with Avid mechanical disk brakes. Use with XTR shift pods (remove optic display).
Light, strong, and very sharp. Nice modulation feel!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
STP
a Cross Country Rider
from Palmdale CA
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | Ave P Land | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Unbelievable feel and modulation, beautiful craftmanship. | | Weaknesses: | They don't make them anymore, the company is out of business... | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX, Avid 2.0 L and Avid SD-7's | | Bike Setup: | K2 Razorback with all the goodies, including Thomson stuff | | Bottom Line: | All the other reviewers were spot on! These levers do pull a ton of cable. There is no up or down slop to these levers at all. They are CNC'd works of art. I have the 2000 Avid SD-7's and just replacing the levers made a huge difference. The brakes suddenly have much more power. Instead of a so-so feel to them in the initial early braking, you get very responsive feedback. With the Avid's, as you pulled hard, the levers really felt dead, like nothing was happening. Sure the bike was slowing, but not how you were expecting it too. So hard braking with the Avid levers always left you unsure of where you were at on the braking curve. Not so with the Alteks. I can now go deeper, faster and harder into the corners because of the excellent feel of these brakes. They bring the Avid V-brakes to life. If you can find a pair in good condition used, I'd highly recommend them. Mine were an unused new pair. I happily traded a Homegrown frame for it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luis Poessy
a Cross Country Rider
from Miami, FL
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | Markham Park (Snakebite) | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle & Fitness | | Strengths: | These are the envy of everyone outhere using XTR's or anything else for v-brakes for that matter. The craftmanship on these is flawless, the action is super smooth and responsive. They pull tons of cable and are 26 grams each less than the XTR's. Not only are they bombproof and work great but they will make any bike with them on look extremely custom. Dont be a sheep and follow the herd, be unique and listen to what you just herd. "BUY THESE, IF YOU CAN FIND THEM" | | Weaknesses: | Not found in every store, only in those looking to sell the best American made parts to rival the Japanese. | | Similar Products Used: | XTR's, Avid Ultimate's, Paul's. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper FSR 2000, Raceface Next LP's, Time ATAC Carbon pedals, Raceface System, LP Carbon/Kevlar riser bar, LP Seatpost, Selle Itlia Flight Gel Ti, Avid mechanical disk front, Precision Billet rear brakes, Crossmax disc wheel front, Crossmax composite side rear, Chris King headset, Panaracer XC Pro tires. | | Bottom Line: | These are the brake levers other levers wish to look like and perform like when they grow up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Green
a Cross-Country Rider
from NY
Date Reviewed: November 13, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
design | | Weaknesses: |
price | | Similar Products Used: |
avid, xtr | | Bike Setup: |
rocky element | | Bottom Line: | very well designed, expensive but are built to last. Looks good to. Five flaming rats | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
orthobiz
a Cross-Country Rider
from Cadillac
Date Reviewed: September 27, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Light, look good. | | Weaknesses: |
None. | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano. | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale Super V
Shimano XTR V Brakes (original) | | Bottom Line: | Excellent product with no faults. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roger
a Weekend Warrior
from WA
Date Reviewed: August 22, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Bottom Line: | These are without a doubt the best levers ever made. They are comfortable, stylish and make any set of V-brakes better. I was running a pair of Paul's because I couldn't find the Altek's. I got lucky and found a used pair via mtbr.com. I swapped the Paul's out and put the Altek's on and could not believe how much better the feel and function was. If you don't have a pair, get a pair. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bicky
a cross-country rider
from Montana
Date Reviewed: March 2, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had these levers for two years now and I think they are the bee's knees.
