Brake drop: Campag vs Shimano?, etc.



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Pete Biggs

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Of the current ranges of dual pivot front brake calipers, which make allows the pads to be set
the lowest?

Officially, Campag say 42 - 52mm, Shimano: 49mm (centre?), but what about the reality in practice?

Any problem with filing the bottom of the slot a bit? Dangerous?

Do Shimano calipers work well with Campag levers?

I want to fit a good front brake to an old bike with mudguards (fenders) and 27" front wheel. I
reckon a modern Campag caliper would provide the reach for this, but would also like enough reach
for a 700c wheel in future - without resorting to bodges or any CrappyBrand deep-drop types if can
be avoided.

Currently, the bike has a Weinnman centre-pull and I'll soon be fitting Ergo levers. I know the
combination of those two is supposed to be reasonable (levers being more important than calipers and
all that), but would still prefer a modern d/p for the lighter-action and also to get better cable
routing (would be a sharp bend from handlebar to cable hanger otherwise). But still any
comments/ideas on using the centre-pulls in my situation would be appreciated.

note. Drilling the (531) forks should be no problem (hopefully!) to take allen key-type brakes if
necessary.

cheers ~PB
 
Please note that I would still like the info on standard reach calipers because I'm not sure I'll
need long reach ones. The standard brakes will be easier and cheaper for me to buy.

~PB (UK)
 
"Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > Shimano makes "long reach" (47mm to 57mm) dual pivot brakes. Checkout :
> > http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/Brakes.asp
>
> Thanks very much, but do they otherwise work as well as the normal-reach ones?
>
> ~PB

I've had these on my audax bike for the last five years and I think they work pretty damn good.
However, I haven't ridden any other road bikes so don't know how they compare. Paul.
 
Pete Biggs <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > Shimano makes "long reach" (47mm to 57mm) dual pivot brakes. Checkout :
> > http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/Brakes.asp
>
> Thanks very much, but do they otherwise work as well as the normal-reach ones?
>

I wouldn't think you would be able to tell the difference in use. Any difference will be just
down to the extra reach, so both should be the same at the same reach (48mm ish) - you'll loose
some leverage even between the top and bottom of the adjustment slot on the same brake,
theoretically speaking.

No need to go to the US for them - they are widely available here - you may also be able to find
some of the old stock RX100s or 105s as a cheaper alternative to the new models (or more expensive
in the case of the Bandits of Bridgwater)

Filing the slots should be OK, within reason (don't go right through)

Lots of folk sell all-Campag Audax bikes, except for Shimano deep drop brakes.

Spa Cycles are advertising the RX100 deep drop brakes in nut fitting at £45, which would save the
possibility of getting the fork crown drilling wrong, and a Tektro 47-57 dual pivot brake at £30,

Andrew
 
"Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Of the current ranges of dual pivot front brake calipers,
which make
> allows the pads to be set the lowest?
>
> Officially, Campag say 42 - 52mm, Shimano: 49mm (centre?),
but what about
> the reality in practice?
>
> Any problem with filing the bottom of the slot a bit?
Dangerous?
>
> Do Shimano calipers work well with Campag levers?
>
> I want to fit a good front brake to an old bike with
mudguards (fenders)
> and 27" front wheel. I reckon a modern Campag caliper
would provide the
> reach for this, but would also like enough reach for a
700c wheel in
> future - without resorting to bodges or any CrappyBrand
deep-drop types if
> can be avoided.
>
> Currently, the bike has a Weinnman centre-pull and I'll
soon be fitting
> Ergo levers. I know the combination of those two is
supposed to be
> reasonable (levers being more important than calipers and
all that), but
> would still prefer a modern d/p for the lighter-action and
also to get
> better cable routing (would be a sharp bend from handlebar
to cable hanger
> otherwise). But still any comments/ideas on using the
centre-pulls in my
> situation would be appreciated.
>
> note. Drilling the (531) forks should be no problem
(hopefully!) to take
> allen key-type brakes if necessary.
>
> cheers ~PB
>

A. E. Bike - http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&Category=428 - lists some long reach/57mm
double pivot road calipers - including Shimano R-600's and some cheaper Tektro
521A/521AG. Their prices are not bad....
 
"Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Please note that I would still like the info on standard reach calipers because I'm not sure I'll
> need long reach ones. The standard brakes will be easier and cheaper for me to buy.
>
> ~PB (UK)

A confusion in terminology- current "long-reach" is the same as the old standard reach. The new
"standard" reach is the same as the old "short" reach. If the vertical distance between the center
bolt and the center of the brake pad is less than 57mm, you can use any of the current crop of
longer-reach dual pivot calipers: http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&SKU=BR0552
http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&SKU=BR0610
http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&SKU=BR0611
http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&SKU=BR7304
http://harriscyclery.net/site/page.cfm?PageID=49&SKU=BR7301

I dunno about the availability of the Tektro calipers in the U.K.

Jeff
 
Update: I've worked out that a long-reach front brake isn't required - even for a 700c wheel.

I'd like to try using the spare _rear_ Campag Avanti d/p I've already got using the tricks described
at: http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_r.html#recessed ...But I'll need either a extra-extra-long nut or
an alternative way or securing the mudguard. Help!! :)

The longest recessed nut I know of is 18mm (shaft). That isn't enough (but I'm not yet sure what
will be; just a few more mm should do). Are there any longer than 18mm?

~PB
 
Pete Biggs wrote:
> I'd like to try using the spare _rear_ Campag Avanti d/p I've already got using the tricks
> described at: http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_r.html#recessed ...But I'll need either a
> extra-extra-long nut or an alternative way or securing the mudguard. Help!! :)

On second thoughts, that'll be over-ambitious and possibly dangerous for a brake with such a short
bolt. I think the SB tips are for front brakes only!

Drat, thought that was a really cheap & good solution for a moment :-(

~PB
 
In uk.rec.cycling Pete Biggs <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:

: Drat, thought that was a really cheap & good solution for a moment :-(

I suggest that the best (and still pretty cheap) solution would be some long-reach Shimano
dual-pivots. I've got some (which I'm not willing to part with I'm afraid!) and they work every bit
as well as the short-reach ones (and I've got Record brakes on the race bike..)

It means that you'll be running the blocks in the middle of the range, not the extreme which will
just make life soooo much less faffy.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
Lord Lester
 
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