Looking for brakes

Peanutt

Hi,

I've just got a new bike but I'm not too fond of the cheap and nasty brake calipers it's got. I'm looking for a set of calipers with dual pivot that will sit close to the forks/frame and not 3 inches away like the current ones.

Any suggestions??

iPete

Pictures of current brakes?

Peanutt

Haven't got any but they are cheap chinese steel single pivot jobs, the bike's a raleigh race.

Monty Dog

You might be limited by the distance of the brake bridge on the frame to the wheel rim - if yours are more than 50mm, you're probably limited in choice. Photo will help lots.

racingcondor

If you're looking for something cheap(ish) I'd just stick to whichever brand makes your shifters. All the offerings from SRAM, Shimano and Campagnolo are excellent once you've put a brake pad with a metal shoe on them.

As others have said though depending on your set up you may be limited to long reach brakes which are likely to limit your options quite a bit.

bobones

Your brakes are attached to the frame with a standard nut and bolt rather than a recessed allen bolt. You can probably use Shimano long reach brakes by drilling the fork and using a long recessed nut on the front and either drilling the brake bridge on the rear or using a front brake on the back (to get a long enough bolt) and bolting it on. Alternatively buy a set of nutted brakes from the likes of Tektro. Better still, ditch that bike and get a Decathlon Triban 3, nutted brakes on a new bike are a sure sign of cheap quality throughout.

southdownswolf

Modern brakes can be used on frames with nut and bolt by using the nut conversion from SJS. http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektr ... prod24266/.
You put the modern front brake onto the rear (remembering to change the pads around) then use the nut above to attach the modern rear brake to the forks. This way no drilling is required.

Peanutt

Thanks guys, very helpful.

I have a nutted rear and a recessed front. What I'm after is a shorter distance from the front of the fork to the front of the brake, not necessarily shorter from the top to the pads. I just want the brakes nearer the frame/forks.

rolf_f

Peanutt wrote:

Thanks guys, very helpful.

I have a nutted rear and a recessed front. What I'm after is a shorter distance from the front of the fork to the front of the brake, not necessarily shorter from the top to the pads. I just want the brakes nearer the frame/forks.

Is this what you've got? Looks pretty normal to me. If the brakes were much nearer the forks, the pads would foul the forks when you open the release.

tiredofwhiners

Peanutt wrote:

Hi,but I'm not too fond of the cheap and nasty brake calipers it's got.

Do they stop you well enough ? If they can stop you well enough to throw you over the handlebars then the brakes work.

If so, why bother unless you are offended by how they appear ?

You also need to be aware that you might be putting a £10 brake on a £1 bike

Peanutt

Hi yeah that's it, never thought about the pads hitting the fork legs, good point.

It's true, just plain vanity that I don't like them. Was looking at 105's quite like the look of them. It may be a £1 bike but not for long, I have a tendency to modify them a bit. Already stripped down and awaiting sanding/remodelling :-)

Going to change out the wheels and crank too but that another post.

nickel

Sram Apex are good value, and come with swiss stop cartridge pads.