Confused with sidepull brakes !



atlantis

New Member
Sep 19, 2010
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I am planning to install these brakes on my bike and a little confused with the barrel positions on the brake
This link is of the front brake.
http://www.jensonusa.com/BMX-Sidepull-Brakes/Tektro-BMX-Sidepull-AFS-Black

I am confused with the barrel adjuster being the other way around and it specifically says that its the front brake.

This link is of the rear brake

http://www.jensonusa.com/BMX-Sidepull-Brakes/Tektro-BMX-Sidepull-Black

This is pretty normal.

I needed some guidance as how to fit the front brake ie, the cable orientation.
 
The front brake is set up for routing the cable through the stem bolt and steerer for spins. The cable comes out from the bottom of the fork crown and gets looped upward on the side of the fork, usually through a cable guide, always with heated debates on whether the loop should be inside or outside the fork blade. If you don't have cable guide, you can use zip ties.

For conventional routing you might be able to swap the positions of the pinch bolt and the adjuster/cable stop.
 
Originally Posted by atlantis .

I am planning to install these brakes on my bike and a little confused with the barrel positions on the brake
This link is of the front brake.
http://www.jensonusa.com/BMX-Sidepull-Brakes/Tektro-BMX-Sidepull-AFS-Black

I am confused with the barrel adjuster being the other way around and it specifically says that its the front brake.

This link is of the rear brake

http://www.jensonusa.com/BMX-Sidepull-Brakes/Tektro-BMX-Sidepull-Black

This is pretty normal.

I needed some guidance as how to fit the front brake ie, the cable orientation.
First, because the cable adjuster & the pinch bolt are interchangeable in position on the two calipers, the only real difference between the two calipers is actually in the length of the BRAKE BOLT which is supplied with the individual brake caliper ... neither brake caliper have a recessed nut, BTW.

FYI. The reason that one caliper has the adjuster on the lower arm is to allow for a cable which is approaching the brake from BELOW the caliper ... as on a "girls" bike where the top tube is considerably lower than the brake bride as on a "boy's" bike & the only way to route the brake cable's housing on a frame of that type would be along the obviously lower "top" tube ...

Regardless, I presume that you are looking at the particular BMX brake calipers because you would like to use them on your DC PK RIPPER Single Speed bike ...

Is that right?!?

If it is, then you can forget about the two particular brake calipers and keep looking BECAUSE there is a 99.99% probability that the brake's REACH is too long by about 30mm!!

By my reckoning, the typical BMX brake caliper's reach BEGINS at [SIZE= 14px]95mm[/SIZE] ... with the additional 20mm, that would mean the reach is effectively 95mm-115mm.

[COLOR= rgb(24, 24, 24)]You need a METRIC ruler-or-tape measure ...[/COLOR] [COLOR= rgb(24, 24, 24)]And then, you need to measure the distance BETWEEN the brake bolt mounting hole in both the fork & frame's rear brake bridge & the middle of the brake surface on the rim where the brake pad would make contact ... the measurement for the front & rear will probably be different, but there is usually enough latitude in the reach of a caliper that calipers from the same set can be used for any specific bike ... [/COLOR]

  • [COLOR= rgb(24, 24, 24)]the distance for the reach which YOU will probably measure will be about 45mm +/- [/COLOR]
[COLOR= rgb(24, 24, 24)]So, you would want a brake caliper whose reach is 39mm-to-49mm/(or, 50mm) ... THAT is the "normal" length of a typical Road caliper which you would find.[/COLOR]

Howerver, it is very possible that the distance you measure for the reach will be closer to 54mm +/- ... in which case you would want brake calipers whose reach is 49mm-to-59mm which are currently referred to as "long" reach calipers.

  • Tektro sells a variety of brake calipers with for frames with different length reach in a pretty broad range of prices ...
  • some of the Tektro Road calipers look like copies of Shimano's brake calipers ... that's a good thing ... the difference will be in the Shimano calipers typically being a little more robust-and-stiffer (a good thing) due to MORE material being present which also means that the Shimano caliper will probably be a few grams heavier ...
  • IMO, Shimano makes the best best Road calipers (stick with Ultegra or 105) ...
  • and, their brake pad compound can be considered the benchmark against which other brake pads are measured
  • Tektro calipers probably deliver 95% of the "performance" of a Shimano caliper for about half the price ... so, Tektro calipers are generally a pretty good choice, IMO ...
  • depending on the reach which your frame-and-fork need + your aesthetic sensibilities, Campagnolo calipers may-or-may-not look better BUT Campagnolo calipers do not have a quick release on the caliper the way that most Shimano & Tektro Road brake calipers have
 
Thanks for the replies !
oldbobcat & Alfeng the bolts are interchangeable. Yes this is for the ripper. But Alfeng , you are right, the reach is way out :( for the front, the rear seems ok.

The front brake from the fork hole to the centre of rim surface is 53mm and rear is 70mm. I have 2 front brakes , can I use the front for the rear and compensate the length of the caliper with spacers ?
 
Originally Posted by atlantis .

oldbobcat & Alfeng the bolts are interchangeable. Yes this is for the ripper. But Alfeng , you are right, the reach is way out :( for the front, the rear seems ok.

The front brake from the fork hole to the centre of rim surface is 53mm and rear is 70mm. I have 2 front brakes , can I use the front for the rear and compensate the length of the caliper with spacers ?
FYI. In the past, there was something called a "drop bolt" which was used to lower a single pivot brake caliper by about 10mm ... but, they were almost as expensive as a replacement caliper AND they are no longer available unless you want to pay a hefty premium OR if you know someone who is very handy ...

  • that is, you could theoretically cobble a DIY "drop bolt" if you were really motivated ...
  • my recollection is that Sheldon Brown suggested fabricating-and-mounting a secondary Brake Bridge which would, itself, be bolted below the existing Brake Bridge ...
  • OR, having a "frame builder" move the Brake Bridge to a lower position (THAT presumed an "open A" type of seat stay assembly vs. a B-Stay style seat stay assembly)

IMO, a better (as in, simpler) option would be to buy a brake caliper with the appropriate reach ...

  • TEKTRO makes-and-sells a brake caliper whose reach is in the 60mm-to-73mm range.
 
Originally Posted by atlantis .

Sorry I meant can I compensate the length of the caliper bolt with spacers
If the bolt is too long AND if "regular" (vs. recessed) nuts are used to secure the brake calipers then you can use spacers ...

  • if the brake calipers are secured with recessed nuts, then using spacers is not realistic (IMO)
 
Thanks Alfeng ! A bundle of knowledge is what I assume you are :) .

I have returned one pair since it was too long, the other I have kept for the rear which was- an almost good fit. Mostly would not be needing spacers, but would go with an mm or two. And yes these are normal nuts and not recessed. Just got some Odyssey A brake pads clear for the Ripper. I might have a twin road brake caliper, they should fit.