Looking for Cantilever B rakes ...

In article <[email hidden]>,
ajames54 @hotmail.com says...

Quoted message said:

I've got XT V-Brakes on the mountain bike ... and two sets
of wheels. One set has a rim that is a whopping 2.5 mm
wider than the other. and every time I want to change the
wheels I have to radically re-adjust the brakes .. this
makes me sad. Add to that the fact that every non-shimano
(crappy, no-life, rim-eating pads) brake pad I've put in
them squeels like a banshee and I want to swap them out...

When I look around all I find for Cantis are the Avid
Shorties (which I know nothing about, and are a special
order) or really cheap quality Shimano Altus/Alevio NOS.

What I'm hoping is that someone here might have a line on
a couple pairs of Diacomp 987 's ... or something similar.
Either that or a review of the Shorties, since I really
don't like buying sight unseen...

My Fuji Touring comes with Avid Shorty 4 brakes, and they've
been great so far (< 1 year, though). The pads do tend to
collect grit, so you might want to look for a different pad
if you're putting on new brakes.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in
the newsgroups if possible).

ajames54 said:

I've got XT V-Brakes on the mountain bike ... and two sets
of wheels. One set has a rim that is a whopping 2.5 mm
wider than the other. and every time I want to change the
wheels I have to radically re-adjust the brakes .. this
makes me sad.

Actually, the "Parrallel Push" linkage in those cantis
should make them considerably _more_ forgiving of
different rim widths than traditional cantilevers (or
simple V-type brakes.)

Quoted message said:

Add to that the fact that every non-shimano (crappy, no-
life, rim-eating pads) brake pad I've put in them squeels
like a banshee and I want to swap them out...

Try the Kool Stop Dual-Compound "Mountain" pads.

sheldonbrown.combrakeshoesOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

When I look around all I find for Cantis are the Avid
Shorties (which I know nothing about, and are a
special order)

They're quite good. We stock these, and offer several other
choices in traditional cantilevers at
sheldonbrown.comcantileversOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

or really cheap quality Shimano Altus/Alevio NOS.

The only problem with those is the stigma of low price.
They're actually quite good, if you upgrade the pads.

Quoted message said:

What I'm hoping is that someone here might have a line on
a couple pairs of Diacomp 987 's ... or something similar.
Either that or a review of the Shorties, since I really
don't like buying sight unseen...

Eventually I'll have a pair of XT-Vee brakes to go..

I'd love to sell you stuff, but my advice is to stick
with the XTs.

Any center-pull cantilever will be a downgrade in
performance. The main reason we carry them is for use with
drop handlebars, because most drop bar brake levers aren't
compatible with V-Brakes.

Sheldon "If It Ain't Broke" Brown +--------------------------------------------------------
---------+
| This message has been sent to you using recycled
| electrons | exclusively. Please do not discard them
| after use, | send them along and help conserve these
| irreplaceable | sub-atomic resources for future
| generations. |
+-----------------------------------------------------------
------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-
9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find
parts shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗
sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Ajames54
I've got XT V-Brakes on the mountain bike ... and two sets
of wheels. One set has a rim that is a whopping 2.5 mm wider
than the other. and every time I want to change the wheels I
have to radically re-adjust the brakes .. this makes me sad.
Add to that the fact that every non-shimano (crappy, no-
life, rim-eating pads) brake pad I've put in them squeels
like a banshee and I want to swap them out...

When I look around all I find for Cantis are the Avid
Shorties (which I know nothing about, and are a special
order) or really cheap quality Shimano Altus/Alevio NOS.

What I'm hoping is that someone here might have a line on a
couple pairs of Diacomp 987 's ... or something similar.
Either that or a review of the Shorties, since I really
don't like buying sight unseen...

Eventually I'll have a pair of XT-Vee brakes to go..

You might want to see if you can swap the shoes for some quality Kool Stop pads. Clean rim surface with Scotch Brite pads.
Why do you have rims that are 2.5 mm difference in width?
I know that swapping brake type is easier, but is it possible to swap rims?
Will your brake levers handle the difference in cable pull leverage?
If not, you will need to change them too.
Only 3 reviews at the Mountain Bicycle review site:
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Brake_System/product_88595.shtml
I will add that I use them on my touring single and both of our tandems since I use raod drop bars. They work fine, but if I could find a clean and reliable way to use XT-Vee brakes I would.

I'm going to top post 'cause all I'm going to say is "what
Sheldon said."

Stick with the V-brakes for your situation. Cantis are going
to be much more a PITA.

M

"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ajames54 said:

I've got XT V-Brakes on the mountain bike ... and two
sets of wheels. One set has a rim that is a whopping 2.5
mm wider than the other. and every time I want to change
the wheels I have to radically re-adjust the brakes ..
this makes me sad.

