Half Hoods for Mafac Brake Levers, Rustines Caps, and other Cool Stuff

By Chris

I really like Mafac brake levers. They are a little wider than most classic levers and better fit my hands. The hoods are also thicker and more comfortable than the Italian type. Most constructeur bikes used these levers and often had these cool half-hoods. These hoods attach with a metal clip that fits into the little recess on the back of Mafac levers. The originals are very rare and expensive, so these French made Rustines hoods were sorely needed. Used Mafac levers, unlike the hoods, are common and inexpensive, not to mention very cool looking; you shouldn't have any trouble finding a pair.

These hoods are available in gum and black, just like the originals. You may notice that the gum version is darker than the Campy-style hoods. That's because the original French gum rubber was darker than the Italian gum; it's great the Rustines went to the trouble to replicate the original color.

If you prefer full hoods, we have those, too. They are also available in gum and in black. These are even thicker and more comfortable that the half-hoods, though not as stylish.

We have just a few of these Rustines cycling caps in white or blue. I like these because they are a little bigger than most cycling caps and so a better fit on my fat head. The motto under the bill can be translated as "you can flat" (in reference to Rustines patch kits), or as "you can die." This has been a Rustines motto since just after World War One, when dark humor was popular. You can read up on proper cap fitment and etiquette here: http://cyclingtips.com.au/2012/04/how-to-wear-a-cycling-cap/

Also, we now have blue constructeur grips.

The Rustines stuff is selling really quickly and we may have trouble keeping everything in stock for the next couple of months. We're placing bigger orders and should have a steady supply soon. If you own a shop, get some of the patch kits; cyclists love them.

We'll have more of the VO porteur bags later today, another item that's been selling out very quickly.