Cyclocross Magazine

Cyclocross Community, Forums, Classifieds, Photos and Videos

I'm hoping someone out there who's solved their brake chatter problems can help me out.

I've got a 58cm frame (so long headtube) and chatter that won't go away. My current setup is Tektro Oryx brakes with road (short as opposed to longer MTB) brakepads, Easton EC90x fork, and Ambrosio rims (not machined). Got the chatters. Rear brakes work fantastically. My only solution so far is to (gasp! I know...) use some light oil on the front rim. Cuts down on power, but eliminates the chatter. Besides being mildly crazy, any thoughts? I used to race in the NE, and when the going got muddy, i.e. the rims got muddy, the chatter got better (and the braking worse obviously), so I figured why not just start out that way.

I've tried pretty much all combinations of these things: toe in, toe out, xtr MTB pads, ritchey mtb pads, Dura Ace road pads, Kona Project 2 steel fork, Shimano R550 wheel (machined rims), and still get the chatters. My fork, the Easton, doesn't have a bolt hole to mount a fork-mounted cable stop (grr) or I'd try that too.

Who's tall and got an Easton fork? What are you running that solves this problem?

Views: 3271

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

we've been trying that too - it does work...tektro, trp and frm make mini v-brakes. we predict they'll make a come back. they don't quite have the power of a well set-up low profile v-brake but are easy to adjust for sure, and effective in dry climates.

 I solved this problem recently.  Maybe someone other than me is still running canits.  I have a 61 cm frame, and an all carbon fork.  Very deep from front to back, very stiff looking fork, on a Bianchi cross - specific bike.  Replaced the Kool - Stop v-brake pads that came with the bike, reasonable stopping distance down from 90+ to 45'.  Some squeal, but I'm mostly recreational riding with my wife or alone I tend to use planning, awareness and line-picking to save my a** because I know the brakes won't.  Then I start CX boot camp class.  Start-stop drills, slamming on the brakes from all-out bring out the Irish bainshee wail hidden in my Italian bike... I see the fork judder literally bringing the hub behind the line of the top tube.  My stops are around 30' since I don't dare hit that front brake any harder for fear of shearing off the fork.  I think, I sketch.  I research.  

https://www.velonews.com/2010/09/news/cyclocross/technical-qa-with-...

Zinn confirms my thoughts:  The brake stops the wheel, the tread grips the ground, the frame/rider keep hurtling 

forward.  The fork bends, and on an all carbon fork, even bends where the fork crown meets the steerer... this in turn stretches the cable, clamping the brake more tightly on the rim.  Judder happens because the front tire tears away a little grass, releasing the tension in the system, which is reapplied when the tread bites in again and/ or the forces on the wheel overcome the pressure of pads on rim and slippage occurs, which are reapplied because I still have a death grip on the lever.   

Solution 1) Get a v-brake.  Ok, fine but Paul said their Mini-V with my Campy Ergo would require a very true rim, and I'd have to set the pads very close to get it to work.  Not ideal for cross...

Solution 2) shorten that darn stretched cable.  I find there is such a thing as a "fork mounted brake hanger".  I buy one from the LBS.  As I am doing all this, I realize that the incredibly clever squeegee tip built into the rear edge of my incredibly grippy brake pads is adding to the problem by eliminating at least some of my toe-in, and allowing "catch and release" of my rim.  So...

Solution 3)  I reverse my Kool-Stop v-brake pads to put the squeegee on the trailing edge of the pad, resulting in automatic toe-in.   I will reverse the pads when the rains come home to Seattle.

I tested the bike on level grass, from near golf-course smoothness to bouncy-like-Pachinko crabgrass.  From a roliing start full tilt sprint of 150', slamming on the brakes resulted in No squeal, No judder, and Stop in 15'.  

If you have cantis and carbon forks, go get a fork mounted brake hanger.  I swear on the Constitution, I have never seen 

a single $15 part make so much difference in the performance of a bike.  

BTW - why did I leave those really long, arced v-brake pads on the bike?  Well, I thought more surface friction = faster stopping = a good idea for a 200+ pound rider.  Kind of like having a disc brake on the front. 

RSS

Sold something in our classifieds? Find this site valuable?

Consider a donation to the cause. We're cheaper than eBay fees, and it helps us here at CXM keep the lights on!

Enter any amount below, and click on the cow for some good karma. Thanks!

Amount:



Badge

Loading…

© 2024   Created by Cyclocross Magazine.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service