Old mountain bike brake boss problem

In article <[email hidden]>,

Marty said:

Hi,

I'm in the process of converting my 1986 Raleigh Crested
Butte mountain bike into a single speed. So far so good,
until I received my new brakes in the mail today. I
ordered Avid Single Digit 7 brakes and levers. When I went
to install the brakes, I realized that my almost 20 year
old frame and fork have bosses with the spring holes
mounted to the outside! I think most MTB frames and forks
have brake bosses with the spring holes to the inside.
That's what my new brakes are expecting. Is there a
solution for this problem out there? Is it possible to
remove and switch the Avid springs to correct this? Is
there a an adapter that would mount to the boss and
provide a new spring hole in the correct position? Are
there other new brakes on the market that allow you to
mount with either type of brake boss?

There are some that don't use the spring holes at all,
such as the Dia Compe 986. These are obsolete but findable
on eBay. They are light and inexpensive and easy to adjust
but not very powerful compared to a Shimano cantilever,
for example.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Marty
Hi,

I'm in the process of converting my 1986 Raleigh Crested
Butte mountain bike into a single speed. So far so good,
until I received my new brakes in the mail today. I ordered
Avid Single Digit 7 brakes and levers. When I went to
install the brakes, I realized that my almost 20 year old
frame and fork have bosses with the spring holes mounted to
the outside! I think most MTB frames and forks have brake
bosses with the spring holes to the inside. That's what my
new brakes are expecting. Is there a solution for this
problem out there? Is it possible to remove and switch the
Avid springs to correct this? Is there a an adapter that
would mount to the boss and provide a new spring hole in the
correct position? Are there other new brakes on the market
that allow you to mount with either type of brake boss?

Thanks.
--
Marty

Those are nice brakes.
Do you know anyone who can braze some tabs on the inside for you?
I have never tried modifying or flipping the springs around to allow for usage of the springs in the position you are talking about. I suppose if you were very clever with springs you could cut off 180 degrees ... or what ever it takes and bend a new part of the spring to properly engage the holes in the tab already have.
You might write to or call AVIDBIKE for their suggestions.... and or see if you can get Sheldon Brown to make a suggestion.

On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 22:47:49 GMT, daveornee

may have said:

... I suppose if you were very clever with springs you
could cut off 180 degrees ... or what ever it takes and
bend a new part of the spring to properly engage the holes
in the tab already have.

This could ruin the spring; if the wire's hard enough, it
will snap instead of bending. Some springs are hardened
after they're shaped.

Quoted message said:

You might write to or call AVIDBIKE for their
suggestions....

Good advice.

Quoted message said:

and or see if you can get Sheldon Brown to make a
suggestion.

I believe that he's in Europe right now, with unpredictable
and irregular Internet access.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via
e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words
processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Marty said:

Hi,

I'm in the process of converting my 1986 Raleigh Crested
Butte mountain bike into a single speed. So far so good,
until I received my new brakes in the mail today. I
ordered Avid Single Digit 7 brakes and levers. When I went
to install the brakes, I realized that my almost 20 year
old frame and fork have bosses with the spring holes
mounted to the outside! I think most MTB frames and forks
have brake bosses with the spring holes to the inside.
That's what my new brakes are expecting. Is there a
solution for this problem out there? Is it possible to
remove and switch the Avid springs to correct this? Is
there a an adapter that would mount to the boss and
provide a new spring hole in the correct position? Are
there other new brakes on the market that allow you to
mount with either type of brake boss?

Shimano tried to promulgate a different boss pattern for a
year or two and you have the results. See if a local frame
shop could add a spring stop plate to your boss so you can
use some nice under-$20 normal cantilevers - or your
expensive cantilevers.

