2010 Specialized Crux and EuroX brake fit???

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Permalink Reply by c-note on May 15, 2011 at 5:13pm

I don't think you're missing anything.  For this reason I was never a fan of the old Mafac style cantilevers-not enough adjustment for pad contact, requiring fairly narrow parameters for canti stud placement.  Now one could assume that canti stud placement would be somewhat of an industry standard, and everyone is close, but as you've experienced, it doesn't always pan out.   BTW, can you make the pads contact the rim at all, even given some odd contact angle?  If you like the look of the EuroX and also wanted to save some weight over the Tektros that came with the bike, Paul's, Kore, Avid shorty ultimates, the new FSA carbon convertible cantilever are excellent choices that offer vertical and angle adjustability. I might think of some others too....

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Permalink Reply by Bob B on May 16, 2011 at 3:42pm

ugh..

 

yes, i can get them to hit the brake surface - but at a terrible angle.  i'd have to totally grind down the pads to get any surface are to actually hit the ..surface.   i'll try and get some pics up.

 

i haven't gone to look, but i think the higher-level crux comes w/ TRP brakes.. i wonder how they fit up

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Permalink Reply by Jon Bollweg on May 16, 2011 at 9:29pm

Hey Bob,

 

I also have the TRP Eurox X brakes on my Surly Cross Check. They work well, though not perfect. My issue is not vertical height adjustment, but rather toe-in. You probably know this obvious feature of the brake, but I'll mention it for the sake of clarity. The end of the cantilever shoe holder post has a four millimeter fitting for the purpose of pad adjustment -toe-in, and some angle/height adjustment.If you haven't utilized this feature, it may provided the necessary range adjustment to make the brake work for you.

Additionally, I have found that replacing the stock TRP pads, which have a hard brake compound, with Shimano Dura Ace road shoes (softer compound/faster wear) can reduce or eliminate break squeal and fork shutter issues.

Jon

 

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Permalink Reply by Dan Davis on May 16, 2011 at 6:59pm

hey Bob

are you brake arms flat or pointing down? i'm running spookys on my tricross and they work really well. you may need to take some cable out of our stradle cable? so the arms are flatter. this will put the pads closer to the rim, and get inline cable adjusters if you don't do that you will have to have the brakes to loose to get the wheel out and then they don't work as well. and you may want to get the TPR adjustable brake pads they cost more but they really work well.

Dan...

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Permalink Reply by andrew on May 16, 2011 at 10:06pm

I think Bob's issue is pad angle at the rim, not clearance.  The straddle cable adjustment will impact clearance and power but can't alter the angle of the pads. I assume Bob has the pads slammed all the way in against the arms.

 

It's a good point about the TRP adjustable brake pads.  Bob, which model brakes/pads/shoes do you have? If I remember correctly, these might be a tad thicker (to accommodate the toe-in adjustment) than the standard pads.  If that's the case, the standard pads might actually be a better choice if it allows a better angle of contact.  I'll see if I can measure pads/shoes sometime soon to see if there's a big difference between thickness.   

 

Regarding braking though, physics dictates that the size of the pad actually doesn't matter for braking power, as you'll just get more power to a smaller point making the amount of friction the same. I learned that myself a few years ago.  But in actuality we know that muck, deformation, heat, moisture all have a big role in making good pad contact with the rim quite important, to a point. 

 

In a future print magazine, we'll have a mind-blowingly comprehensive piece on cantilever brakes - a nice follow up to our Issue 7 piece on cantilever brakes for cyclocross..  This one will have measurements and tips that I think everyone in cyclocross will learn something from. I sure did.

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Permalink Reply by Cyclocross Magazine on May 16, 2011 at 9:58pm

Bob - one of the issues is that the Crux's Roval wheels (if that's what came stock) have pretty wide rims.  This makes rim pad flush fit a challenge - the same with notubes.com 29er rims, hed ardennes, zipp 303, etc. 

 

There is a slight difference in pad thickness that can help, and a file or dremel tool can also help.  But it is one of the big downsides of the wide-profile design like that.

 

Throw in a narrow rim and you should have an easier time, or a different brake like the Tektro CR720.  Good luck!

 

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