Bicycle Mechanics - Long reach brake recommendations?

Picked up a set of used Ultegra brakes for my new C'dale bike (SR500 model which is designed to accomodate fenders) and then realized my bike requires long reach (47-57mm) brakes. Everything else on bike is 105 level (except brakes) so I am now shopping for a good set of long reach dual pivot brakes (new or used). Initial research shows that Shimano has a set (BR-R600) that appears to be at least 105 level. What other brands/models offer long reach brakes that are at least 105 level quality?

The only place I know of is Rivendale which carries a long reach brake they developed with Tektro. Roger

The BR-R600 are considered Ultegra quality so they are a step above 105. Shimano used to make long reach 105 double pivot brakes (I have a set on my '83 vintage Trek rain bike) but I don't think they are available any more.

Tektro (also sold as Nashbar's house brand) makes long reach double pivot brakes that work just fine. I would put them at Tiagra or Sora level for finish but they are very functional if not elegantly finished and the price is unbeatable.

My SR500 stock brakes are C'dale "Delta" which I think are made by TEKTRO. They have a 520 stamped on the back. That lines up with the way TEKTRO marks their brakes but that number does not show up on the TEKTRO web site. Everything else on bike was stock at Tiagra level and I am trying to upgrade to 105 level. Have not really used stock brakes enough to pass judgement on them but I assumed they were entry level brakes. Guess I will sell the set of Ultegra's I don't need.

These own:

http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB=%271314-00%27

Tektro is good stuff. "Upgrading" to 105 is essentially money wasted on downgrading. Spend it on pads instead.

Thanks operator. Those Tektro 521AG look just like mine except that my C'dale's have C'dale Delta marked on them and they don't have the pad in a metal carrier as shown in 521AG. If I keep mine, I probably need to upgrade the pads as you noted. Only have a few miles on them so far but the stock pads don't seem to have much bite to them.

Does your fork require the sunken modern allen bolt style or old fashioned std hex nut fitting?

Picked up a set of used Ultegra brakes for my new C'dale bike (SR500 model which is designed to accomodate fenders) and then realized my bike requires long reach (47-57mm) brakes. Everything else on bike is 105 level (except brakes) so I am now shopping for a good set of long reach dual pivot brakes (new or used). Initial research shows that Shimano has a set (BR-R600) that appears to be at least 105 level. What other brands/models offer long reach brakes that are at least 105 level quality?

Try these, http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/brake-calipers.html#55-73 Sheldon Brown recomends them as a good brake. Good luck

Tim

Try these, Sheldon Brown recommends them as a good brake. Good luck
Well, these are if you need really long-reach brakes. "Standard" long-reach brakes have 47-57mm reach, these have 55-73mm reach. I believe that these were developed by Tektro for Rivendell at Riv's request, to be sold as the "Silver" sidepull break (http://www.rivbike.com/webalog/brakes/15026.html).
My guess is the OP's bike takes 47-57mm reach brakes, though. These really-long-reach brakes are useful for retrofitting some older frames that came with centerpulls, esp. if you've switched the wheels from 27" to 700c.

Shimano BR-R550's are half the price of the 600's and are only a few grams heavier. They are nicely finished. It's that, the tektros or the silvers from rivendell.

there might be another option but I can't come up with one.

Keep your current calipers but upgrade with:
http://www.biketiresdirect.com/productdetail.asp?p=KSHDC
I doubt if you will be able to detect any diference in braking quality by changing the calipers but you will by upgrading the pads.

Was looking at a giant ocr in an LBS recently. They had long reach brakes (prob. 47-57 size) and I think that they were shimano 105. You could ask if an LBS can order them if you want.

These are really worth checking out. Very reasonably priced, and seem to be supremely nice. Black or silver, $29.95 each caliper.

http://www.yellowjersey.org/mbs.html

The brakes I need are the old standard (47-57mm). I have decided to keep the brakes I have for now and see how they perform over the near term. Probably will change out the pad as a first step. If I am not happy with them, I will probably go for the Shamino BR-R600. (The BR-R550 are center pull - wrong style).
Thanks to all.

First of all, you guys need to get the terminoligy straight. 47-57 is NOT called long reach. This is standard reach. Most bikes these days comes with SHORT reach brakes. So stop calling them LONG reach.

Second, don't waste money buying the Tektros only to UPGRADE later to the Ultegra level 600 brakes. Who ever thinks 105 or Ultegra isn't an upgrade from Tektro hasn't worked on or taken Tektros apart.

I'm forever amazed at the basic lack of practical knowledge on these forums.

