V-brake or cantis?

Pigeon Reaper

I have a dilema. My commutor needs some work done to the brakes and I'd like to upgrade them at the same time. It also has drop bars. It currently has some rather dodgy plastic cantilever brakes. Should I upgrade these to alloy ones or just replace them altogther with v-brakes and new levers? It can't take other brake types as it's not drilled for it. Either way I'd like something with more stopping power as it can't even lock up the rear wheel in the dry.

seamus

V-brakes, no question IMO, if the price is right.

You will obviously need V-brake specific levers, such as http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektro-rl520-aero-v-brake-levers-silver-prod14955/

blorg

It is not just a matter of price; with drop bars your choice of shifters also comes into the equation.

I spent many years on the dilemma of what to use on a drop bar bike with wide tyres and have tried V-brakes, mini-V-brakes, low-profile cantilevers and wide-profile cantilevers.

I agree with Seamus that standard V-brakes are the best but they do not work with STI levers- the levers where brakes and gear shifters are integrated. The cable pull is different. Some people think that they work but honestly, they don’t; I test rode someone’s bike once who thought that they worked and the braking was awful.

Mini-V brakes (with shorter arms) do work with the STI cable pull but the tolerances are very tight and you need to put the pads very very close to the rim, to the extent that if you even have the slightest buckle you will have brake pad rub. Even a fraction of a mm out of true and you will have it. I have had to take the brake off altogether when touring when this happened. Not ideal. It is also very difficult to remove a wheel with these brakes as STI levers don’t come with barrel adjusters and due to the tolerances you can’t get the brakes open… generally you can only remove the wheel with the tyre flat as a result. I used this setup on several bikes for years but would not recommend.

If you don’t need STI levers (you ride singlespeed or are happy with bar-end or downtube shifters) then go for standard V-brakes with the special levers for drops. Note it is important to get V-brake specific levers as the cable pull is different to the callipers standard on a road bike. I used this setup on my fixed cross bike and it was the best braking and easiest setup and maintenance.

If you want STI levers the best option IMO is adjustable wide-profile cantilevers. With these you can adjust the height of the bridge and get acceptable braking power. Not as good as V-brakes or callipers but acceptable. Initial installation and adjustment is a MAJOR pain in the neck but once you get it right you shouldn't need to mess with it. ENSURE you have a barrel adjuster somewhere so you can dial it in and adjust it as the pads wear- you can put this on the cable but my current touring cantis (Planet X Frogs Bollox) have it on the brake itself. I am very happy with these brakes incidentally- they use cartridges and take a standard Shimano road pad. I'm at around 10,000km with these now, in Gujarat state, India, on the original pads.

Before this I used road levers with low-profile cantilevers and they were awful; I could not lock the back wheel as your own experience.

The other alternative is standard V-brakes and STIs with a "travel adjuster" - I have not tried this combination so cannot give an opinion; wide-profile cantis are for me acceptable.

Pigeon Reaper

I went out yesterday evening and got some V-brakes and levers for the drop bars. They went on without too much hassle but the use of an impact driver was required to remove a seized bolt from the old canti caliper. The results this morning where very good. I just need to adjust the toe in as the bike now sounds like a pig in an abattoir.

Holyboy

Hi there, just wondering where you managed to pick up a pair of linear pull compatible, drop bar levers? I didn't think many shops in this country would stock such items!
May I ask the manufacturer of them?

Dara

Pigeon Reaper

These are the levers I used.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34840

My mate had them in the shed so I didn't have to buy the levers. I used bikehut v-brakes as they seemed to be half decent at the price. Phone a few shops and ask if they have anything like them in stock. You'd be surprised what some shops have in stock rooms.