Mountain Biking - Cant levers and "V" brakes

I have a friend that is trying to use his Cant levers with new "V" brakes. I told him it will not work too well. I have never tried but heard that it is not a good ideal to mix the two. Is there any truth to it? I know that there are adapaters to make that combo work? Has anybody actually tried this combo and made it work without any adapters?

Thanks,

Bill F.

Originally posted by bfong
Has anybody actually tried this combo and made it work without any adapters?


Sheldon Brown has covered the implications of using conventional levers with direct-pull V-brakes.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html#vbrake

This is what you need http://www.cambriabike.com/brakes/images/travel_agent_wadj.jpg
It's called a Travel Agent and it has a "doubler" setting that allows you to use canti levers with V-brakes. Go HERE (http://www.cambriabike.com/brakes/brake_levers_cblset.htm) and scroll down. I use a set in place of the noodles on my commuter bike - makes for smoother braking.

The problem is having the brakes touch the rim before the levers hit the handle bars. if you were to put the pads close enough to the rim, then you could do it. The problem here is that if you have a wheel slighly out of true, like many MTBers have, you will have rubbing brakes. Some people are willing to make this sacrifice (this is you, all riders with hydro discs) but it will get on the nerves of others.

On my old Kona Kula I am using XTR brake levers (for V-brakes) and Shimano Acera V-brakes in front, and cantis Ritchey Logic for the rear (odd set) front works not that bad, but rear actually doesn't work. You can lock your rear only on snow (not always) and on ice (always). They require lots of power.

So, don't mix V-brake levers with canti breaks

Thanks guys. Just wanted some experience with this stuff before I spent my time messing around with it.


Bill F.