Cantis or V-brake with odd-ball levers.

Tonyandthewhale

Putting together a new touring bike. Anyone have any wisdom they'd like to share on whether I should use canti brakes with a standard pair of levers (planning on using bar end shifters and separate brake levers not brifters) or a nice reliable set of V-brakes?

I've used cantis before and not been too impressed but it's a few years ago and I'd be hopefully less ham-fisted in setting them up and keeping them nicely aligned these days so half tempted to give them a second go.

V-brakes are what I use on my commuter every day and what I've been using on a rake of bikes since I was in short pants and I've found they're much easier to set up right and get decent performance out of. Thing is I've only ever used them with straight bars. No idea if the long-travel drop bar levers (the likes of this http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/dia-compe-287v-aero-v-brake-levers-black-silver-prod64/?currency=eur) have any disadvantage to them apart from the extra 38 quid I'll have to drop into the bike.

TonyStark

Tonyandthewhale wrote: »

Putting together a new touring bike. Anyone have any wisdom they'd like to share on whether I should use canti brakes with a standard pair of levers (planning on using bar end shifters and separate brake levers not brifters) or a nice reliable set of V-brakes?

I've used cantis before and not been too impressed but it's a few years ago and I'd be hopefully less ham-fisted in setting them up and keeping them nicely aligned these days so half tempted to give them a second go.

V-brakes are what I use on my commuter every day and what I've been using on a rake of bikes since I was in short pants and I've found they're much easier to set up right and get decent performance out of. Thing is I've only ever used them with straight bars. No idea if the long-travel drop bar levers (the likes of this http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/dia-compe-287v-aero-v-brake-levers-black-silver-prod64/?currency=eur) have any disadvantage to them apart from the extra 38 quid I'll have to drop into the bike.

Just finished a small conversion on my old hybrid bike to drop bars. Microshift 7 speed shifters with mini v-brakes.

The actuation or rather the pull ratio on the lever won't work with regular v brakes. Options were cantilever or mini v brake. So I went with the mini v brakes. Mini V brakes was pretty much the same as regular brakes.

Tonyandthewhale

Haven't used mini-v brakes but from what I've heard they only work effectively when the pad is set at a default very close to the rim and can be quite temperamental when it comes to rims being less than perfectly true or dealing with a lot of mud and debris. As such I'm not sure they're ideal for a long distance touring rig?

cdaly_

Tonyandthewhale wrote: »

Putting together a new touring bike. Anyone have any wisdom they'd like to share on whether I should use canti brakes with a standard pair of levers (planning on using bar end shifters and separate brake levers not brifters) or a nice reliable set of V-brakes?

I've used cantis before and not been too impressed but it's a few years ago and I'd be hopefully less ham-fisted in setting them up and keeping them nicely aligned these days so half tempted to give them a second go.

If the levers match the brakes it should be no problem. I'm using Avid Shorty Ultimates on the front with BB7 disc on the rear with road levers. Very happy with that setup.

barrymanilow

if the levers don't match the brakes I think problem solvers do some kind of device that corrects the cable pull ratio

seamus

Tektro do v-brake levers for drop bars, I use them on my commuter. If the option is available to you, I'd always go with V-brakes over standard cantis.

circular flexing

I went through many, many pairs of mini-V and cantilever brakes, before I came across the Tektro CR520 cantilevers and they have been great. I use them with Kool Stop Salmon pads and Tektro levers and there's great stopping power, even in the wet.