Bicycle Mechanics - Dia Compe's V-brake Road levers and V-brake instructions...

So I got me a pair of these road brake levers that are supposedly made just to be used with V-brakes. Now, the instructions on V-brakes say that at least 39mm or more of space needs to be between the noodle support and the other brake arm. I find though that even at exactly 39mm (using my calipers) that I can nearly bring the bottom of the brake lever to touch the drop of my handlebar w/o much effort.

Am I missing something?

Not a combination that I have any experience with so take this for what it's worth.

My first shot would be to make a cable adjustment. I'd try setting the brake pads as close to the rim as possible. As long as the noodle didn't bottom out against the other brake arm, I wouldn't worry.

If that still didn't give me the brakeing power that I was looking for, I'd look to see if repositioning the levers on the handlebar might give me a little more lever pull range. 1/8" of lever pull might not seem like a lot, but it can have a huge effect on brakeing power.

Firstly, are you sure you got the 287-V levers?
Maybe you allowed too much space between the brake pads and the rim. Try fiddling around with the supplied cone spacers between the pads and brake arms to get the pads closer to the rim.

Firstly, are you sure you got the 287-V levers?
Maybe you allowed too much space between the brake pads and the rim. Try fiddling around with the supplied cone spacers between the pads and brake arms.

Yep, positive.

I'm using the stock pads that came with brakes, and I'm using them all. Maybe I got some washers lyin' around I can try adding.

Do not add washers. Use only the supplied cone/flat washers. Make sure the thicker set of washers are between the arm and the pad.

Ok, will do.

btw: nice saddle/seatpost combo.

Ya, try the wide washers inside, even on my mtb with V's (wider rims) the washers are wide inside.
I find the calipers work better with more spread, the closer they are together, the less power you have as the canti boss spring tension resistance increases as the calipers come together, wider works better.

Just so I know....probably can't stack those washers right? So that the 6mm and 3mm one on the inside of the arm.

The 6mm inside, next to the pad, 3mm outside.

Right, and the brake arm goes in between the two cone washers...in your pic, and according the the pics on the instructions.

My question was can both of the grey spacers (in your pic) be on the inside of the brake arm.

No..or I've never. The spacer is concave to settle the cone and you are able to change the angle of the pad -toe in.
If they still are too far apart, the calipers are probably spread too wide.
Back off the tension screw on your levers and shorten the cable a bit.

If you look at the brake pad picture above, there are 5 washers there.
One set of concave-convex washers near the pad,
then the brake arm goes there,
then one set of concave-convex washers,
then a thin washer (in theory for load distribution)
then the bolt.

Now if you look closely – it's not evident in the picture but it should be in real life – one pair of concave-convex washers is thicker than the other one. You select either pair of washers to put inside, so that when the V-brake arms are slightly open, the brake pads touch the rims.

As for the "39 mm" Avid is talking above, the only reason is that the brake manufacturer wants to make sure that both arms don't touch eachother before you actually brake.