Tektro CR520/720 cantilever brakes

theoldbiker

An interesting review in the CTC's Cycle magazine for Aug-Sept on these brakes. Like the reviewer I too have a Hewitt Cheviot and have never been happy with the braking.

Apparently these new cantilevers make all the difference - but has anyone else tried them? Some of the hills where I live in Surrey can be scary places so I'd be very interested in other folks' experiences

grim168

My cheviot came with shimano cantis. Bought last May.

blorg

Don't know about those brakes but I moved from Shimano Altus low-profile cantis to Tektro RX5 mini-Vs on my tourer and the braking improved immensely, I'm very happy with it now. No problem whatsoever lifting the back wheel. Still prefer calipers for the modulation.

Wide profile cantis like the ones you mention are supposed to work better than low-profile with STI levers, there is just the risk of your leg catching on the back depending on the frame and your position. Not an issue on the front which is where you really need your braking anyway.

sps137

I've fitted 520's to my crosser and they are the best canti's i've ever used (although the others were pretty awful). Not as sharp initally as my ultegra DP's but with stronger overall power. I found that running the longest possible straddle wire works best.

PHcp

I’ve had a Tektro 520 fitted to the front of my Hewitt Cheviot for a few months, it's a marked improvement over the Oryx it replaced. It's also easier to adjust and there's a better choice of pads. I'm not convinced it's as good as Vs or DPs, but still the best canti I've tried. I didn't fit the rear one for the reasons blorg mentions plus it would interfere with my rack. I had no trouble selling the other one (they’re not front/back specific) so it worked out a cheap upgrade.

theoldbiker

Many thanks for your views folks - I'm convinced, and will give them a try - now which would be better - black or polished aluminium? !!!

blorg

Polished aluminium brakes much better.

Ambermile

Oh yes, polished is faster too.

doubleclanger

I found that running the longest possible straddle wire works best.

I followed that advice and they hardly stop me at all. I think I'll go back to Sheldon Brown's recommendation to have the straddle wires make an angle of 90 degrees.