Cantilever brakes upgrade



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"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Colin <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I've already tried new cables and Aztec pads, but somehow the brakes just don't seem to have the
> > "bite" they once did. Would the Kool-Stop pads really make such a difference? It seems a bit of
> > a faff to be sending brake pads across the Altantic!
>
> Yes

It would be a faff, or they would make a difference? Or are you just agreeing that my brakes no
longer have bite? Yes we have no bananas.

> > Somebody suggested replacing the levers. This would seem like a cheap option, but I don't
> > understand how this would make a difference. Surely a lever is just a lever?
>
> No

Care to elaborate?

> > I'm not sure that I would like the complexity of hydraulic brakes. Are spare pads for the
> > Maguras easy to find?
> >
>
> Yes. They are very nice brakes but probably over the top for your bike.

I'm not sure whether or not you meant to be disparaging but since you haven't seen my bike I'll give
you the benefit of the doubt. :)

> > I've received a couple of e-mails mentioning Avid Shorty brakes, available from
> > www.gearshift.co.uk . One suggestion is to use these with WTB "abrasive" pads which are
> > apparently (?) the same as Kool-Stop?

> No.

Is that a definitive "No", in other words have you compared the two?

> I assume you are probably on 27" wheels. Those rims are hard to come by. Unless you are sure you
> can adapt to 700c rims (brake positioning) you do not want brake pads that will wear away the
> sidewalls of the rim.

Luckily my brother who had the bike built had the foresight to order 700c Mavic Module rims.

Cheers,

Colin
 
dvt wrote:
> Pete Biggs wrote:
>>
>> It's really not much of a faff.
>
> For those of us not on your island, what is a "faff?"
>

about the same as a fuss, but less sociable.

--
Andy Morris

AndyAtJinkasDotFreeserve.Co.UK

Love this: Put an end to Outlook Express's messy quotes
http://home.in.tum.de/~jain/software/oe-quotefix/
 
Rory <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> It took me several attempts to get it right, but taking the tyre off really helped align the
> pads. Also - beware rounding-out the allen head bolt that goes into the canti braze-on...
> DAMHIKIYKOK?
>

Have a look at the Magura Cult website. They have a very useful guide to setting them up.. I found
it easiest to wind the TPA screw in a few turns, clamp the pads hard to the rims, tighten the bolts
and then wind the screw out to provide the clearance.

Tony

http://www.raven-family.com

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" George
Bernard Shaw.
 
Colin <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>> Colin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> I've already tried new cables and Aztec pads, but somehow the brakes just don't seem to have the
>>> "bite" they once did. Would the Kool-Stop pads really make such a difference? It seems a bit of
>>> a faff to be sending brake pads across the Altantic!
>>
>> Yes
>
> It would be a faff, or they would make a difference? Or are you just agreeing that my brakes no
> longer have bite? Yes we have no bananas.
>

Yes Kool Stops do make a difference, Yes it is a bit of a faff sending them transatlantic
(but worth it)

>>> Somebody suggested replacing the levers. This would seem like a cheap option, but I don't
>>> understand how this would make a difference. Surely a lever is just a lever?
>>
>> No
>
> Care to elaborate?

As others have said, different levers give different performance. They are not all the same. To do
with pull and linearity of pull and feel and lever length and lever to bar distance.....

>
>>> I'm not sure that I would like the complexity of hydraulic brakes. Are spare pads for the
>>> Maguras easy to find?
>>>
>>
>> Yes. They are very nice brakes but probably over the top for your bike.
>
> I'm not sure whether or not you meant to be disparaging but since you haven't seen my bike I'll
> give you the benefit of the doubt. :)
>

Well I'm assuming its an '80's vintage bike. Well set up cantis or V-brakes will do very well.
Maguras are nice but they are expensive and I'm not sure they are worth it for road use. Very few
people use Maguras on road bikes.

>>> I've received a couple of e-mails mentioning Avid Shorty brakes, available from
>>> www.gearshift.co.uk . One suggestion is to use these with WTB "abrasive" pads which are
>>> apparently (?) the same as Kool-Stop?
>
>> No.
>
> Is that a definitive "No", in other words have you compared the two?

