Dia Compe 287-V mate with auxiliary levers

[clumsymechanic]

I want to use 287-Vs to run v-brakes with drop bars. How well will
auxiliary levers like the Tektro RX 2.0 work with linear pull brakes?

I have no way to run calipers on this bike, and would prefer to stay
away from travel-agent type solutions.

Thanks,

Adam

 

[Chalo]

clumsymechanic wrote:
>
> I want to use 287-Vs to run v-brakes with drop bars. How well will
> auxiliary levers like the Tektro RX 2.0 work with linear pull brakes?

Paul auxiliary levers have pivot locations for both calipers and
linear-pulls. They are pricey, though.

http://www.paulcomp.com/crosslever.html

Since these sorts of levers first made their appearance on cyclocross
bikes (which don't use caliper brakes), I imagine some of the other
versions might also work with linear-pulls.

Chalo Colina

 

[clumsymechanic]

You're right about being pricey!

I did a bit more searching and found a few anecdotes that the tektro
levers are no good for v's, but that the salsa levers do work and will
work with 287-Vs like I want to run.

Anyone have experience with this? confirm/deny?

 

[James Thomson]

"clumsymechanic" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I did a bit more searching and found a few anecdotes that the
> tektro levers are no good for v's, but that the salsa levers do
> work and will work with 287-Vs like I want to run.

> Anyone have experience with this? confirm/deny?

I can confirm that the Tektro levers will work marginally. My setup was
287V levers, Tektro RX2.0s, and original XT V-brakes on a Profile Hammer
bar. With the pad clearance set to give normal feel at the primary lever,
the secondary lever would pull hard to the bar. It would stop the bike, but
needed frequent adjustment to compensate for pad wear. The problem is the
length of pull to the bar: I've used the Tektros inverted, clamped to the
extreme ends of a Profile Airwing bar without any problem.

I haven't seen the Salsa levers close up, but from pictures they look very
much like posher versions of the Tektros:

http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/cyclocrossworld_1880_1465443

http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/cyclocrossworld_1880_1868525

The Cannondale- and Cane-Creek-badged models are also indistinguishable.

It may be that a set that mount to the handlebar bulge, or to a shim, would
give the small amount of extra clearance necessary to make them more
practical, but I don't have any direct experience.

James Thomson

 

[Nick Payne]

Don't know about the Tektro levers but I have the Paul levers and they have
two alternate locations for the pivot to pull the correct amount of cable
for either normal or V-brakes.

Nick

"clumsymechanic" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I want to use 287-Vs to run v-brakes with drop bars. How well will
> auxiliary levers like the Tektro RX 2.0 work with linear pull brakes?

 

[Nate Knutson]

clumsymechanic wrote:
> You're right about being pricey!
>
> I did a bit more searching and found a few anecdotes that the tektro
> levers are no good for v's, but that the salsa levers do work and will
> work with 287-Vs like I want to run.
>
> Anyone have experience with this? confirm/deny?

Just want to make sure you understand the basics of what determines
compatibility here. V-brake levers have a different (lower) amount of
mechanical advantage than levers for canti/caliper brakes. They pull
more cable for the same amount of lever travel, because that's what
v-brakes want. Canti/caliper levers on v-brakes will move the pads a
smaller amount for the same amount of lever travel but with more
leverage. So the brake pads will need to be abnormally close to the
rim, the system will be very sensitive to pad wear, wheel truth, and
brake arm centering, and the levers will always be close at best to
bottoming out on the handlebars too easily. Barring those things, you
can often get canti/caliper levers to stop the bike with v-brakes
reasonably well. I don't have experience with the Salsa levers (and
from looking at the pics I think they may be the Tektro's in disguise
with a few random additional features) but if they are any better with
v-brakes it will be due to very slight differences in the placement of
the cable anchor, and they'll still give you these issues more or less
in full. Also, different v-brakes do have slightly different
geometries, which technically is also part of the conversation if you
really want to determine which of these levers is going to be
marginally better. Even where the pads end up in the slots has an
effect.

I rode travel agents on my main bike for quite a while and they work
fine. They're an expensive, highly visible kludge, and that sucks, but
they're a much more functional one than what you're talking about. Also
then you could use cheaper, nicer levers, like the Tektro R200/R100's.