!Jones said:I'm restoring an old (early '80s) tandem. It is fitted with old-style
cantilever brakes. Will the newer "V-brakes" fit those brazed
fittings? I'm keeping the old Suntour stuff; however, those brakes
aren't gonna cut muster, I fear. They're about 11 & 1/2 inches from
the center of a 27" wheel... that's a tape measurement.
Suntour cantilever brakes were made by Dia Compe and are of
good quality. Many cantilever setups suffer from poor prep
and you'll find much useful advice on Sheldon Brown's site.
(The optional "self energizing" model stinks IMHO but they
bring a good price on EBay.)
If you're determined to use linear ("V"😉 brakes, excellent
models are cheap - in the mid twenties. Avoid expensive ones
as they offer IMHO nothing that the basic Tektro models
don't do better. You will need adapters at the brakes to
translate normal cable travel from your levers into the long
cable travel these brakes require.
Most cantilevers and V brakes will span enough pad height
adjustment to cover both 700C and 27" on an older tandem.
But definitely check that at your LBS before you buy because
some models won't.
Cantilevers offer better clearance, less difficulty mounting
racks and mudguards and a wider range of 'feel' - higher
transverse cables will feel stiffer, lower heights will feel
softer and stop better.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971