Centre pull brakes

How the **** did you guys stop??

How the **** are any of you guys still alive???

Just messin' with some Mafac 2000 and no matter what, they're just awful

I remember removing as many centre pull Weinmanns as possible moons ago.

The frame is an odd one as it has recessed holes for allen fitting but guides for centre pulls so it would be a shame to ruin things by leaving the guides unused or worse by filing them off.

But I want to stop by pulling a lever on the bars, is that too much to ask?

Mind you, given the colour of the frame, this little lot would have looked amazing

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Simplex-Mafa ... 7675.l2557

I remember craving centre pull brakes as the alternative was much much worse...

greencat":3jj12oze said:

I remember craving centre pull brakes as the alternative was much much worse...

Click to expand...

+1

Up till quite recently I had some weinmann centre pulls on a winter bike and they worked really well, quite powerful. Have to confess to using new brake blocks though

Re:

If I have understood you right,is it cable pull that is causing a problem .ie keeping everything in place while tightening the bridge up?

There was a tool available back in the day, to help set centre pulls up properly .
It was called a 3rd hand .It helped keep the pads at the right distance to the rim once you had got the right tension up on the main cable and staddle wire bridge .
Basically it helps hold things in place . I tend to use a large zip tie instead . bith toe straps did the same job.

A company called Fenix and Park still make them i think . There is also a 4th hand cable pull tool available .
Also fit kool stop or Scott Mathauser pads if they are available.

If I have got the wrong end of the stick please ignore this post .

I have Mafac 2000 on a bike and find them to have plenty of stopping power .
The best centre pull I have found are the early dia compe ones .
They still make the new version called the Grand Compe at a price :shock: .

There is no wrong end of any stick, things are flexing, pads are Ritchey, theres more flex than brake at the moment!

Decent cable outer too so that isnt shrinking, its just me moaning after being spoiled by dual pivots.

And it gives me something to do and at least the missus knows where I am.

What I normally do is let the springs off and tighten everything up, once the springs are back on all is usually ok, well at least with cantilevers and v-brakes but somebody at Mafac thought it'd be good to have the springs rest against the bolts that also hold on the pads. So when you go to tighten after adjusting, everything bends and boings and blumbles (blumbles may be a made up word btw).

Blumble to the lot of it

Re:

I find the same when comparing old and new brakes . Things get worst when I fit /remove cotter pins .The joys of messing with old bikes.

Our dog does a bunk if I am in the garage and the air turns blue .

I try not to go too fast.....

Re:

Check the bushes? There shouldn't be any play in a Mafac pivot. If there is the bushes are worn.

Yes, very good advice to check the bushings on the pivots.
I run Mafac Racers on a couple of mine and love them, stop on a dime, but see if the bushes are worn then then the whole lot flexes something chronic and if you do get them working then the judder and squeal when they do can be quite bad.
The bushes alone are easy to come by and you will find that Weinmann and GB bushes fit perfectly.

Jamie

Re:

Except that the 2000s have up-market bronze bushes rather than delrin?
I don't know if the two styles of bushing are cross-compatible. My last set of Mafacs (2000s) were 'disappeared' thirty three years ago..