AFAIK there are no current models with 'outies'.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
April, 1971

[email hidden] (Paul Southworth) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Marty

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I'm in the process of converting my 1986 Raleigh Crested
Butte mountain bike into a single speed. So far so good,
until I received my new brakes in the mail today. I
ordered Avid Single Digit 7 brakes and levers. When I
went to install the brakes, I realized that my almost 20
year old frame and fork have bosses with the spring holes
mounted to the outside! I think most MTB frames and forks
have brake bosses with the spring holes to the inside.
That's what my new brakes are expecting. Is there a
solution for this problem out there? Is it possible to
remove and switch the Avid springs to correct this? Is
there a an adapter that would mount to the boss and
provide a new spring hole in the correct position? Are
there other new brakes on the market that allow you to
mount with either type of brake boss?

There are some that don't use the spring holes at all,
such as the Dia Compe 986. These are obsolete but findable
on eBay. They are light and inexpensive and easy to adjust
but not very powerful compared to a Shimano cantilever,
for example.

The Paul cantilevers also bypass the spring hole. I'm
not familiar with the Paul v-brakes, but perhaps those
do as well.

"Marty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I'm in the process of converting my 1986 Raleigh Crested
Butte mountain bike into a single speed. So far so good,
until I received my new brakes in the mail today. I
ordered Avid Single Digit 7 brakes and levers. When I went
to install the brakes, I realized that my almost 20 year
old frame and fork have bosses with the spring holes
mounted to the outside! I think most MTB frames and forks
have brake bosses with the spring holes to the inside.
That's what my new brakes are expecting. Is there a
solution for this problem out there? Is it possible to
remove and switch the Avid springs to correct this? Is
there a an adapter that would mount to the boss and
provide a new spring hole in the correct position? Are
there other new brakes on the market that allow you to
mount with either type of brake boss?

Thanks.
--
Marty

Hey, that bike didn't come with Rollercams originally did
it? U-brakes? (I don't recall any bikes with U-brakes on the
front, but I could be having and "old timers moment..."😉

If the bike came with either of these braking systems, that
is what you're going to have to run. They've both got
dedicated post mounting locations that aren't compatible
with cantis.

Oh, if it had Rollercams on it, he he he. Have fun!

HTH,

M

SDMike said:

Hey, that bike didn't come with Rollercams originally did
it? U-brakes? (I don't recall any bikes with U-brakes on
the front, but I could be having and "old timers
moment..."😉

I once had a fork with a U-brake. I recall that it was not
possible to put cantis on that fork, but I don't remember
why that was so.

--
Dave dvt at psu dot edu

dvt said:

I once had a fork with a U-brake. I recall that it was not
possible to put cantis on that fork, but I don't remember
why that was so.

U-brake bosses were positioned above the rim, while canti/V-
brake bosses were positioned below the rim.

James Thomson

"A Muzi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Marty said:

Hi,

I'm in the process of converting my 1986 Raleigh Crested
Butte mountain

bike

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

into a single speed. So far so good, until I received my
new brakes in

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

mail today. I ordered Avid Single Digit 7 brakes and
levers. When I

went

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to install the brakes, I realized that my almost 20 year
old frame and

fork

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have bosses with the spring holes mounted to the
outside! I think most

MTB

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

frames and forks have brake bosses with the spring holes
to the inside. That's what my new brakes are expecting.
Is there a solution for this problem out there? Is it
possible to remove and switch the Avid springs

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

correct this? Is there a an adapter that would mount to
the boss and provide a new spring hole in the correct
position? Are there other new brakes on the market that
allow you to mount with either type of brake

boss?

Quoted message said:

Shimano tried to promulgate a different boss pattern for a
year or two and you have the results. See if a local frame
shop could add a spring stop plate to your boss so you can
use some nice under-$20 normal cantilevers - or your
expensive cantilevers.

AFAIK there are no current models with 'outies'.

Yup, they are Shimano canti brakes. I've decided to stick
with them, they are actually pretty nice, once I got them
all cleaned up. They are in good shape - just need some new
brake pads.

Thanks all for your input.

Now, on to the next problem in a new thread...
--
Marty