Dura-Ace &/or Ultegra levers with Disk & Mini-V brakes

CW83

Hello,
I'm contemplating setting up an Audax/touring bike with front disk and rear mini-v-brakes. Can someone with experience of these things please advise me if there're any issues running Dura Ace 7800 or Ultegra 6700 levers with 1) mini-V's or 2) Avid BB7 (road-)disk brakes.

I've read that different versions of Shimano brifters have differing pull lengths and I want to get the most appropriate for the brakes I've listed, and/or find out if there's any incompatibility between what's best for the front and back brakes.

(Please, no "advice" or rants about the virtues or otherwise of disks vs v- or mini-v-brakes vs cantilevers vs dual-pivot side-pulls: there's plenty online about that, I've got 35 years biking experience, and I'm in the process of making an informed decision recognising the potential limitations and compromises involved. I'm after reliable information from anyone who's used these levers with disks or mini-v's.)

Thanks,
CW83

ugo.santalucia

You can use both, but given the notorious pull ratio issues, you will have to fiddle a bit to find the correct setup. I have run discs with shimano levers and now with campagnolo... Pads need to be a lot closer to the disc than in mtbikes... Which means once the disc gets warped you will have to replace it

CW83

Hi Ugo.Santalucia,
Thanks for your swift reply, and apologies for my tardy one: I didn't expect so quick an answer.
Thanks,
CW83

ddraver

Do you already have the shifters? If not, could you be persuaded to go SRAM and have a more compatable set up?

Monty Dog

Folks have had problems with BB7s and the latest Shimano shifters because of the pull-ratio mentioned - you may be better sticking to the Shimano disc calipers.
TRP CX9 mini-vees are optimised for Shimano but do lack clearance and modulation - I run some CX8.4s with Campagnolo levers and they are one of the best rim brakes IME - easy to fit and adjust and no squealing.

FransJacques

It's all in the arm length as MD aluuded to but it wasn't totally explicit. 3 arm lengths which start to get into the right range for Shimano levers are 80mm, 84mm and 90mm with the shortest giving you the greatest scope for lever pull.

Also, you can roughy rank the cable pull of levers from more to less as follows, if you have another view please update this list:

- Shimano 7800, 6600
- Sram
- Shimano 7900, 6700 (latest ultegra)
- Campy

So 7800 lever would work with 90mm V-brake arms but you'd have to set the pads pretty close to the rim otherwise you'd run out of cable travel. If you run Campy you're better off sticking with cantis or find some 84mm which is what I had to do.

nwallace

Modern Shimano stuff is bowfit looking so I ended up with a full SRAM set up on my Kaff build.

AVID BB7 Roads take a wee while to set up but I've got mine feeling brilliant now, using SRAM Force levers, AVID V-Brakes on the back just have a look at SRAM kitted Cross bikes to see what's in use on the market.

Wouldn't say I have the pads that much closer to the disc rotor than I do on my Shimano M535 Hydraulic MTB system either.

Any particular reason why you want to stick with Shimano for your levers?

I need to go back to my bike with the Tiagra levers to improve the set up on that with qwhat I learnt setting up the Force levered bike.

CW83

Thank you all for your replies.

I have no emotional allegiance to Shimano, and agree the levers can look awkward; however, they suit my hands. I've tried SRAM and found they work well, too; I've not used Campagnolo parts for many, many years, tho' I have nothing against them.

I live in Australia and occasionally ride in Asia. In remote parts of both these areas, Shimano parts are by far the easiest to find so I've tended to stick with them.

Given some of the issues mentioned, I may revert to bar-end shifters such as I use on my touring bike, and use stand-alone brake levers.

... although I must admit I am Inclining to bite the bullet (or, as it may be, brifter) and move to Ultegra DI2, and use disks all round (either Shimano or Avid mechs, or the Hope cyclocross hydraulic/wire interface). Given my concern with accessibility and availability, I acknowledge this may be perverse.

Thanks again.