I have never seen any suggestion that the WTB abrasive pads are the same compound as the Kool Stops.
I can't say absolutely they are not though. I've not read many positive comments about the WTB
abrasives though.

>
>> I assume you are probably on 27" wheels. Those rims are hard to come by. Unless you are sure you
>> can adapt to 700c rims (brake positioning) you do not want brake pads that will wear away the
>> sidewalls of the rim.
>
> Luckily my brother who had the bike built had the foresight to order 700c Mavic Module rims.
>

In that case you are OK then

Tony

http://www.raven-family.com

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" George
Bernard Shaw.
 
A Muzi wrote:

>> Sorry, typo, that should have been: "DAMHIKIJKOK" - my bad.
> I still have no idea whatsoever what that means.

It means "Don't ask me how I know, I just know, OK?"

--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud
wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#103 http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#104
 
"A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> > Sorry, typo, that should have been: "DAMHIKIJKOK" - my bad.
>
> I still have no idea whatsoever what that means.

Don't-Ask-Me-How-I-Know-I-Just-Know-OK? I think it's a ISO standard or at least an RFC...
 
Tony Raven <[email protected]> wrote
> Yes Kool Stops do make a difference, Yes it is a bit of a faff sending
them
> transatlantic (but worth it)
>

www.wiggle.co.uk listed Kool Stop V brake cartridge Mountain (V) Eagle II (canti) Dura/Ultegra/105
cartridge in Salmon compound the other day

Andrew
 
Andrew Sweetman wrote:
> www.wiggle.co.uk listed Kool Stop V brake cartridge Mountain (V) Eagle II (canti) Dura/Ultegra/105
> cartridge in Salmon compound the other day

Blimey, they have as well. You have to click "more details" or "Standard" to see the full range
of options.

~PB
 
>> www.wiggle.co.uk listed Kool Stop V brake cartridge Mountain (V) Eagle II (canti)
>> Dura/Ultegra/105 cartridge in Salmon compound the other day

Anyone know if the "Kool Stop Dura Ace/Ultegra/105 Cartridges" from Wiggle fit the Kool Stop
"Dura" shoes?

(Wiggle also sell "Shimano Road Cartridges" but not in salmon).

~PB
 
On Fri, 24 Jan 2003 18:21:13 +0000 (UTC), "Andrew Sweetman"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>www.wiggle.co.uk listed Kool Stop V brake cartridge Mountain (V) Eagle II (canti) Dura/Ultegra/105
>cartridge in Salmon compound the other day

But they are on back-order (or rather "are on the way from our suppliers")

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.
 
Just zis Guy, you know? <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 24 Jan 2003 18:21:13 +0000 (UTC), "Andrew Sweetman"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >www.wiggle.co.uk listed Kool Stop V brake cartridge Mountain (V) Eagle II (canti)
> >Dura/Ultegra/105 cartridge in Salmon compound the other day
>
> But they are on back-order (or rather "are on the way from our suppliers")
>

So I noticed, but I ordered anyway as:
a) If they get ordered then they are more likely to become a stock item
b) I don't need them *now* anyway - I've a couple of pairs of the dual compound to get through first
(from Lakeland)

I'll try and remember to say how close reality is to the 3-4 days on the website

Andrew
 
Andrew Sweetman wrote:

> I'll try and remember to say how close reality is to the 3-4 days on the website

I ordered mine on 23 Jan, so they should have been here yesterday, but they probably mean
working days.

--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud
wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#103 http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#104
 
In message <[email protected]>, Colin
<[email protected]> writes
>Hello,
>
>I've been thinking about upgrading the cantilever brakes on my old tourer. My son's mountain bike
>has V brakes and I'm very impressed with their stopping power but I've been told that I can't fit
>them to my bike. Is this true?

Nope. BUT could have problems with clearance if you have mudguards.
>
>I've also been recommended a combination of Suntour SE cantilever brakes with Dia Compe brake
>levers that I understand are designed especially to work with cantilever brakes. The total for this
>combination would be roughly gbp 150, which seems rather high, but not out of the question if they
>really work well. Is this worth the money?

