Weird calliper installation

[Johnsqual]

Hello,

I've just seen a bike for sale that has the brake calliper installed
on the inside of the brake bridge - i.e. inside the fork triangle.

It's an ordinary steel racing bike and a side pull calliper.

Obviously it would be easy enough to fix it, but just wondering
if there would be any reason for it: was it just incompetence from
the person who put the bike together? Would it have any major
disadvantages for braking (e.g. extra strain on the calliper arms)?

Cheers,

Johnny

 

[daccordimark]

I would say incompetence - apart from anything else if the fixing comes loose the caliper goes flying down between the tyre and seat tube.

Mark.

 

[Johnsqual]

OK, cheers.

PS sorry for double post, my internet connection was playing up this morning.

 

[Old Ned]

If you're talking about the rear brake this is a quite common method of mounting a side pull caliper. Rene Vietto who was a Tour de France challenger in the late 40's/early 50's always had his rear brake mounted in this way as did Beryl Burton in later years. It can depend on which way the cable runs easiest from the top tube and also gets the caliper out of the way of a saddle bag potentially, especially on a small frame.

 

[Old Ned]

I would say incompetence - apart from anything else if the fixing comes loose the caliper goes flying down between the tyre and seat tube.

Mark.

If the one on the front one comes loose the caliper flies up and hits you in the face.

 

[daccordimark]

I would say incompetence - apart from anything else if the fixing comes loose the caliper goes flying down between the tyre and seat tube.

Mark.

If the one on the front one comes loose the caliper flies up and hits you in the face.

Ouch! I hope that's not based on personal experience.

Our clubrun came past your house yesterday on the way back home. I was suffering at the time and nearly knocked on your door for a cuppa. We'd made good time to our cafe stop in the morning so the leader made us push on a bit further - Lotherton Hall in the end!

Mark.

 

[Old Ned]

I would say incompetence - apart from anything else if the fixing comes loose the caliper goes flying down between the tyre and seat tube.

Mark.

If the one on the front one comes loose the caliper flies up and hits you in the face.

Ouch! I hope that's not based on personal experience.

Our clubrun came past your house yesterday on the way back home. I was suffering at the time and nearly knocked on your door for a cuppa. We'd made good time to our cafe stop in the morning so the leader made us push on a bit further - Lotherton Hall in the end!

Mark.

Not on personal experience - thankfully!

I wasn't in yesterday, I was in Sunny Manchester looking at trains. Much more restful than pedalling. :roll:

 

[Midlife]

Alf did the same thing with his front brake.........tried to hide it behind the forks. And the soon to be banned brake levers behind the tops of the bars.

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/riders/engers7.jpg

Shaun

 

[RooKilo]

Some time trial bikes had the rear caliper the 'wrong way' round, I've got a frame made from 531 speed stream like this on it's way to me soon - I'll post pics when I get it

 

[Johnsqual]

Hello,

This bike has the rear caliper inside the rear triangle. I did wonder if
this would increase the braking power by reducing the flex (because the
caliper gets pushed against the seat stays).

Anywho, good to know that it is a possibility, because I'm working on
an old Dutch granny bike that needs a new rear brake, but there's no
room behind the luggage rack for it.

Cheers,

Johnny