|3iker
09-09-10, 11:59 AM
I don't like the canti brake feel and performance. Is it possible to do a direct swap from Canti brakes to V-brakes?
Will it work with STI brifters?
Will it work with STI brifters?
Bicycle Mechanics - Swapping Cantis for V-brakes
Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.View Full Version : Swapping Cantis for V-brakes
fietsbob
09-09-10, 12:03 PM
Sure, have to use a cable travel multiplier , aka 'Travel Agent' instead of the j bend noodle, though ..
get the version with the cable adjuster [QBP]
get the version with the cable adjuster [QBP]
BCRider
09-09-10, 09:03 PM
... because your STI brifters don't pull the correct amount of cable over the stroke of the lever. (is why you need travel agents).
Not sure why you want to do this. I've found that my canti brakes feel great and perform excellently with aero or brifter levers. But a few things can come along to mess this up. First off is wear to the brake pad track on the rim. I've found it does not take much cupping of the brake track to cause the pads to get grabby and feel very non linear. Some folks can ignore this until the rim's sidewall gets so thin that the wall fails and the rim splits. I have found that about half way to that point I get so disgusted with the feel of the brakes that I lace on a new rim and install new pads. But that transforms the brakes back to excellent.
Canti's DO require some tuning for the stradle cable angle. This affects both the sensitivity and the linearity of feel. On top of that I've found that I still keep coming back to the feel and performance of Koolstop salmon pads. Again I just like the linearity of their grab.
And this same non linearity and grabiness applies to V brakes when the braking tracks are cupped. So you won't be avoiding this by changing over if this is the issue.
So before you switch perhaps check the systems over and see if anything is amiss.
Not sure why you want to do this. I've found that my canti brakes feel great and perform excellently with aero or brifter levers. But a few things can come along to mess this up. First off is wear to the brake pad track on the rim. I've found it does not take much cupping of the brake track to cause the pads to get grabby and feel very non linear. Some folks can ignore this until the rim's sidewall gets so thin that the wall fails and the rim splits. I have found that about half way to that point I get so disgusted with the feel of the brakes that I lace on a new rim and install new pads. But that transforms the brakes back to excellent.
Canti's DO require some tuning for the stradle cable angle. This affects both the sensitivity and the linearity of feel. On top of that I've found that I still keep coming back to the feel and performance of Koolstop salmon pads. Again I just like the linearity of their grab.
And this same non linearity and grabiness applies to V brakes when the braking tracks are cupped. So you won't be avoiding this by changing over if this is the issue.
So before you switch perhaps check the systems over and see if anything is amiss.
DannoXYZ
09-09-10, 10:24 PM
I don't like the canti brake feel and performance. Is it possible to do a direct swap from Canti brakes to V-brakes?
Will it work with STI brifters?As BC mentioned, there's no inherent advantages to V-brakes over cantis. What you are feeling may be mis-adjusted brakes. Make sure the cable isn't so tight that the pads make contact with the rims as soon as you squeeze the lever. Many shops and a lot of riders set up their brakes this way and get poor results. Your hands actually develop more force the more closed they are, so you actually want to set up the brakes so that the pads touch after about 50-60% of lever travel. This gives you more leverage with your hands and an easier time developing the necessary clamping force for fast stop.
Most likely your cantis can develop more than enough friction on the rims to send you over the bars. V-brakes can do that as well so there's no shortage of clamping-pressure or braking-force with either.
Will it work with STI brifters?As BC mentioned, there's no inherent advantages to V-brakes over cantis. What you are feeling may be mis-adjusted brakes. Make sure the cable isn't so tight that the pads make contact with the rims as soon as you squeeze the lever. Many shops and a lot of riders set up their brakes this way and get poor results. Your hands actually develop more force the more closed they are, so you actually want to set up the brakes so that the pads touch after about 50-60% of lever travel. This gives you more leverage with your hands and an easier time developing the necessary clamping force for fast stop.
Most likely your cantis can develop more than enough friction on the rims to send you over the bars. V-brakes can do that as well so there's no shortage of clamping-pressure or braking-force with either.