rear brake caliper clearance issues HELP!!

ylwgto

Retro Guru
Hi all,

question about my most recent lightweight steel build up. I found a sweet Taylor True Temper S3 frame and just finished swapping all my kit from my BMC onto it (Campy SR 11, Zipp 404, Enve 1.0 fork etc). I installed the calipers last, only to find that the clearance between the not-yet-inflated 25c Conti tire and the underside of the caliper is close to nothing. Additionally, the brake blocks are as high as they can go in the caliper arms and I still need a bit more room to get the pads to properly seat on the aluminum brakewall. The rear is a single pivot SR Skeleton style caliper. There is ample clearance to the seat tube and between the chainstays, it just seems the brake bridge is super low or these calipers are odd (but never had issue with them on BMC and other modern carbon frames). Zero issues with front, as you'd imagine.

I'm pretty deflated, as I intended to run 25-28c on this bike. But, now I am concerned about even being able to run my current wheels and a 23c tire without having to change the calipers. So, questions:

-Is it possible the frame was purpose-built to run less than 23c tires (It's not that old, I'd say early 2000s)?
-Are there other caliper options that will address tire clearance and allow me to get the brake blocks higher?
-Certainly this isn't a wheel reltaed issue, but is there any evidence that Zipps are a smidge alrger in circumference than other wheels?

Thanks!
 

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Looks close on this one too

stoemper-taylor-14-19839_5.jpg
 
Tricky, very tricky

Theres not many wheel sizes either.

Try a local bike shop and see if they have any calipers of different sizes to try.
 
thanks

I just can't believe one would build a modern frame with such tight tire clearances at the brake bridge, but...

Any knowledge of calipers with more clearance space and/or more room to move blocks up?

That Stoemper is so nice. yours?
 
Re:

thanks

one more thought.
would the addition or removal of spacing washers behind the caliper achieve anything (i.e. slightly changing the location of the caliper in relation to the curvature of the wheel)?

right now my main concern is that I can't get the brake blocks high enough in the calipers to use these wheels. I suppose i could live with 23c tires, but as pictured the uninflated 25c tires are contacting the caliper arms :shock:

would it be safe and/or possible (although sacrilegious and ugly) to instal the caliper on the inside of the rear triangle?
 
My very late 90s steel is exactly like this.
23s fit ok, 25s are marginal. (The frame and caliper are both scratched badly)
That's both with open pro rims, so very narrow, ~16mm IIRC.

My wife's mid 00s carbon is the same.
 
Fitting extra spacers will gain you next to nothing. Same as fitting it backwards. Will also give issues with bolt holes.
 
Re:

anyone know of a "drop bolt", like the one pictured, that I could use to relocate caliper upward a bit?
 

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