Cantis ain't as good as they used to be....

[Scarlett]

Imagine the scene a few weeks ago whilst my poor other half (GradeAfailure) was sorting out my bike for me...

Him - 'The bike should have 'V' brakes on it, theres no way to run cantis and your rims are too thin, they won't work properly...'

Me - <stamping foot> 'I want cantis! All my old bikes (should point out now my last bike was 12 years ago) had cantis and they worked fine, don't want V brakes.'

Him - 'Ok, but you won't be able to stop....'

Me - 'I'll be fine' (I believe they call this famous last words...?)

Then fast forward to today, me out on Kona in the early evening sunshine, getting more confident and competant on bike, gets to a nice little twisty downhill path, pedals a little faster... then see's oncoming sharp bend, applies brakes - nothing - and again - nothing. Suddenly 6 foot tall wire fence type thing gets in the way and me and poor wee Kona hit it at speed...

Realising now that A, I'm a damn sight heavier then when 14 so more of me for poor wee cantis to stop. B, little ickle thin wheels that the pads barely brush off of don't really help. C, the bike was built with V brakes and maybe all the hassle of cable hangers and such like wasn't worth it. Last but not least D, I should listen to boyfriend when he tells me I am gonna hurt myself....

Thankfully nothing broken on bike nor me... May have to reassess the braking situation before March ride though or it could be messy....

:roll:

 

[pete_mcc]

But surely using a 6 foot wire fence is the retro way of stopping a bike, I know I've used that method many times in the past.......

 

[billinjah]

jeez girl you be careful ill lend you me brembos off the rado i think!

 

[gradeAfailure]

Bill, strangely enough I did get pick the bike up while muttering to myself about having better bloody brakes on the first rado, and they were awful!!

mmmmmmmmmmmm brembos... <wonders if Brembo would make cantis>



EDITED TO ADD - bugger, Dave is logged in, not me.... oops...

 

[Augustus]

Ahhh, I'm glad other bike couples have those conversations too, that makes me feel betterknowing I'm not alone. And applaud Grade A for not steamrollering you and insisting - I learned to to do that a long time ago

Usually ours are about brakes or 0 deg stems or forks.

I am coming to the conclusion the cross bike could so with a v brake upgrade after last weekend's wet muddy and non existant braking exercise on cantis. Just plain scary.

 

[Stick Legs]

You may have a problem mate...

Vee brakes have bolt type blocks not studs.

You cannot get the pad close enough to the rim, also the arm of the brake hit's the tyre before it touches the rim (I found this out).

I really hope you have more luck.

If not I am up for buying the Campag wheels off you if you want more modern brakes on the Kona and can't sort it.

Let me know.

Cheers.

 

[ededwards]

If you want to run v's on a cross bike and are using drops with bar end shifters I have some Dia Compe aero levers that were designed for v's (they are 287v levers), indeed I think they are the only aero levers designed for v's.

Feel free to PM me.

 

[Scarlett]

You may have a problem mate...

Vee brakes have bolt type blocks not studs.

You cannot get the pad close enough to the rim, also the arm of the brake hit's the tyre before it touches the rim (I found this out).

I really hope you have more luck.

If not I am up for buying the Campag wheels off you if you want more modern brakes on the Kona and can't sort it.

Let me know.

Cheers.

boogar...

may use the Campags on the Bonty anyway and try something more sensible on Miss Kona...

otherwise I will need bloody Brembos...

 

[Augustus]

Ed,

thanks for the offer. Am running sti units and kind of like them, so can't go to lever only.

Isn't there a roller device (Avid?) that you can use to reduce the cable pull for v's on road levers?

 

[mikee]

onza ho's and koolstops , as good as rim brakes get







but if you care about her fit discs m8 (was looking for the rolling eyes
smiley)

mikee