Mafac cantis

[Mike-p]

I have a set of vintage cantis came with the flying gate frame in the other thread. Are these worth using with new pads? Or should I replace with newer cantis or calipers which will fit around guards and 28 tyres? I've not run cantis before but I'm not against messing about until they're well set up. So long as it's worth doing!

Thanks all

 

[pigman]

The problem with mafac, weinmann and frogleg cantis is that there is no up and down movement of the brake blocks. Obviously you can angle them up and down, but if the frame wasn't designed for them, the blocks won't hit the rim squarely.

 

[Mike-p]

Ah yes I see. Im hoping they may be original to the bike, late 70s? If they line up are they worth using? Also what pads would be best?

 

[Mike-p]

Popped a 700c wheel in to see, looks good to me? Obviously the brakes are wanting a clean up...

 

[non-fixie]

I am a big fan of those brakes. I love the minimalist no-nonsense look, and with decent pads they work well. I mostly use original MAFAC pads, but I expect them to work even better with Koolstop replacements.

Have them on my favourite touring bike:

 

[jim haseltine]

Whatever you do, don't run Mafac blocks. When I used them dry performance was ok but they were dismal to the point of being near lethal in wet conditions. I understand that Koolstop replacements are considerably better.

 

[Mike-p]

Thanks everyone.

Beautiful bike non fixie what are the STI s? They're not as ugly as most...

Im in the hills in the west of Ireland. In the rain. With a tagalong plus boy on the back.

Will they do the job?

Im on a beat but lovely Roberts with 105 golden arrow and modern pads at the moment...They're a lot of work on the hands going down a steep incline. How might they compare to those and my other bike with early ultegra dual pivots?

 

[torqueless]

Will they do the job?

If the pads and pivots and cables are good, paired with appropriate levers- yes- better than almost anything- unless you insist on being able to lock both wheels with a twitch of your little fingers. Seems lotsa people these days have been spoilt rotten with over-performing "let me do that for you" stuff. "You mean I actually have to use some muscles to squeeze these levers to stop my bike? Wtf?"
If you ask brakes to do crazy things you end up with crazy brakes.
But don't take any notice of me. I've never even tried dual pivot or disc brakes, so what do I know?

 

[pigman]

My experience of cantis is, set up well, they're practically unbeatable. Set up badly, they're useless. I have some old deore ones on my shopper/pubber and they are great, I had my lads on a rear kiddy seat and later on a Isla tagalong, and they were sufficient and I live in a hilly area.
Contrast that with I tried to install some cantis on a road,-cross bike and no matter what I did, I just couldn't get them to work effectively. In the end, as a desperate measure, I sawed off the bosses and fitted some cheap long drop dual pivots, which had the power, but poor modulation

 

[non-fixie]

Thanks everyone.

Beautiful bike non fixie what are the STI s? They're not as ugly as most... (...)

Thank you. They are Campagnolo Chorus 9-speed Ergo brifters. Chosen because they play very nicely with classic 5 and 6 speed blocks.

Google "Shimergo" if interested.