Bicycle Mechanics - Avid TRI-ALIGN Ⅱ Cantis- Any experience or opinions?

While messing about in the local velo workshop today I was offered a set of what I believe to be Avid TRI-ALIGN Ⅱ cantilever brakes. My past experiences with cantis have been mixed, so I'd like so info on these before I have them put on a bike. Does anyone have any experience with this (or this style of) canti brake? Do they stop well? Are they difficult to set up? Thanks.

http://takachi.no-ip.com/cycletouring/bicycle/brake/avid72.jpg

Looks cool, easy to adjust.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=267749
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Brake_System/product_20483.shtml

Its still '80s thechnology, any V brake will out stop it.

one thing with the avids is that they have a sleeve that is red locktited to the brake post. If the breaks dont have those then good luck finding some. I still have a set on one of my bikes and love them still but I am also running the old avid ultimate levers with them.

WORST BRAKES EVER!!! I had a set of those on my cross country bike in the early 90's and they didn't stop worth crap. I had the head mechanic at the shop I worked at adjust them and they still worked like crap.

True story: I entered in a cross country mtb race at Big Bear that was 21 miles of gradual climbing and 5 miles of rocky downhill to the finish. Between the bumps and the constant gripping of my crappy Avid Tri Align brakes, my finger muscles actually gave out and released the brake levers, launching me into the rear tire of the guy in front of me and making me fall into a rock. I switched to V brakes the next week.

I'm guessing your straddle cable was the wrong length or setup improperly... Tri-Aligns are pretty good brakes by any other account I've heard.

I should add I have a pair of near-identical Tektro's that function quite nicely.

Thanks for all the replies.

One more question; would there be any problem in putting modern cartridge pad holders on these? Thanks.

I have Avid Canti's on the rear of my road bike based on a cyclocross frame, but they are not Tir-Align. They are ok for the rear with STI and no traveller device or what ever the device is called. On the front I prefert the Avid Vs, again with no traveller. V's on the back were way too powerful and I would have to have added a traveller. Canti's are perfect for reduced braking IMO.

Set-up is not too bad.

Al

Any post mount pad should work fine with those brakes.

Setup is a bit easier than the typical center pull cantilevers, and I've always thought they worked great.

I should add I have a pair of near-identical Tektro's that function quite nicely.
I had those before I bought teh Tri-Aligns, and they worked fine as well. Nothing special, but what I would expect from a budget brand. Not sure why my Tri Aligns didn't work, but I tried multiple settings and even a master mechanic's adjustments. Go figure.