Any tips on repairing vintage brakes?

DutchIron

Dirt Disciple
Previously I put up a post about my 1948 Claud Butler road bike. Last month I replaced the Simplex 3-speed with a single speed using what I believe to be the original rear wheel. After a return ride to a steel bike event in Germany I was cleaning the bike and the spring in the rear brake snapped (see photos). Does anyone have any suggestions for replacing the spring, or making a new one? 20250522_111837.webp 20250512_213940.webp 20250607_154022.webp 20250607_150034.webp 20250607_145919.webp
 
-----

Balilla brand brakes issue from the firm of Galli Giovanni, S.p.A.

Balilla:Galli sidepull brake advert .webp Galli:Balilla brake advert .webp

perchance the forum may have a member with one of these calipers where another part has failed and it could serve for cannibalisation...


-----
 
piano wire and some patience to make a new spring.

to be honest, the spring looks pretty familiar to any other brake of that type, so go looking and see what you can find.
 
Weinmann used a similar spring BITD. This may or may not be easier to find.

Pic courtesy of Velobase:

DFC69C2E-1703-4330-AAD1-AA49CAC1D8B5.webp

I shall have a look, but don't believe I have a spare. 😟
 
-----

Weinmann nota bene -

reach (by eye) of subject caliper appears greater than that of a Weinmann model 500 and possibly close to that of a Weinmann model 730

the centre of slot dimension for the model 500 is 50mm and for the model 730 it is 62mm

good idea to measure your caliper prior to Retrorodne attendance

-----
 
Bring the spring and show it to the (semi-)professional traders present as well. I have had good luck with that in the past.

BTW, mrs non-fixie and I are also getting ready for the Retroronde. One of the nicest events of the year. :)
Enjoy the retroronde. I'm not actually taking part myself this time
 
Just checked a pair of Gloria Specials and no go; not wrap around. I will check some Universals (Sport or Mod. 39s maybe), but some may be the wrong reach as juvela mentioned (measure reach at block's center position and provide the data). I only have a Balilla lever or two, but no calipers.

Suggestions given are all great! Certainly check local swap meets/jumbles first.

I suggest checking Subito as I regularly see really decent deals on items just like this where you can buy the pair of calipers complete and have a spare spring (and other parts; make a "best" pair). I'm in the US, but I have purchased a complete bike from Subito which in that case I called the seller (quite old, and the original owner of the "cambio corsa" bike) directly (I know very little Italian, but more ancient Latin) and figured out a way to do it with my connections due to needing pick up, disassembly, packing, etc.; but buying something like a pair of brakes is easy if the seller is willing to toss them in a box and ship (way cheaper than ebay where I had (no more!) suffered more problems than anywhere. Those selling on Subito have been, thus far, really good about dealing with me (and I generally add a little extra coin to smooth the transaction while still making it a reasonably frugal purchase).
 
Last edited:
Back
Top