They have developed a slight amount of play, but after two years they have
less than any shimano right out the box. Lots of pull, really stiff and look so
sweet. Spend the money and buy Alteks or join the dark side and buy Shimano
and find yourself shopping for new levers in two years. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
schwinnman
a cross-country rider
from New York
Date Reviewed: June 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Doesn't get any better than this folks!!! I've had mine a year now and can honestly say that there's no other lever I would buy. Nice tight tolerance in the machining of this part no slop at all, Plus the shark tooth does exactly whats claimed, providing odles of pull with v-brakes. It doesn't take much pull on this lever to get the brakes to contact the rim. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Grand Pooh Bear
a cross-country rider
from R.I. USA
Date Reviewed: April 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This lever is quite trick. It's very light, pulls gobs of cable, and looks nice. They dramatically increased the performance of my Marinovative brakes over the regular canti levers I was using. The only fault I can find is they do flex noticeably under heavy braking load. But they haven't broken, despite a few crashes, so the flex so far is not a problem. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a cross-country rider
from Columbus, OH
Date Reviewed: April 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I love this lever. They are smooth and are very consistent. I love them. They fit with my grip shift much better then those crappy LX levers. I got them used for the price of XTR levers, and they are excellent. If you have some cash, go for these levers. I love them. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Simon Decarte
a weekend warrior
from Northampton,mass
Date Reviewed: December 6, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I must honestly say that the 25's are the best levers on the market.
I got mine from a downhill/dual slolom racer friend...used,and they
still work without a hitch. I love them.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sven
a racer
from Norway
Date Reviewed: November 6, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I got altek's which have been great! My brother got avid's and they've snapped twice any questions? These are great when combined with XTR V's. Make sure to get the BL-25 vs. the old BL-20's. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Spartan Doug
a cross-country rider
from Illinois
Date Reviewed: July 17, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Very nice. They work much better with sachs twist shifters than my shimanos did. They are a tad longer, and feel much smoother and tighter than the XT's. The XT's did the job. These excel at it. Light, smooth, pull mucho cable but do not feel at all mushy, have given my XT v's a better feel with all the power. If you can swing them they are very nice. I'm using the 20's, if you have pods look into the 25's. Great Levers, pricy, but nice. The only difficulty is tightening up the sachs shifters on the bars when the brake levers are tight. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom R
a cross-country rider
from WI
Date Reviewed: April 25, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I got these levers when I switched to V brakes and am very happy I chose these over Avids. I have had some hard crashes with them and they have held up fine, while I hear of people breaking there Avids. After a year theres still no play in them. I like to use two fingers for breaking, even though you only need one and they fit great and feel good. They arent mushey with the V brakes at all like people said they would be, and they look realy cool. So for the somewhat high price you get strength, function and great looks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Barber
a cross-country rider
from Sunnyvale, CA
Date Reviewed: April 17, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The combination of lots of pull, light weight, cool machining and the bird beak that keeps the cable pulling straight
through the barrel adjuster screw makes these levers and excellent choice. They feel great if you have large hands too,
but are fully adjustable if your hands are smaller. A great lever! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Garrett Hubbard
a cross-country rider
from california
Date Reviewed: April 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have no complaints whatsoever, look cool, light, and rigid. They fit perfectly with my sachs grip shift. But dont work with shimano XTR pods.
I couldn't decide whether to get these brake levers or the Kooka levers, these weighed 30 grams more, but had no play and looked 10x stronger. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a cross-country rider
from Aggieland, TX
Date Reviewed: March 5, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Sure, Altek's may be beautiful, but don't try and run the BL20's with pod shifters. The pivot for the brake lever juts way out and hits the shifter, consequently, you have to run them backwards which is an awkward feel. Apparently, Altek corrected this with the '97 model BL25 which will work for gripshift and pods. Nice looking, but too expensive, not functional, and no modulation. I wish I never wasted the money. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Miller
a weekend warrior
from USA
Date Reviewed: March 4, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Very expensive but the smoothest longest pull lever and best looking lever on the market. Many colors with spring return. | | Overall Rating: |
| |
|
Photo Caption Contest
(sponsored by Maxxis)
|
Enter here
|
|
|
$