Actually, the "Parrallel Push" linkage in those cantis
should make them considerably _more_ forgiving of
different rim widths than traditional cantilevers (or
simple V-type brakes.)

Quoted message said:

Add to that the fact that every non-shimano (crappy, no-
life, rim-eating pads) brake pad I've put in them
squeels like a banshee and I want to swap them out...

Try the Kool Stop Dual-Compound "Mountain" pads.

sheldonbrown.combrakeshoesOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

When I look around all I find for Cantis are the Avid
Shorties (which I know nothing about, and are a special
order)

They're quite good. We stock these, and offer several
other choices in traditional cantilevers at
sheldonbrown.comcantileversOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

or really cheap quality Shimano Altus/Alevio NOS.

The only problem with those is the stigma of low price.
They're actually quite good, if you upgrade the pads.

Quoted message said:

What I'm hoping is that someone here might have a line
on a couple pairs of Diacomp 987 's ... or something
similar. Either that or a review of the Shorties, since
I really don't like buying sight unseen...

Eventually I'll have a pair of XT-Vee brakes to go..

I'd love to sell you stuff, but my advice is to stick with
the XTs.

Any center-pull cantilever will be a downgrade in
performance. The main reason we carry them is for use with
drop handlebars, because most drop bar brake levers aren't
compatible with V-Brakes.

Sheldon "If It Ain't Broke" Brown +--------------------------------------------------------
---------+
| This message has been sent to you using recycled
| electrons | exclusively. Please do not discard them
| after use, | send them along and help conserve these
| irreplaceable | sub-atomic resources for future
| generations. |
+---------------------------------------------------------
--------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-
find parts shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗
sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Ajames54
I've got XT V-Brakes on the mountain bike ... and two sets
of wheels. One set has a rim that is a whopping 2.5 mm wider
than the other. and every time I want to change the wheels I
have to radically re-adjust the brakes .. this makes me sad.
Add to that the fact that every non-shimano (crappy, no-
life, rim-eating pads) brake pad I've put in them squeels
like a banshee and I want to swap them out...

When I look around all I find for Cantis are the Avid
Shorties (which I know nothing about, and are a special
order) or really cheap quality Shimano Altus/Alevio NOS.

What I'm hoping is that someone here might have a line on a
couple pairs of Diacomp 987 's ... or something similar.
Either that or a review of the Shorties, since I really
don't like buying sight unseen...

Eventually I'll have a pair of XT-Vee brakes to go..

I had similar issues of wheel width adjustment and squeeling pads with V brakes. I did 2 things:

1. I changed to Cool Stop Salmon pads and that solved my pad problems including squeeling. I just worry that your Shimano brakes may be more prone to squeeling then my Avid ones.

By the way, Sheldon sold me Cool Stop Salmon pads, mountain brake style, for the old Campy NR brakes on my road bike. They are so much better then the old Campy pads that I am no longer considering to replace the calipers.

2. I installed noodles having adjusting barrels. They are inexpensive and added enough adjustment range to accommodate my different width wheels. It might just work for you. If so, you might consider to keep your V brakes.

Steve Shapiro

Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

ajames54 said:

I've got XT V-Brakes on the mountain bike ... and two
sets of wheels. One set has a rim that is a whopping 2.5
mm wider than the other. and every time I want to change
the wheels I have to radically re-adjust the brakes ..
this makes me sad.

Actually, the "Parrallel Push" linkage in those cantis
should make them considerably _more_ forgiving of
different rim widths than traditional cantilevers (or
simple V-type brakes.)

Well since you haven't steered me wrong yet I'll take
another pass at them but in earlier attempts I had two
options either too tight to take the wider rim or Levers
jammed into the grips when trying to stop quickly on the
narrow rims.

and that was with the barrel adjuster almost fully out for
the narrow rims and done up tight for the wider.

ajames54 said:

I've got XT V-Brakes on the mountain bike ... and two sets
of wheels. One set has a rim that is a whopping 2.5 mm
wider than the other. and every time I want to change the
wheels I have to radically re-adjust the brakes .. this
makes me sad. Add to that the fact that every non-shimano
(crappy, no-life, rim-eating pads) brake pad I've put in
them squeels like a banshee and I want to swap them out...

When I look around all I find for Cantis are the Avid
Shorties (which I know nothing about, and are a special
order) or really cheap quality Shimano Altus/Alevio NOS.

What I'm hoping is that someone here might have a line on
a couple pairs of Diacomp 987 's ... or something similar.
Either that or a review of the Shorties, since I really
don't like buying sight unseen...

Eventually I'll have a pair of XT-Vee brakes to go..

Nothing wrong with the current Altus . (Older models had a
poorly designed plastic spring mount)

Tektro also does a fine brake at a great price.
yellowjersey.orgbrax.htmlOpen ↗

Those two products are as easy to set up and as effective as
brakes 5x more expensive. No downside I can find.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
April, 1971