Changing the brakes

rothai

Hi all what's the options for changing the brakes on this?

07Lapierre

? Change the Brake calipers or just change the Brake pads?
Don't see any reason to change the calipers..just Chang the pads?

TheBlaaMan

It's an old bike, judging by those calipers, so perhaps the brake pads/blocks are perished and ineffective. The will harden and break up with age. Start be replacing the pads and reassess before worrying about more significant changes.

rothai

I'd was thing new calipers, but the reach is a bit long. Just don't like the look of them. What's the stopping like with them I wonder?

Type 17

They are single-pivot callipers, which have less leverage than modern, dual-pivot versions.

Older frames like this one have a very large reach (distance from centre of bolt that goes through the frame to the centre of the brake-track on the rim) - usually over 60mm.

Very few modern brakes exist with that large a reach (discs have solved the clearance requirements involved here).

Your options are to use better pads, as mentioned by TheBlaaMan or, if you're still not happy, you can track down a set of centre-pull brakes like those below, but make sure that you also get the required cable hangers that fit on the seatpost bolt for the rear, and in the headset for the front brakes.

hesker

Another option is to get a little bracket to increase the reach. I think they are available online but I had a simple one made up from 6mm steel if I remember correctly. Cost me about €5 and allowed me to fit modern callipers on an old frame. Might have had to fit a longer centre bolt on one of the callipers as well.

ridelikeaturtle

Tektro make a very affordable medium and long reach caliper, it's the R559, nutted or recessed, that is dual-pivot and a huge improvement. Not the prettiest, but if improving braking performance on an old bike is your goal, this is a very good way to do it.

hesker

Saved a few links from when I did a similar mod. You'll need to measure the reach required.


Tektro R539 Long Drop Road Caliper Brakes

http://www.wiggle.com/tektro-r539-long-drop-road-caliper-brakes/


Dia Compe BRS101

58mm reach

http://www.wiggle.com/dia-compe-brs101-dual-pivot-caliper-brakes/#tabAA


If the bike was not made for recessed brake mounts then you may need a longer bolt.

Explained here

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brakes/jtek-tektro-shimano-pattern-70-mm-dual-pivot-brake-bolt-crmo-for-nut-conversion/

Switching out the long bolt takes a bit of patience but not terribly complicated when you figure it out. There is a guide somewhere on the web I think.


In my case I fitted the front caliper to the rear and bought 1 long Tektro bolt on ebay to fit the rear caliper to the front.