U-Brakes Advice
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
U-Brakes Advice
For all you BMX experts, which I'm not, I need a chainstay mounted U-Brake for a vintage MTB project I'm working on. I'm tired of chasing vintage XT brakes that have all the finish worn off and still cost a fortune.
#2
Banned
there are still new ones being made.. Taiwan and China..
check your LBS catalogs for their wholesalers..
check your LBS catalogs for their wholesalers..
#3
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Location: Flagler Palm Coast, FL
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Bikes: 1986 Fuji Allegro 12 Spd; 2015 Bianchi Kuma 27.2 24 Spd; 1997 Fuji MX-200 21 Spd; 2010 Vilano SS/FG 46/16
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I wound up with a Dia Compe 990 that works on a 2003 Haro Backtrail X1:
https://www.amazon.com/BRAKE-Caliper-.../dp/B00175W3ZM
https://www.amazon.com/BRAKE-Caliper-.../dp/B00175W3ZM
#4
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#5
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Just me but on my Haro, that particular design pictured in your post, the hardware for the cable adjustment kept contacting & hitting the chain stay on the adjusting nut and bolt on the side of the bike that doesn't have the gear and chain. I even tried reversing the two chrome parts to see if that made a difference and the part still contacted and hit the chain stay of the frame. The LBS had to order the AD-990. This one looks similar and is priced more economically, it's the FS-990:
https://www.amazon.com/Dia-Compe-Free...8934499&sr=1-1
I don't know the design of the u-brake that your bike had originally, but chances are that if it's like mine, the AD-990 or FS-990 design is used for a reason ?
https://www.amazon.com/Dia-Compe-Free...8934499&sr=1-1
I don't know the design of the u-brake that your bike had originally, but chances are that if it's like mine, the AD-990 or FS-990 design is used for a reason ?
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Just me but on my Haro, that particular design pictured in your post, the hardware for the cable adjustment kept contacting & hitting the chain stay on the adjusting nut and bolt on the side of the bike that doesn't have the gear and chain. I even tried reversing the two chrome parts to see if that made a difference and the part still contacted and hit the chain stay of the frame. The LBS had to order the AD-990. This one looks similar and is priced more economically, it's the FS-990:
https://www.amazon.com/Dia-Compe-Free...8934499&sr=1-1
I don't know the design of the u-brake that your bike had originally, but chances are that if it's like mine, the AD-990 or FS-990 design is used for a reason ?
https://www.amazon.com/Dia-Compe-Free...8934499&sr=1-1
I don't know the design of the u-brake that your bike had originally, but chances are that if it's like mine, the AD-990 or FS-990 design is used for a reason ?
#7
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In my case this was one time I'm glad I didn't go and buy a brake off ebay or where ever on-line. I probably would've wound up with the same incompatibility and stuck with the part or S&H it back and forth to get the right one if that was even an option ? The first u-brake they got for me was the wrong one and it was $ 30, the Dia Compe came to $ 40. Both brand new, but the LBS took the first part that didn't work and I paid the difference and wound up with the right u-brake and was happier for it. I prefer it to a Tektro, the on-line cost for brand new was the same with S&H for Dia Compe u-brake. The Tektro was a bit less, but not enough that over 10 years or whatever I intend to keep & use the bike, the extra cost comes to maybe $ 1/year, less than a dime per month. That's my advice for components, if the part is used over that kind of a lifespan and you're the one that's going to use it that long, pay the extra $ 10 for the component you want. Obviously for the identical component, nab the cheaper one, but enough of a design and quality of workmanship part, $ 10 more is negligible.
#9
Banned
Campagnolo, Euclid made what was essentially a U brake, made by that company, in the 80's.
For higher spec Mountain bikes .. then they quit the segment entirely..
concentrating on the road racer and Velodrome riders.
For higher spec Mountain bikes .. then they quit the segment entirely..
concentrating on the road racer and Velodrome riders.
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I'm still looking. There are some really nice CNC'd U-Brakes out there. The prices are all over the place though. Like your High Sierra, my bike has a chainstay mounted U-Brake. From what I can tell some of the newer CNC'd brakes are too bulky to use on chainstays. There's too much interference with the tire and chain on a MTB.
#12
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#13
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Well, as you're finding out, it's hard to find a more modern u-brake for the chain stay mounted brake. I'm pleased with the Dia Compe AD-990, plenty of stopping power for the bmx.
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