Cantilevers Versus V brakes

[widowmaker]

Vs are cantis.

Next.

Technically yes, but i think we all know what i am getting at

 

[barry2017]

To be fair, the thing that makes old-fashioned designs of cantilever brake fiddlier to set up is the way the pads are fixed to the arms. Cantis that use v-brake pads, like the much-maligned Tektro Oryx, are much less trouble.

I still like Maguras.

 

[tintin40]

If it's a early 90's bike then fit canti's after 97 fit V or fit Magura as better than both V & canti together.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

I can set cantis up in mins, no probs.

Vs more powerful, but not by a great margin. All this talk of going over the bars etc was late 90s bull. I prefer the better modulation, feel lighter weight and mud clearance of cantis.

 

[widowmaker]

If it's a early 90's bike then fit canti's after 97 fit V or fit Magura as better than both V & canti together.

The bike is an early 90's and cantis would certainly look more 'period' and v brakes just dont look nice in my opinion :?

 

[Neil]

To be fair, the thing that makes old-fashioned designs of cantilever brake fiddlier to set up is the way the pads are fixed to the arms. Cantis that use v-brake pads, like the much-maligned Tektro Oryx, are much less trouble.

I've got some of those, somewhere - bought from CRC probably when they were on sale.

I've never read much about them - why are they so maligned?

As to the V vs Canti thing - it's the same old, same old - there's nothing new under the sun - there are those that insist Vs are more powerful, those that prefer cantis.

From my perspective, the truth is this - IME there's no signficant difference in the performance of well setup cantis or Vs - the issue is one of cantis being much more tricky to get setup correctly, most don't, then slam them in favour of Vs because Vs take skill to setup incorrectly.

I've said it before, no doubt I'll say it again, cantis are <deities'> own brakes, and in something of a contradiction to that - they self-select.

 

[widowmaker]

I will see how well i can set up the cantis first before i decide, because one thing i have got loads of is time (no money though )

 

[barry2017]

I've never read much about them - why are they so maligned?

The general consensus, as I understand it, is that they're low profile, so can't be any good. Wide profile cantis give you better mud clearance; with the fashion for cyclocross bikes at the minute, narrow profile cantis like the Oryx or the Avid Shorty are not liked anymore.

Personally, I reckon it's all a load of nonsense. Unless it's one of those really cheap brakes that's made of cheese, you can have great performance from pretty much any cantilever brake. And narrow profile has an advantage with heel clearance on a lot of MTB frames.

 

[We_are_Stevo]

I'm a great fan of these...

...have them on all my canti-equipped bikes; many people denigrate them but I love 'em (Tektro on left, Marzocchi on right)...

...resolves the issue of where to put a f'ugly cable hanger, and makes canti's equally as powerfull as V's; and that from a life-long V fan

Nor are canti's any more fiddly to set up than V's: do them one side at a time without any cables attached; put the pad in at what
looks like an ideal angle; push arm/pad against rim and adjust as appropriate; ditto other side; push both arms/pads to rim together
and check that they are the same angles/meet rim at same time; install cables; tighten everything up and go ride...

Tektro boosters are available from SJS Cycles for not much money, and if you use these instructions to set them up you can't go wrong

PS: Brakes in my pix above are set up for 'looks' ( ) and work great (I'm currently a lardy 17stn and they stop me just fine); if I set
them up with the correct cable geometry they'd be even better! )

 

[widowmaker]

Those instruction are perfect - Thanks

And only £5 odd each so well worth a try !