Budget V-brakes advice please

nowthenbike

I have 5 children who ride mountain bikes and hybrid bikes, all of which use V-brakes. I find that if I balance the V-brakes then it is only a few weeks before I am having to do it again (and that's a lot of brakes). Now I need to buy some new V-brakes so I am in need of some advice. I am wondering if this balancing problem is the same on all brakes. If so, I will just buy these:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=71559
However, I could stretch to something like these:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=34700
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=22386
If I pay any more then the brakes will be worth as much as the bikes. I am not interested in them being able to stop on a sixpence or anything like that - they aren't cycling up and down Ben Nevis. I just want some brakes with strong springs that remain constant - such springs shouldn't cost that much, so I don't see why the solution to my problem has to be to spend money - I just need a good recommendation.
Thank you in advance.

cooldad

Big fan of Avids before I discovered discs, but whether that will solve your problem I don't know. Can't you just bend the springs?

FunBus

Firstly, congratulations on your super sperm. Secondly, congratulations for getting them all on bikes and not in front of an X-Box!!

If set up correctly and, wheels remain straight/tight, there shouldnt be any reason for them to continually go out of line - unless your kids have got gorilla grip and constantly stretch the cables exaggerating any misalignment in the brake. If it was my choice, i'd go for the shimano's - good price and, good brake so long as they've not got cheap plastic levers which make any rim brake feel pants.

nowthenbike

What do you mean "bend the springs" - are you talking about the type with a long spring arm because none of ours have that. The springs are just little cylindrical spirals with ends that stick out by a few mm.

nowthenbike

FunBus wrote:

Firstly, congratulations on your super sperm. Secondly, congratulations for getting them all on bikes and not in front of an X-Box!!

I notice that you are assuming that I am a bloke. Probably a safe bet, if we can extrapolate my wife's reluctance to touch a spanner, to the whole population.

cooldad

nowthenbike wrote:

What do you mean "bend the springs" - are you talking about the type with a long spring arm because none of ours have that. The springs are just little cylindrical spirals with ends that stick out by a few mm.

Only ones I've ever had have the spring extending the length of the arm.

The Rookie

I've had lots as the OP describes...

Any tiny difference in friction to the posts will affect the balance, so the best brakes in the world won't change it if the cause is the post!

What grease do you use, I find 'red rubber' waterproof bearing grease the most reliable for V pivots.

cooldad

My old Avids had bearings I think.

nowthenbike

What grease do I use?..........Hmmm! I think you may have highlighted a significant problem. I don't use any. Shocker! So why do you use red rubber grease? What is it about that kind of grease that makes it so good?
Having made my confession, I must say that the problem that I am frequently seeing is the spring going very slack. It's not really a problem of fine balancing.

thelonegroover

Sounds like you can balance the brakes OK, then after a while one side fails to move back as much as the other. Try spraying the moving parts with some GT85 or similar, then use any general bike grease to keep them smooth.