Clean has done a big upgrade to its hydraulic brake lever, launching the fourth generation with a revamped clamp design and the possibility to run water in the system without any issues.
Compatible with water
Normally a hydraulic rim brake system is made for mineral oil, and if you bleed it with water, the seals and piston might swell and cause problems. The Clean lever has new seals, pistons and inner treatment to avoid any problems from water bleeding. But, you might get problems if you run the lever with slave cylinders that aren’t compatible with water, such as the ones from Magura.
New piston and spring
Clean used to run 13 mm pistons on previous generation of the lever, but has not switched to the conventional 14 mm. The 13 mm piston had more cons than pros according to Clean founder Abel Mustieles:
– “13 mm changes the behavior and the feeling a lot. It’s more poweful, but not necessarily in the end“.
Clean also revised the attack angle between the lever blade, pivot bolt and TPA wheel, to gain power despite decreasing the pivot diameter.
The piston features two seals to avoid leaking. A new spring is also designed specifically for this piston to prevent leaks due to play.
Redesigned lever blade and clamp design
The lever blade has been totally redesigned to be more comfortable for the finger, and to save some weight by machining out more material.
The clamp has also been redesigned, which makes it possible to completely remove the lever from the handlebar without removing the grips. Clean has still managed to make the clamp as round as previous generations, to avoid sharp edges hitting your tighs during riding. And the clamp is now wider, to create a more rigid construction.
TPA wheel with O-ring
The TPA wheel has a new O-ring system to avoid unwanted turning while riding, and thus changes in brake feel, which is quite common on other levers.
The lever is forged from 6061-T6 aluminium, with a CNC finish, and weighs 84 grams. It features a flip-flop design, so you can run it either sides of the handlebar. It is available in anodized black with anodized red details, and laser etched logos.
Bashguardian will be back with a review of this lever later.
