Friction Brifters!? A Peek at the Growtac EQUAL Control Lever

Japan’s Growtac, maker of the highly rated EQUAL mechanical disc brake calipers, has a new brake/shift lever system in development, and it has the potential to be groundbreaking. Reported to be coming later this year, the Growtac EQUAL Control Lever is a brake/shift lever for drop-bar bikes that offers stepless (non-indexed) shifting and allows users to freely combine mechanical drivetrain components from any manufacturer, number of speeds, groupset, etc. If it works as promised, it could open up all kinds of exciting possibilities, including breathing new life into older groups with a modern twist. What’s more, the inclusion of a small third lever makes it possible to actuate a dropper seat post or activate a remote lockout lever on your fork (if it’s equipped with that feature).

According to Growtac, you can use the EQUAL Control Lever to shift from 2 to 13 speeds. It’ll work with road and mountain derailleurs and even internally geared hubs. It’s also possible to configure them to control a rear derailleur with both hands, using one lever to shift up and the other to shift down. The levers are modular, and users can remove unnecessary sub-levers to suit their needs (for example, shifting and braking only, or only braking). The claimed weight is around 420 grams for the pair. The video below shows the Control Levers in use:

Pricing isn’t yet available, but we don’t expect these to be cheap. We’ll be sure to share more details as they become available. Also included in the preview of upcoming Growtac products for 2023 are a set of nice-looking disc brake hubs and a pair of clipless road pedals.

You can find more details over at Growtac.com.

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