First of all, you guys need to get the terminoligy straight. 47-57 is NOT called long reach.

http://bike.shimano.com/catalog/cycle/products/component.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441762489&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302050563&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181674&bmUID=1165890232834

Check the link to Shimano's site.........."long," "standard," "short," whatever; these are subjective terms. But these days, when it comes to road brakes, 47-57mm reach is indeed usually referred to as "long reach." Twenty-odd years ago, this would have been a standard reach road brake. Nowadays, it's not. There's no need to get hung up on terminology, the brakes are what they are and can be measured. But if you're looking at new brakes with this amount of reach, the products will generally be referred to as "long reach." There are other new caliper brakes available with even more reach; maybe call them "extra long reach." Doesn't matter, again they are what they are, and can be measured-

First of all, you guys need to get the terminoligy straight. 47-57 is NOT called long reach. This is standard reach. Most bikes these days comes with SHORT reach brakes. So stop calling them LONG reach.


Or you can just start referring to each brakes reach by their reach measurement instead and stop being anal about terminology since it does nothing but confuse.

Thanks for playing.

The brakes I need are the old standard (47-57mm). I have decided to keep the brakes I have for now and see how they perform over the near term. Probably will change out the pad as a first step. If I am not happy with them, I will probably go for the Shamino BR-R600. (The BR-R550 are center pull - wrong style).
Thanks to all.

The Shimano BR-A550 is most definetly a sidepull 47-57 mm reach brake at about half the price, and only a few grams heavier, than the higher priced 47-57mm shimano sidepull brake. I think the main difference is the higher level one has cartridge pads! but don't have a QBP in front of me.

I think A and R must look the same at my age, my apologies.

Where do you find the Shimano BR-A550 brakes? A search on the Shamino web site did not turn them up.

look at AEbike.com. And they are in the 2006 QBP catalog. they are a Shimano 'non-series' component.

Ask over at singlespeed/fixed gear. many riders have converted old bikes with 27" wheels to
fixies using 700c wheels. Youll find some people who use the brakes you need.

The brakes I need are the old standard (47-57mm).

Right. The ones I linked to at Yellow Jersey are indeed the old standard:
"These new dual pivots 47~59"
http://www.yellowjersey.org/mbs.html

http://thecuda.com/md_PC101861.jpg

^^ These are/were the Nashbar long reach caliper (made by Tektro). 5 minutes with a rag and some Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish took the nashbar "N" off the front and polished up the finish quite well.

Brake pads in the front are KoolStop salmon, in the back I put on a pair of Shimano 105 level pads. They stop a whole lot better than stock.

well biked, Subjective terms but WHO doesn't want to get hung up on terminology?

I'd rather be correct and accurate than slapdash in my approach to bikes.

You seem to know enough to "get by" and impress your friends but i can tell you've not been in this long enough.




operator, If i call them short reach it spurs on conversation (since most will ask "why are they called short reach") to better educate the noobs like yourself who insist on layman's terms for anything and everything you can't wrap your brain around.

"thanks for playing"? please son, the adults are speaking.

[QUOTE=thesuper]well biked, Subjective terms but WHO doesn't want to get hung up on terminology?
Me and most other people if you're talking about brake reach because the terminology really doesn't mean much. The reasons for this are explained in my earlier post.
I'd rather be correct and accurate than slapdash in my approach to bikes.
You're not correct on this issue. The reasons for this are explained in my earlier post.
You seem to know enough to "get by" and impress your friends but i can tell you've not been in this long enough.[/QUOTE You were wrong in your earlier post, I corrected you. I even did it in a way that I intended to be polite, despite the abrasive nature of your posts. Get over it-

well biked, Terminology doesn't mean much? So you're not interested in accuracy? I bet you call horses coffee tables. I mean, they both have four legs. And really, who really cares about getting hung up on terminology?

"Close enough" seems to be your moto.

I was wrong? So pointing out your obvious lack of accuracy makes me wrong? You aren't Tony Snow are you? You have his zeal for spin.

I'm sorry that I can't hold your hand and gently whisper my responses into your child-like, delicate, ears. I was speaking truth. And sometimes, to those who treat the English language like a 14 year old, the truth hurts.

well biked, Terminology doesn't mean much? So you're not interested in accuracy? I bet you call horses coffee tables. I mean, they both have four legs. And really, who really cares about getting hung up on terminology?

"Close enough" seems to be your moto.

I was wrong? So pointing out your obvious lack of accuracy makes me wrong? You aren't Tony Snow are you? You have his zeal for spin.

I'm sorry that I can't hold your hand and gently whisper my responses into your child-like, delicate, ears. I was speaking truth. And sometimes, to those who treat the English language like a 14 year old, the truth hurts.

Merry Christmas!

well biked, Self Righteous (with a hint of passive aggresive) AND a Christian, nothing new there.