Brake quick release halfway open...why?

Dave said:

I sometimes see guys who ride with their shimano brake quick release
tab in a half-open position, these tend to be very serious racer

types.

Quoted message said:

They ride like this all the time, (i.e. they're not opening 'em up

for

Quoted message said:

climbs or anything) and I guess they have their cable length such

that

Quoted message said:

this halfway position puts the pads at the same distance from the rim
that a normal setup would have with the release fully closed.

I've seen this many times but can't understand what the point is.

Just

Quoted message said:

curious...

I'm sure everyone's got different reasons, but two spring to mind for
me:

A) Your brake pads can wear noticeably during just one rainy ride. And
if you like to run your brakes a little loose to begin with one rainy
ride might be enough to make your brake lever bottom out on your
h-bars. This way you can both open the brake for climbs or close it a
bit to compensate for wear.

B) If you switch wheels a lot, you've got leeway on either end to
quickly adjust the brakes for varying rim widths.

I'm sure there are other reasons.

Dave said:

I sometimes see guys who ride with their shimano brake quick release
tab in a half-open position, these tend to be very serious racer types.
They ride like this all the time, (i.e. they're not opening 'em up for
climbs or anything) and I guess they have their cable length such that
this halfway position puts the pads at the same distance from the rim
that a normal setup would have with the release fully closed.

I've seen this many times but can't understand what the point is. Just
curious...

You'll see this on Campag equipped pros as well, with the brake lever
opened. For two reasons, methinks.
First, the silly light wheel has been whacked a little and they don't
have the time to stop for a new wheel. Also some of these wheels, being
pretty flexy, tend to rub the brake blocks when climbing, hence opening
the brake up. Tri people do this as well.

I do it because I have many wheels with different width rims. If I'm
using a race wheel, I'll close up the QR a little. If I throw in an old
MA40 for training, I'll open it up a little.

Dave said:

I sometimes see guys who ride with their shimano brake quick release
tab in a half-open position, these tend to be very serious racer types.
They ride like this all the time, (i.e. they're not opening 'em up for
climbs or anything) and I guess they have their cable length such that
this halfway position puts the pads at the same distance from the rim
that a normal setup would have with the release fully closed.

I've seen this many times but can't understand what the point is. Just
curious...

I don't really have an answer to your question other than to say I've done it to
limp home with a pranged rim.

Just wanted to comment on what a very slick bit of design work went into those
releases that makes it possible to do this.

Ron

(Dave wondered):

Quoted message said:

I've seen this [partially opened QR levers) many times but can't

understand what the point is. Just

Quoted message said:

curious...

(RS replied):

Quoted message said:

I don't really have an answer to your question other than to say I've

done it to

Quoted message said:

limp home with a pranged rim.

The old Campy sidepulls were run like this by some in the attempt to
have a non-grabby brake to use in flat crits-- IOW, trying to keep from
"being part of the problem", or a casualty.

Quoted message said:

Just wanted to comment on what a very slick bit of design work went

into those

Quoted message said:

releases that makes it possible to do this.

These are slick but IMHO the lever button QR's are superior since full
braking power is always available even with the calipers opened. True,
another dodge must be used to limit power if that is desired. Easy
enough with the length adjuster. --TP

Peter Chisholm said:

Quoted message said:

I sometimes see guys who ride with their Shimano brake quick
release tab in a half-open position, these tend to be very serious
racer types. They ride like this all the time, (i.e. they're not
opening 'em up for climbs or anything) and I guess they have their
cable length such that this halfway position puts the pads at the
same distance from the rim that a normal setup would have with the
release fully closed.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've seen this many times but can't understand what the point is.
Just curious...

Quoted message said:

You'll see this on Campagnolo equipped pros as well, with the brake
lever opened. For two reasons, methinks.

Quoted message said:

First, the silly light wheel has been whacked a little and they
don't have the time to stop for a new wheel. Also some of these
wheels, being pretty flexy, tend to rub the brake blocks when
climbing, hence opening the brake up. Tri people do this as well.

As I mentioned, the reason Campagnolo brought the single pivot rear
brake back is so riders won't ride up hills with the QR open. Dual
pivot brakes are such because they have a higher mechanical advantage
that requires lower pad clearance to reach the rim with the given
lever travel. This low clearance makes rear wheels drag when
climbing, something that becomes apparent in wet weather because the
grit makes scraping sounds with each pedal stroke.

Riding with the QR open solves this problem but then with dual pivot
brakes there is practically no hand lever travel left by the time the
pads hit the rim so there is also no effective braking. Single pivot
calipers generally have a 1:1 ratio and run safely with more
clearance.

Jobst Brandt
[email hidden]

Dave said:

I sometimes see guys who ride with their shimano brake quick release
tab in a half-open position, these tend to be very serious racer types.
They ride like this all the time, (i.e. they're not opening 'em up for
climbs or anything) and I guess they have their cable length such that
this halfway position puts the pads at the same distance from the rim
that a normal setup would have with the release fully closed.

I've seen this many times but can't understand what the point is. Just
curious...

Jobst will tell you that it's because dual pivot brakes have to be run
too close to the rim, so they tend to rub when climbing.

Quoted message said:

B) If you switch wheels a lot, you've got leeway on either end to
quickly adjust the brakes for varying rim widths.

I'm inclined to go with this theory. I'm in So Cal and see this so I
don't think they do it because of pad wear in the rain, and they
definitely don't do it for more pad clearance because as I said the
pads appear to be quite close even with the lever halfway open.

And since serious racers would be the most likely to have multiple
wheelsets, this is the only explanation that makes any sense to me.

Zog The Undeniable said:

Dave said:

I sometimes see guys who ride with their shimano brake quick release
tab in a half-open position, these tend to be very serious racer types.
They ride like this all the time, (i.e. they're not opening 'em up for
climbs or anything) and I guess they have their cable length such that
this halfway position puts the pads at the same distance from the rim
that a normal setup would have with the release fully closed.

I've seen this many times but can't understand what the point is. Just
curious...

Jobst will tell you that it's because dual pivot brakes have to be run
too close to the rim, so they tend to rub when climbing.

Jobst may even do so 8 minutes prior to Zog's undeniable post. 😉

--
Tom Sherman - Earth (Downstate Illinois, North of Forgottonia)