Which shimano cantilever hanger do I need

sefton1275gt

Retro Guru
I’m fitting some XT cantilevers into my Dawes Galaxy.

How do I know which shimano hanger to use?

A,B or C?

(I have a spare A & B hanger btw)

I’m guessing the front and rear are different lengths?

Thankyou



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You should use cantilever pads - those look like v- brake.
The length of the straddle depends on the boss spacing, the rim width and the depth the pad is mounted at. Canti_250609_192227.webp
At point of contact, the arms want to be vertical and the "straddle" making a 90⁰angle at the hanger.
That dictates the straddle length.
 
Your basically looking for a 90 degree triangle on the straddle/ brake cable. There are recommended lengths from shimano as each set was sent with straddles....but, it can depend on how much you stick the blocks out through the clamp.

On low profile cantilevers like those, it actually helps to have the pads through the holder more...widening the arms. It goes against the concept of not kicking them, but it will have a better mechanical outcome.

So set your pads up. Put a straddle on and put the cable through it. If when pulled up its more than 90 degrees, you probably need a longer straddle.

Hope that helps.
 
You should use cantilever pads - those look like v- brake.
The length of the straddle depends on the boss spacing, the rim width and the depth the pad is mounted at. View attachment 970114
At point of contact, the arms want to be vertical and the "straddle" making a 90⁰angle at the hanger.
That dictates the straddle length.
Thankyou. Will the v brake pads be ok or should I look for some regular pad holders?

Also, are the 2 cable outers essential (as the are damaged).
 
No you dont need the outers. They just made ot easy to have the right length of cable. They should be the same as the straddle
 
These straddles pictured do actually need the short outer section - this model has no pinch bolt in the "hanger" button, so the outer section stops the button sliding down the cable clamp side. 20250609_200310.webp
The top style can do without.
The lower 2 need the outer sexton.

You can cut a piece of standard brake outer to do the job, although it's a bit chunky.

Lots of people use v pads - so as long as you can get everything aligned correctly, there's probably no issue.
 
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Just check another bike I have. It seems the straddles on this are at 90 when resting.

So, if I need the outers I guess I’ll buy new…And if buying new, are these kind of hangers the best? Tbh, I’ve used (and still do) regular triangle type hangers for my cyclocross bikes for years without any problems. (This kind of Shimano hanger does look neat though)
 
The shimano hanger is simpler to use than the pinch hanger and separate straddle wire, so if you like the look too, it's a winner.
Screenshot_20250609-200942_Firefox.webp
Looking at the indicator on the button, shimano think you should have "C"
Your setup is ok, but the straddle is a fraction long and the pads aren't quite horizontal at bite.
 
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