Brake Upgrade: Long Drop Dual Pivot or Centre Pull?

I've got a low end 1989 Peugeot which does service as my Audax/wet weather/training bike.

It currently has the stock single pivot Weinmann Alpha calipers, which I would like to improve on.

The cartridges sit at the top of the range of adjustment and I have measured the drop to 65mm.

There doesn't seem to be much choice in dual pivot calipers: Spa have Tektro and Alhonga calipers, which I'm sure are fine, but I would prefer to keep the bike all European (it started out as a Shimano-free thing and got out of hand).

Another possibility is converting to centre pull brakes.

So my questions are:
- does anyone know of any European dual pivot long drop calipers?
- what are the pitfalls of converting to centre pulls?
- what are good centre pulls to look out for and where can I get the cable guides/stops?

Many thanks.

You're on here too, eh - I'm registered on LFGSS as 'lae'.

I don't know if there are any European long drop brakes still in production. Alhonga sounds Spanish but they're Taiwanese! They are very good brakes, though - I used them for a couple of years on my old Carlton.

I think the only real problem with centrepulls is finding good quality ones - Weinmann ones seem fairly common and cheap on ebay, though. I can't comment on how good they are - I used them years ago and I have no real memory of them. If you want something more fancy, find some MAFAC ones. Or if you really want to push the boat out, there are a few manufacturers of new ones in the US (Paul, Velo Orange) but they're ridiculously expensive (the retro-fetishist crowd in the US is made up of very rich people, it seems).

A centrepull probably won't give as sharp braking, or as good braking 'feel' or modulation as a stiff, short-drop dual-pivot - but then again, no long-drop brake will (apart from a cantilever, but then you'd need studs brazing on your frame).

I'm sure you can find the cable guides fairly easily on ebay or here.

Like a cheap suit or a rash, I'm all over the place...

Miche and Ambrosio sell (although I seem to remember that one or the other is now made in the Far East) what they call long drop calipers, however they have a maximum reach of 57mm.

It seems that what used to be considered a "normal" drop, is now "long" and what was "long" (ie what I have") is now obsolete.

Weinmann and MAFAC were the two names I had in mind and there are a few pairs on eBay, but whether I want to be sticking 70s brake technology on my bike is another question.

As the bike is, first and foremost, a working bike (as opposed to a vintage restoration), I suppose I should stop being so obsessive and get some dual pivot calipers from the Far East.

See if you can find some GB Syncron, the first incarnation of dual pivot stirrups. I saw some on e-bay recently. They have a long drop - and you won't have to mess around trying to fit hangers etc. for CP's to your bike.

Thanks, an interesting looking design.

It seems that despite being advertised as having a maximum reach of 57mm, both Ambrosio and Miche calipers are 65mm (or there abouts).

As the Miche are only £20 I'll give them a go...

I use the Miche performance 'long drop' on two of my bikes and can't complain for the money I paid. Don't think you'll regret it.

Could you check the drop on them when you have a moment please?

They seem to be around the 65mm mark that you mentioned previously, definitely longer than 57mm, although hard to be exact whilst they're on the bike.

P.S If you're after some levers to go with them I've got some old Miche aero levers in nice condition here.

Miche performance are fine brakes I have them to.

If you need a longer drop like needed on some forks then weinmean did brakes with up to 70 oddmm drop and I am sure there is a tektro brake with similar drop available new.

Cednterpulls are O.K, just finished fixing an old Falcon up today and iot has centre pulls and tyhey are quite effective.

Many thanks for checking, from what you and others have reported, I'll definitely give them a whirl, especially for £20.

Thanks for the offer of levers by I've just fitted some aero Modolo levers, which is what prompted me to think about upgrading the calipers.