Classic & Vintage - Dia-Compe New Gran Compe 400

I was wondering what your thoughts on this brakeset was. I just bought it, I read on the gran compes but no one really had any info on these.

I asked my LBS but the old man there was obviously biased toward campagnolo.."nothing is better than campagnolo, not even the best shimano out there...blah blah blah."


the guy is cool and all, but he definitely needs a heads-up on what parts work the best



http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Japan/Diacompe/GC500_brakes/photos/photo1.html
^^^^^^^^
this brakeset is the NGC 500 set but mine is basically the same, but instead of 500 its 400. same condition as well

Nice brakeset. I have a set missing a few parts that I hope to find someday. I'd use them in a heartbeat.

Nice brakeset. I have a set missing a few parts that I hope to find someday. I'd use them in a heartbeat.

yeah, i found them NEW OLD STOCK and in the original box. i was very excited as you might guess. even the mounting hardware was still in the plastic bag with the staple in place. all for 130$

boy do I love craigslist

The difference between the NGC 400 and the NGC 500 was the reach of the brake pads. The 400 could adjust to reach a rim between 40 and 50 mm. from the mounting bolt and the 500 would reach 47 to 57 mm. This means the 400 was intended to fit a racing bike with a tighter wheel fit than was once customary. So, don't get too frustrated if yours will simply not fit properly on an older bike with higher wheel clearances from the fork crown or rear brake bridge.

I think they are great brakes! The calipers were cold forged alloy (that's Good!) and beautifully finished. Brakes of that quality really began to give the better European components some serious competition - helped kill the French component market which was once the primary competition for Italian bits.

Campagnolo was always overpriced. The Japanese yen back then was undervalued and the quality of Japanese components like these remained largely unappreciated in the US for quite a while, so they were a great value.

Congrats!

+1. Very nice brakeset, with arguably better peformance than Campagnolo and undeniably a far better value.

Here's a version of them in anodized bronze:

I am tempted to replace the levers with Tektros or D-C aero levers, for the sake of hand comfort, maybe even the calipers with matching Tektros, but it's not like my style of riding requires more performance. And I love the way the bronze looks (wheelset too) with the black frame/fork.

Here's a version of them in anodized bronze. You can see that the decal or stamp was applied to the rear caliper twice so alert the media--I have actually found a flaw in a high end Japanese production bike! Doesn't seem to affect the braking though. ;)

I am tempted to replace the levers with Tektros, for the sake of hand comfort, maybe even the calipers with matching Tektros, but it's not like my style of riding requires more performance. And I love the way the bronze looks (wheelset too) with the black frame/fork.