Bicycle Mechanics - Cantilever brake quick release?

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NJWheelBuilder
08-02-05, 06:35 AM
Hi!
I'm thinking about converting my tandem over to cantilever brakes. I have one question though. Do cantilever brakes have a quick release mechanism for getting the wheel off the bike? Specifically, I'm looking at Avid Shortys. Thanks.

french.ace
08-02-05, 06:43 AM
Hi!
I'm thinking about converting my tandem over to cantilever brakes. I have one question though. Do cantilever brakes have a quick release mechanism for getting the wheel off the bike? Specifically, I'm looking at Avid Shortys. Thanks.

I have Avid Shortys...the brake cable is held down by the fixing bolt on one side, while on the other side the straddle cable has a metal head that fits in a groove on the other arm of the cantilever. I can usually squeeze the brakes together to get enough slack to release this end out of the groove and let the brakes go, although it's not as easy as I thought it should be. the close my brakes are to the rims, the harder it is to get enough slack.
Bikewer
08-02-05, 08:26 AM
A number of our police bikes still have cantis, and that's how they work. French.ace is right, sometimes it's a little hard to get enough slack, but usually there's no problem.

jswilson64
08-02-05, 09:14 AM
>>sometimes it's a little hard to get enough slack

You've just got to put a turn or two into the adjusting barrel on the lever before you tighten the cable. Then, you've got enough slack there if you can't squeeze 'em tight enough. Also gives you a bit of wiggle room if you ding a rim - back that slack out and keep the pad from rubbing until you can true the wheel.