Brakes for 531 frame

pomtarr

I have a steel (531) frame on which I want to replace the (road caliper) brakes.

My problem is that the centre bolts on all of the brakes I've tried are never long enough.

A secondary issue is that the holes take a nut rather than the standard rear allen fixing.

So my question is: can anyone suggest a set of calipers (front and rear, approx 45mm drop) with a long centre bolt and nut fixing?

MrBlond

Not saying these will fit or are what you want, but SJS good for that sort of thing:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Tekt ... -20022.htm

bice

I kept the old Weinemann brakes on my 30 year old commuter. The ones with the short piece of wire between the two calipers that's then pulled upwards. To my surprise, these brakes are excellent with a flat bar/ MTB lever and probably a modern drop lever as well. It was the old 1970s drop brake levers that were so useless.

litttlestwoo

I've got Weinemann 605 side pull clipers on my 70's Quinn with matching levers. These breaks are very, very good. The main difference between these and my more modern dual pivots, is that to get decent braking force you have to operate the weinemann's from the drops. They have the long centre bults and locking nut fixing that you are talkking about. Another alternative if you want to fit modern components to a classic frame, is to get a frame builder to do the necessary conversion for allen key brakes. Personnaly I'd stick with period kit and source something decent from ebay

Monty Dog

Drill out the back of your forks to take the recessed allen-nut of a modern brake and you'll be sorted - 8mm I think. Brake performance has improved considerably in the last 25 years and don't let anyone tell you otherwise, so unless you're restoring a classic bike it's work the upgrade. FWIW I have both modern Campagnolo Record brakes on one bike and immaculate Modolos on a restored 1983 Gios - the Modolos make plenty of noise, flex like crazy and slow you down eventually in comparison to the modern ones.

litttlestwoo

Old brakes arn't as good as new brakes, the lighter action, better modulation, greater outright power etc, etc are all vast improvements, but.. my 605's are on a classic 531 70's bike which is ridden hard as was originally intended, it flies down some seriouly fast decents and I find a lot of confidence in them. You have got to pull them harder, and they are only reallty safe to use at speed from the drops, but they are good. There is a tendancy to squeel at little but the brakes do what they need to do which is what counts (and they look right on an old frame)

rolf_f

litttlestwoo wrote:

These breaks are very, very good. The main difference between these and my more modern dual pivots, is that to get decent braking force you have to operate the weinemann's from the drops.

I think that's more down to the levers than anything. If the cable comes out of the top of the hood, the pivot seems to be lower down so attempting to brake off the hoods doesn't give enough leverage because you are only exerting pressure just past the pivot. The levers with brake cables routed along the bars have higher pivots which enable proportionately more pressure to be obtained braking from the hoods. At least this is what I assume is the explanation! Fits with what I see on the bikes I have.

bice

litttlestwoo wrote:

Old brakes arn't as good as new brakes, the lighter action, better modulation, greater outright power etc, etc are all vast improvements, but.. my 605's are on a classic 531 70's bike which is ridden hard as was originally intended, it flies down some seriouly fast decents and I find a lot of confidence in them. You have got to pull them harder, and they are only reallty safe to use at speed from the drops, but they are good. There is a tendancy to squeel at little but the brakes do what they need to do which is what counts (and they look right on an old frame)

I am sure you are right. But my ancient Weinemanns stop pretty well with MTB levers. I was expecting to have to change them.

Stellite

Monty Dog wrote:

Drill out the back of your forks to take the recessed allen-nut of a modern brake and you'll be sorted - 8mm I think. Brake performance has improved considerably in the last 25 years and don't let anyone tell you otherwise, so unless you're restoring a classic bike it's work the upgrade. FWIW I have both modern Campagnolo Record brakes on one bike and immaculate Modolos on a restored 1983 Gios - the Modolos make plenty of noise, flex like crazy and slow you down eventually in comparison to the modern ones.

I second that. I have Modolo Speedys on my reconditioned Quinn, with the original sintered brake pads. Makes for an exciting ride in the dry, never mind the wet :shock:

stabilised

I drilled out the fork crown and the rear brake bridge on my wife's 531c Dawes Imperial last year to replace the Weinmann (605s, too, I think) brakes that had been on since whenever it was the thing was built. She hated them - was at the point of getting off and walking DOWN some of the steep hills round here, so little faith did she have in their ability to stop her. Some new dual piviots and she's much happier. It was easy to do and there have been no problems at all.

My winter bike/communter still has single pivot brakes - Campagnolo Victory (circa 1986, I think) - and they're crap! I used to have Modolo Equipes and those were better, or at least I remember them being better, but I'd second the view that unless you're engaged in a period restoration project and want the authentic touch you'd be better off getting the drill out and fitting modern brakes.

bice

I still think this is more the levers. I kept the Weinemanns on my 351 commuter which had MTB levers, but I jettisoned the old Shimano 105s on my c.1985 Ciocc road bike commuter in favour of modern dual pivot 105s. They were far better - though admittedly I had been riding around with the Tektro brake levers set to 'open' for months without noticing.