Originally Posted by
GrayJay
All the mechanical advantage in the world is worthless if you don't have any lever travel left to apply more force.
good point. especially when I'm using my interrupter levers on the tops it almost feels like the cable is slipping in that additional squeezing after the first contact doesn't appear to slow me down at all, but the next time I brake the pad contacts the rim at the same amount of pull on the levers so you could be right about the bending of the cantilever arm or the straddle. I'm getting some new brakes to test this theory. Sorry for the mini-threadjack OP.