Mike wrote:
> My older Merlin MTB has an unusual rear brake set-up: the brake studs are mounted above the rim
> braking surface. Apparently I therefore can't upgrade to a V-brake or better canti brake (there's
> a cheapo scissor-type caliper on there now). Any insights/suggestions? Anything on the market to
> upgrade this? Thanks, Mike
That's called a "U-brake." These were in fashion in the late 1980s, and =
are still used for some BMX/freestyle brakes. The same studs can be=20 used for an older "rollercam"
brake, but you're probably better off=20 sticking with the U-brake.
Properly set up (keep the transverse cable really short!) these give=20 fine braking performance if
they have good brake shoes, good cables and=20 housings.
There are two main drawbacks to them:
=95They don't offer as much tire clearance as conventional cantilevers.
=95As the brake pads wear, they hit higher and higher on the rim. If you= 20
don't keep an eye on pad wear, they will eventually start rubbing on the =
sidewall of the tire, ruining it in very short order.
Many of the bikes that came with these had them mounted under the=20 chainstays, which gave a nice
clean look to the seatstays, but made it=20 very awkward to service the brake.
In any caser, you'll just have to live with it, there is no type of=20 brake that you can mount to
those studs that won't have the same problems=
=2E
Sheldon "Non-U" Brown +------------------------------------------------+
| Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, | but most of the time he will pick himself up |
| and continue on. -- Sir Winston Churchill |
+------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
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