Upgrading brakes on decathlon 7.1

Mikey1280
Mikey1280 Posts: 76
edited January 2008 in Workshop
Hello there,
I bought a decathlon 7.1 last year and have been meaning to upgrade the brakes for sometime. Question is what drop size am I looking for 49mm or 57mm? Thinking of getting a pair of shimano 105s, are they easy to fit (I've fitted mtb brakes before)?

Comments

  • Yellow Cliff
    Yellow Cliff Posts: 231
    If it is the same as my wife's (which is 4 years old) short reach brakes are right - 49mm. You can also measure it, I think that the measurement should be from the bolt hole to the centre of the rim.

    New brakes are really easy to fit and set up - you will have no problems.
  • bilsea159
    bilsea159 Posts: 256
    I own this bike and use it daily covering huge mileage, and replaced the front brake for a campag mirage that I had spare. I find in my experience that the brakes themselves are actuallly ok but it is the standard pads with the blue line round them on the rigida flyer rims that are poor. Try replacing the blocks for something of better quality and durability and all should be fine. I did this on my rear brake still on the bike and find it now equal to the front campag.
  • Mikey1280
    Mikey1280 Posts: 76
    Too late now bilsea I've ordered some new brakes, never mind . . . .

    How many miles have you covered on your decathlon then bilsea? Do you have another roadbike to compare it to?
  • bilsea159
    bilsea159 Posts: 256
    Mikey I use my decathlon as my winter bike, running it with 25c conti gatorskin tyres for comfort with mudguards fitted to keep the muck off. I uprgaded the saddle to something a bit more comfortable but everything else is standard apart from the front brake. I have ridden over 5 thousand miles on it since october 2006, still using original wheels, gears etc, only changing the brake pads, chain so far and recently the headset cage bearings as they are not well sealed against the weather and rusted. Superb bike for the money £199. I use a summer bike a custom build Bianchi but get as much pleasure from the Decathlon as the Bianchi as I quickly get used to the Decathlon as soon as I start using it again and ride it usually October through to April, although last years wet summer meant it got used much more.

    You might have to replace the brake cables when fitting new brakes as the standard cables have a metal ferrule that was not compatable with my campag brake.

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