How to tell the difference ?

silverclaws

Senior Retro Guru
I am here assuming that bikes designed to take linear brakes ( v- brakes) are different to those designed to take cantis.

So, I am asking how one can tell if a front fork be that suspension or rigid is designed to take either brake assembly type, is there a visual difference that one can ascertain what is designed for what simply by viewing ?
 
For frames and fork you can usually tell by the cable stops.

Frames will have them at different places for v's and wont have canti hangers (though some used seatpin hangers). Ditto forks--check the brace.
 
Also, remember that any frame designed for Canti's can also use V's... You just don't use the cable hanger... On the rear of a frame, if it doesn't have the center cable hanger, you can get one that attaches with the seat post clamp... On non suspension forks, you can use a hangar that attaches to the headset/stem.... Some older suspension forks that use V's still have a spot to put the center hanger...
 
.............also look for suspiciously large hands and prominent adam's apple..........erm........ahhh......right, V-brakes, sorry....... :oops:



Aye- V's basically use the same fitting as cantilever, but don't need cable stops on the frame.........the main difference to look out for is actually the levers- canti brake levers don't pull enough cable to be effective if used with V's.
 
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