57mm "Long Drop" Brake Calipers

Oxo

Hi,

I'm after a pair of good "Long Drop" brake calipers for my Campagnolo equiped Kinesis Racelight T2 that I'm building. Can anyone suggest some nice quality, top performing and durable calipers based on their own long-term use?

Any advice much appreciated.

Cheers

Ox

godders1

Coincidentally I'm building a Campag equipped Kinesis Racelight T2 too! Having spent quite a bit of time looking for some decent 57mm drop brakes I think I'm going to go for some Van Nicholas:

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/detail.asp/sk ... pers_Black

The only others I've found are some budget offerings from tektro and ambrosio.

Sorry, not the experienced view you're after but thought I'd share the fruit of my research.

canamdad

You won't go wrong with either Shimano R450 or R650. I have an earlier version of these on a Kinesis T and no complaints whatsoever with stopping power.

Oxo

Many thanks for the replies.

I'd not spotted those Van Nicholas brakes before, I'd be interested to hear what you think of them when they turn up. Pity they don't come in silver, but I can live with black if they are good enough. I'll look some of those Shimano R650s out too thanks.

@Godders, I'd be very interested in your experience building your Kinesis and the spec. I'm pretty much at the stage I can start assembling mine (once I have the brakes!).

Cheers

Ox

cookiemonster

I've used the shimanos on my (campag equiped) Roberts audax for three years or so. They're very good - not much difference between them and the chorus callipers on my race bike.

jon

Oxo

Thanks Jon,

Is it the R650s you have? How have the fittings held up against corrosion? This will eventually end up being my winter bike, so if they hold rust at bay it would be a major bonus.

Cheers

Ox

keef66

I have the R450's on my Kinesis Racelight Tk which I ride year round. Pleasantly surprised by their stopping power despite the Tiagra type all in one pads. The R650's with the metal pad holder can only be better.

3 (pretty crap) winters and still no sign of corrosion anywhere. In contrast the stem face plate bolts are all orange with rust!

cookiemonster

Hi

Yep, the 650's and they're corrosion free, despite the Roberts being used as my winter bike too

Jon

flasher

I have the 650's on my winter bike and they're great but really you can't use them with the Campag group, it's just not right!

kettrinboy

Another vote for R650,s here, put some on my old Raleigh and it now stops nearly as good as my Ultegra braked Scott CR1.

keef66

It's not his fault that Campag don't make long drop brakes any more!

daviesee

Flasher wrote:

I have the 650's on my winter bike and they're great but really you can't use them with the Campag group, it's just not right!

I agree but I am looking at a similar build to maintain compatability, tooling and handling. If Campagnolo don't offer long drop brakes then I willl fit the best substitute even if it does my head in to do so.

godders1

Hi Ox, my build will probably take a while as I’m getting parts together over quite a long period. I can’t afford to splurge a lot of cash at once unfortunately and the next couple of months I need to spend available cash on winter commuting stuff.

I have most of a groupset (a mixture of veloce and centaur), Planet X model B wheelset (snapped up as they’re currently on sale), an older Kinesis 12k carbon fork (used from CTC forums but in very good condition) and a few other bits and bobs (headset, stem etc). Realistically mine won't get done until towards the end of they year (just when the weather's really bad so I probably won't want to ride it :roll: ).

Likewise, I’d be interested to see how your build goes.

Oxo

daviesee wrote:

Flasher wrote:

I have the 650's on my winter bike and they're great but really you can't use them with the Campag group, it's just not right!

I agree but I am looking at a similar build to maintain compatability, tooling and handling. If Campagnolo don't offer long drop brakes then I willl fit the best substitute even if it does my head in to do so.

Precisely my thoughts, such a shame that Campag don't (to my knowledge) offer longer-drop calipers, especially as most of the non-Shimano alternatives seem to be in the "budget" category

R650s and a pack of wire-wool it is then

Cheers

Ox

crankycrank

If you're not put off by the price here are some beautiful and high quality long reach brakes that would do any Campag group justice. http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/ ... rakes.html Unfortunately, I believe they're only available from the States.

dieselgeezer

I bought the Miche ones at £16 the pair from Shiny Bikes, available in black or silver. Seem to be as good a quality as anything else I've seen.

saintdracula

TEKTRO R538s will be cheaper though.

g00se

My wife has the budget Miche's too. Seem very decent quality though you will probably want to upgrade the pads. No rust, flaking or discolouring after 12 months.

Kolob

I've just received a pair of the Van Nicholas long drop brakes from Fatbirds (link above) and they are just Tektro R730 brakes rebranded and doubled in price!

majormantra

Another vote for R650s having just ridden them through the winter on my Van Nic. They're stiff and powerful unlike some of the cheaper brakes I've tried. I have a silver Campag Veloce groupset and the brakes actually blend in fairly well.

I think Ribble has one of the best prices (that's where I got mine) but they're currently out of stock.

graham_g

Kolob wrote:

I've just received a pair of the Van Nicholas long drop brakes from Fatbirds (link above) and they are just Tektro R730 brakes rebranded and doubled in price!

I was too late... was just about to point out that they're probably just re-branded tektro. There's only so many brake manufacturers..

Anyway, I'll add that the shimano R650's are indeed the dog's - there is no better deep drop caliper in terms of performance (they're supposed to be Ultegra level). Have had a pair on the audax bike for nearly 4 years and they still look mint as well as performing well. Just bin the stock shimano pads because they'll eat a rim quicker than an acid bath as soon as they see some moist weather - kool stop salmons.

bedraggled

Sorry for changing the subject, I'm looking for a frame that can fit 28mm tyres (or larger) with mudguards fitted, my current bike hasn't got clearances for anything larger than 23mm. Does the Kinesis have sufficient clearances for 28mm with guards?

keef66

My Kinesis runs 25mm Conti 4 Seasons with full guards. Occasionally hear a stone being scraped round the mudguard, and they bung up quite badly in snow, so I'm not sure It would take 28's.

Annoyingly there's probably room for 28's in summer without the mudguards

Hoopdriver

Yet another vote for the Shimano R650