Why cantilever brakes?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tim Mullin on August 26, 2008 at 10:08pm

Road levers don't pull enough cable for v-brakes.

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Permalink Reply by EuroJosh on August 27, 2008 at 5:56am

Linear pull brakes don't have as much mud clearance as cantilevers. You don't really want to stop (while racing at least) anyway.

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Permalink Reply by andrew on August 27, 2008 at 4:44pm

both above replies are right - although there are travel agents, v-brake compatible brake levers (not shifters) that attempt to make it all work.

there are also the mini-v's, made by tektro, and supposedly popular in germany, and used by some of the cal giant berry folks.

it obviously depends on whether you'll see mud too. in some dry places, you can get away with the limited clearance. but i like to ride my bike during bike races (and don't often bring a pit bike), so if I know there's any chance for mud, i'll prioritize mud clearance over stop-on-a-dime braking.

to be honest, with travel agents though, i don't see much difference in pad clearance with linear pull brakes and low profile cantilevers. wide profile brakes (trp euro-x, spooky, kore, paul's, mafac, etc.) have a lot of clearance. you can always play with straddle cable height too to vary the pad clearance.

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Permalink Reply by nodeal on August 28, 2008 at 7:00am

FYI - Redline appears to be putting mini v's on their Sora equipped 24" kids cross bikes. I also read that Cannondale may be putting mini'v's on some models.

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Permalink Reply by Mr. President on August 28, 2008 at 5:22pm

I was thinking about that as well. I think the beginning bikes with v-brakes from those companies are to keep people on the bike enjoying it. say they come from disc, road or v-brakes to a canti. They rider rides in wet/muddy stuff first time and freaks cause they cannot stop like they used to.

I think canti brakes take some re-learning when you go back to them. I spent all summer relearning and enjoying the cross bike. I never got the quote "You don't want to stop in a cross race" until I began going quicker and figureing out how ot handle the bike.

Then when I went back to the mtb with hydro disc brakes I about went ver the handlebars!

atmo

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