Brakes Issue

GeeKay

When I got back into road cycling, some four years ago, I was told that V-brakes and brifters don't mix. Is this still true?

I ask this because I'm sick to the back teeth with the flabby cantilever brakes on my tourer bike. And I can't use disc brakes, more's the pity. I'm actually considering replacing the cantis with racing bike style side-pull brakes - or even some venerable Weinmann centre-pulls? Or is this being just too retro-silly for words?

So any advice would be extremely welcome,

Thanks

rolf_f

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19704202#p19704202]GeeKay[/url] wrote:

When I got back into road cycling, some four years ago, I was told that V-brakes and brifters don't mix. Is this still true?

I ask this because I'm sick to the back teeth with the flabby cantilever brakes on my tourer bike. And I can't use disc brakes, more's the pity. I'm actually considering replacing the cantis with racing bike style side-pull brakes - or even some venerable Weinmann centre-pulls? Or is this being just too retro-silly for words?

So any advice would be extremely welcome,

Thanks

I've just done over 4000 miles of fully loaded with tent etc touring on a steel tourer fitted with cantis from 1990. They were fine.

Cantis are a bit tricky to set up but there is nothing wrong with them in principle. They either need setting up or replacing with new ones (Tektro do some very good ones that aren't expensive). Only put Weinmann centre pulls on if you like watching the sight of calipers deforming alarmingly as your brake lever carries on moving towards the bars!

GeeKay

Oddly enough, I have a set of Weinmann 750s on my one-time tourer-turned-shopper bike. I paid £15 for the bike back in the late 1970s and apart from the frame itself (an undistingushed Falcon), the only original components left on the bike itself are the Weinmann brakes. I don't know how many thousands of miles I've done on the bike since then, both in its heavily laden tourer and more recent shopper modes. But given that I live on top of a 1:6 hill, with a busy main road at the bottom, these brakes (nowadays graced with cheapish replacement levers) have literally been a lifesaver for me.

Saying that, they don't quite match the raw stopping power of a friend's V-braked MTB. As a result, I would still like to know if it's possible to have V-brakes fitted on to my three-year old Surly LHT-framed tourer, which is equipped with standard drop-handlebar-style levers.

Many thanks

mikenetic

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19704536#p19704536]GeeKay[/url] wrote:

Oddly enough, I have a set of Weinmann 750s on my one-time tourer-turned-shopper bike. I paid £15 for the bike back in the late 1970s and apart from the frame itself (an undistingushed Falcon), the only original components left on the bike itself are the Weinmann brakes. I don't know how many thousands of miles I've done on the bike since then, both in its heavily laden tourer and more recent shopper modes. But given that I live on top of a 1:6 hill, with a busy main road at the bottom, these brakes (nowadays graced with cheapish replacement levers) have literally been a lifesaver for me.

Saying that, they don't quite match the raw stopping power of a friend's V-braked MTB. As a result, I would still like to know if it's possible to have V-brakes fitted on to my three-year old Surly LHT-framed tourer, which is equipped with standard drop-handlebar-style levers.

Many thanks

Standard MTB V-Brakes won't work well (if at all) with Brifters, as they don't pull enough cable.

You have a couple of options. You could separate the shifting from the braking and then use a V-compatible lever like the Cane Creek Drop V ones http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/cane-creek-drop-v-brake-levers/rp-prod35189

Or you could try mini V-brakes; the shorter arms work better with the cable pull on a brifter. However, they may not give you much clearance above the tire/mudguard. TRP, Tektro and Paul Components all do versions of them at different price points. They tend to have slightly different arm lengths, which affects the rim clearance. Some good info here http://forums.roadbikereview.com/cyclocross/trp-cx9-0s-cx8-4s-282586.html

svetty

Cyclo-crossers manage with cantis using STIs so I'm sure you can get it to work effectively :P

GeeKay

Thanks for the helpful advice and links. On balance, and having in the meantime done some scouting around on the net, it now looks likely that I'll go for a disc brake option, leastways for the front wheel. It does mean new forks and a new front wheel for the bike, but it will end in one fell swoop the chronic 'birds nest' space issues I have regarding the front cantis and the Lumotec dynamo lamp on the fork crown. My shopper can inherit the tourer's front wheel, plus its hub dynamo. It's an expensive option, I know, but I can think of a lot worse ways of spending the loot.

rolf_f

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19706397#p19706397]GeeKay[/url] wrote:

, but it will end in one fell swoop the chronic 'birds nest' space issues I have regarding the front cantis and the Lumotec dynamo lamp on the fork crown.

Actually, I really don't understand this comment! I have a B&M Luxos U dynamo lamp on the fork crown of my canti fitted tourer and there is no 'chronic birds nest space issue'! The straddle cable bridge sits nicely above the lamp bracket and all is fine!

Sounds expensive too as not only will you need a new front wheel you'll need a new dynamo. It would be a lot cheaper just to set your cantis up properly!

trek_dan

TRP CX9's are excellent.

GeeKay

Hmm, I should have included a few shots of the 'birds nest' issue, regarding my tourer. The geometrical muddle shall be laid bare, but first I need to borrow a camera (my mobile is truly ancient), and this I shall do asap. But thanks for the comment. . .