Sounds way over the top to me. I replaced the old Wenmann cantis on my wife's bike last year (a
Dawes of similar vintage to your bike), using Dia Compe short-reach levers and Avid Shorty cantis.
Well ,that's not strictly true - the design of the Avids brings them so close to the frame that I
couldn't make them fit at the front, so I did a swap with the old but effective Shimano cantis on my
utility bike. So that's something to watch for, I guess.

Now, about the Suntour SE's. Because my wife always complained about not being able to pull hard
enough on the levers, my first attempt at a refit involved Suntour SEs at the back. They turned out
to be totally over-engineered for the job and, because they have a slightly delayed reaction before
the full force cuts in, probably worse than standard cantis for everyday use. I'd say only consider
the SE's if you are planning to carry seriously heavy loads on steep hills. Otherwise get a good
standard cantilever. And if you must buy the SE's shop around. The best-known stockist (St John St
Cycles) isn't the only one. I got mine through EBay from a small mail-order outfit (Andy's Bikes,
www.andysbikes.com), for less than half SJSC's price. Andy's Bikes is still advertising them for
just under twenty quid - and he's got a few "normal" old-model cantilevers for sale too, any of
which would be a vast improvement on the Weinmanns.

Similarly, the price of the Dia-Compe 287 levers can vary by UKP10 or more between retailers.

I upgraded my tourer with the Dia-Compe 287 levers recently and to be honest I haven't noticed much
difference from standard drop bar levers, but they are nice levers once they've worn in.

So, that's forty quid for the Dia-Compe levers (Edinburgh Bicycle) and you should be able to get
some perfectly decent cantis for forty pounds the set.

>Would I be better off replacing the bike with something more modern?

Depends how much you like the bike. Modern bikes are much easier to maintain, but it's well worth
persevering with a bike and upgrading it bit-by-bit to turn it into something that suits you. Unless
it's got 27 inch wheels in which case...

--
 
[email protected] schreef ...

> Now, about the Suntour SE's. Because my wife always complained about not being able to pull hard
> enough on the levers, my first attempt at a refit involved Suntour SEs at the back. They turned
> out to be totally over-engineered for the job and, because they have a slightly delayed reaction
> before the full force cuts in, probably worse than standard cantis for everyday use. I'd say only
> consider the SE's if you are planning to carry seriously heavy loads on steep hills. Otherwise get
> a good standard cantilever. And if you must buy the SE's shop around. The best-known stockist (St
> John St Cycles) isn't the only one. I got mine through EBay from a small mail-order outfit (Andy's
> Bikes, www.andysbikes.com), for less than half SJSC's price. Andy's Bikes is still advertising
> them for just under twenty quid - and he's got a few "normal" old-model cantilevers for sale too,
> any of which would be a vast improvement on the Weinmanns.

I "disabled" the SE (Self Energizing) feature on the SE's we used to have on the tandem. This can be
done by fiddling with the settings and turning them "all the way in". What you are left with, then,
is a pair of decent, stiff cantilever brakes. The SE-function never made any impression on us, it
only became disfunctional when crud made its way into the mechanism - we do a fair bit of off-road
riding with the tandem, I should add.

Mounting Maguras ended all problems - as usual.

--
Regards, Marten
 
Just zis Guy, you know? <[email protected]> wrote ...
> Andrew Sweetman wrote:
>
> > I'll try and remember to say how close reality is to the 3-4 days on the website
>
> I ordered mine on 23 Jan, so they should have been here yesterday, but
they
> probably mean working days.
>

order for Koolstop salmon pads placed with Wiggle 1800 on 24th Business Post attempted delivery
1330 today (31st), rode 10.5 miles to depot to pick them up. A very big box for a few pairs of
brake pads!

Andrew
 
Andrew Sweetman wrote:
> Just zis Guy, you know? <[email protected]> wrote ...
>> Andrew Sweetman wrote:
>>
>>> I'll try and remember to say how close reality is to the 3-4 days on the website
>>
>> I ordered mine on 23 Jan, so they should have been here yesterday, but they probably mean
>> working days.
>>
>
> order for Koolstop salmon pads placed with Wiggle 1800 on 24th Business Post attempted delivery
> 1330 today (31st), rode 10.5 miles to depot to pick them up. A very big box for a few pairs of
> brake pads!

Mine arrived yesterday - in a small jiffy bag :)

--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud
wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#103 http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#104
 
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