Well, I’m not exactly a newbie, but I know very little about bike mechanics …
My question is in regards to brake levers. I just purchased new aerobars (Vision) off ebay, but the bars don’t come with brake levers. I’d like to get the Vision aero brake levers … Does it matter what type of components I have, or will the brake levers be compatible with any components? I’ll have my LBS install them, but I don’t want to buy levers that can’t be used obviously. I’m sure this is a silly question, but any help is appreciated.
A little free internet advice, fwiw - don’t have the LBS install the brake levers. This is a truly simple job; the most advanced skill here is cutting a couple of cables and wrapping the bars. This is a great beginner DIY project.
However, if you do go the full-service route, watch the mechanic and understand what is going on and how it all works.
x2 on the DIY idea. It’s a great project to start with. Going forward, I would pickup a basic set of tools and a bike repair book (plus youtube and ST are great resources). You can do more than you might think yourself, and you always have the LBS to fall back on.
Personally, I’m much more confident on race days knowing that I did the work on my bike and can fix things that might pop up. Plus, you feel good about it, it saves time and money in the long run, and you’ll learn a lot.