Long reach brake calipers - Measurement question

[[email protected]]

First off, I am looking on Sheldon Brown's website as a source on
different long reach brake options. URL-->>
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/brakes.html

I have a 1970 Schwinn Suburban named "Brown Thunder" (guess what color
it is). It is a fixed gear bike with 700mm wheels (42x15 if you care).
My old style brake from the days of 27" wheels is just not cutting it
anymore. I need to get something else.

1. When brakes say their reach is a certain amount, what does the reach
figure actually mean? Is it the length from the brake anchor hole to
the tire rims? What should I be measuring in order to determine what
brake is right for me?

2. Which of the brakes on Sheldon's Harris Shop site would you
recommend? I measured my current caliper, and it is about 83mm from the
center of the frame bolt to the bottom of the caliper arms. It is 76mm
from the apex of the caliper arch to the bottom of the caliper arms.

THANKS!

[protag](onist)-[h](e)[iro]

 

[Arthur Harris]

<[email protected]> wrote:
> First off, I am looking on Sheldon Brown's website as a source on
> different long reach brake options.

> 1. When brakes say their reach is a certain amount, what does the reach
> figure actually mean? Is it the length from the brake anchor hole to
> the tire rims? What should I be measuring in order to determine what
> brake is right for me?

For frames, reach is measured vertically from the center of the brake
mounting bolt to the center of the rim's braking surface. For brakes, reach
is measured vertically from the center of the mounting bolt to the center of
the brake pad. The reach of your brakes must match the reach of your frame.
Brake shoes can be adjusted up or down slightly in the brake caliper slots
(e.g., 39-49mm of reach for "short reach" calipers).

See:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ra-e.html

Scroll down to "reach."

You also have to consider the type of attachment to the frame (external nuts
or recessed allen fastener). Scroll down to "Recessed Brake Mounting" on the
link above.

Art Harris