Bicycle Tutor

Have a small problem. Today my new grips arrived and had to move both shifters/brake levers IN toward the stem so grips would fit. They are about 1 inch longer than the old ones. Problem is I can only put two fingers on either brake lever. Do I have to live w/this or put the old grips back on? Flat handlebars on a 16 yr old Schwinn MTB. Suggestions?

I suppose you'd have a few options. To start, you could try getting used to the new position of your brake levers. Personally I only use two fingers to apply the brakes myself. Another option, albeit one that would add to the cost, would be to replace the bar with a longer one, but I don't know if you're willing to do that. And lastly, as you've already stated you could reinstall your old grips, or maybe look for a shorter set. One other thing you can also consider would be to trim an inch off the new grips, but again, that might not be something you'd want to do.

Trimming ends not possible due to design of grips. One other solution is to insert a wood plug about an inch, ie broom handle sanded down, into the outside end of each grip. But that is just to much trouble for this Senior Senior. Being as just about all of us are opposed to change from "the way we used to do it", going to try to adjust to the new position, per your suggestion. Thanks for the input.

I have tried the wood plug option before and it does work well. So I will confirm that option. I have also taken a razor blade to a set of grips before to cut out a section about an inch long and put that smaller peice of the grip on before the brakes, then the brakesm and then the larger peice of the grip so instead of ====brake, it went, ===brake=, it worked pretty well for me for that particular bike.