Aftermarket 2010 Shimano Saint Lever Blades?

Nick53

Nick53

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hey guys,
After the answer to a few questions about lever blades on the newer model Saint brakes (4 piston). I've recently bent both of my lever blades and was wondering if there is any alternative to just buying the Shimano blades that come stock as I never really liked them after riding with Straitline levers for over 2 years.

Is there a difference in the fitting between the older version (2 piston) Saint and the newer one? ie. Could I buy levers that fit the older model and put them on the newer model. Sounds a bit stupid but I am yet to find a aftermarket lever blade company that specifies that it is for the newer model Saint so I am wondering if a blade such as Straitline make and specify to fit 'Saint' would work.

Thanks
 
Sam.

Sam.

Eats Squid
Old style saint lever blade would not work mr peterson, no lever reach adjust on the old ones so from memory the mounting system is completely different.
 
U

U.D.O

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Just looked at a couple of parts diagrams, Old Saint lever and New Saint lever, and it appears the levers are not interchangable between the M800 (Old Saint) and the M810 (Current Saint) brakes.
And by the look of things the Straightline Saint levers are the same and the M800 ones, and would therefore not be compatable with yours.
I'm not sure of any other lever companies, but as a last resort, replacement shimano levers should be available through you LBS.

Hope that helps.
And feel free to correct me if i'm wrong.
 
Nick53

Nick53

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thanks guys, well after looking around it seems the original ones are my only option. May as well try to bend them back and if they snap there's no real loss as they fell rubbish at the moment.
Thanks
 
Stint

Stint

Likes Dirt
Further developments?

I was just wondering whether you had any further developments on this? I have also bent my lever, and was wondering whether:

1. You can get after market levers;
2. Are the replacement lever arm readily available, and how much.

I've bent my lever to as straight as I can get it, but feels rubbish. I'd be wanting to get a proper lever back on in pronto.
 
Burrito_Boy

Burrito_Boy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Stint said:
I was just wondering whether you had any further developments on this? I have also bent my lever, and was wondering whether:

1. You can get after market levers;
2. Are the replacement lever arm readily available, and how much.

I've bent my lever to as straight as I can get it, but feels rubbish. I'd be wanting to get a proper lever back on in pronto.
Click to expand...
Im pretty sure i read somewhere that you won't be seeing any aftermarket levers for the new style shimano levers any time soon due to something with the copy right on their lever shape and actuation.

As for getting replacements, last time i checked new lever blades are about 25 dollars wholesale from shimano aus. Just talk to your local bikeshop, they'll be able to get in touch with shimano aus, as there quite the helpful bunch.
 
Stint

Stint

Likes Dirt
Burrito_Boy said:
Im pretty sure i read somewhere that you won't be seeing any aftermarket levers for the new style shimano levers any time soon due to something with the copy right on their lever shape and actuation.

As for getting replacements, last time i checked new lever blades are about 25 dollars wholesale from shimano aus. Just talk to your local bikeshop, they'll be able to get in touch with shimano aus, as there quite the helpful bunch.
Click to expand...
Cheers for the info mate. I'm not really too fussed about getting aftermarket levers on the brakes, so the Shimano levers would suffice for me.

I have bent the levers back to as best I can, but it's still not at the right spot. Looking at where the retaining screw is situated, it seems that I would have to unscrew the hose from the lever body in order to get to it, in order to tap out the lever pin. It was something that I wasn't really wanting to do (so as to not have to rebleed the system), but looks like I might not have a choice.

Oh the joys of mountain bikes - a never ending list of maintenance and things to fix!
 
Nick53

Nick53

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I haven't really found another option. I emailed everyone who does aftermarket levers and they all said no bingo. The bike shops I've talked to say I need to buy a whole lever/blade assembly which costs heaps. I'd be interested to find out how to get the $25 levers that Burrito Boy was talking about. I'm thinking about buying XTR Race levers and mounting them to my Saint callipers.

Before I do any of that though I need to figure out another problem. The pistons on my brakes return all the way back into the calliper so once I don't use them for a few minutes they do nothing which is mega sketchy. I know there suppose to rebound a little bit but these are going the whole way. I have to pump the lever for like 2 minutes to get them working and then when there's a flat section of track where you don't need to brake I have to stop and get them working again. Any ideas? Have had them bled twice...
 
Stint

Stint

Likes Dirt
I've come to the same conclusion as you Nick. I spoke to the bike shop, and they reckon that the replacement brake lever blade is $65. Considering that you could almost source a brand new whole lever for that price, it proves uneconomical. I'm going to attempt to knock the lever axle out, and get the blade straighter than it is now, but I would say that I would most likely end up getting a replacement lever down the track.

As for the problem you are encountering, I've never encountered that on Shimano's before. Perhaps you don't have a closed system, and have so whilst you have bled your brakes twice, you may still be getting air in afterwards.
 
Burrito_Boy

Burrito_Boy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
http://www.emachineshop.com/ you could hit that up and make yourself some levers?
Don't know the cost on that though.

As for the $25, i did say wholesale... so usual 3x markup... $65 is pretty good considering.

But yeah, its always been uneconomical to get new lever blades. Just run some slx levers on there, there cheap and work well.
 
Nick53

Nick53

Likes Bikes and Dirt
The entire lever assembly seems a pretty good deal for $60 a side.

Burrito Boy that seems like a great concept but I have no idea how to use CAD programs and don't have nearly enough time to learn and research lever shapes etc.

Currently anyway seeing as I'm having trouble with both the lever and the callipers there's no point in me buying the replacement lever body if the calliper is going to play up. I was considering making up some shims for the inside of the pistons to make the callipers a bit better if I can't fix the problem. It would help a little bit but as the pads wear down the problem would come up again. I'll take them to a bike shop to see what they think and if that doesn't work I might just get new brakes.

:(
 
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