balindamood

I am putting together a '79 Trek 514 frame that I got a while back. I boght the bike without wheels, brakes, or derailluers. The only origional spec stuff on it are the seatport and the cranks/BB. I thought about returning it to stock (I have the other bits I need), but decided to customize it and ride it instead. I am all set except for brakes.

I have a box full or Mafac Racers and some Dia Compe 650/750's. I am running fenders and like the Mafacs, but how do the Dia Compes compare?

dbakl

Mafacs take a little fiddling but they stop well. Don't know what the Dia Compes are, but they pretty much reproduced Weinmanns. If sidepulls they're ok, centerpulls I never liked much.

Bikedued

Definite style points on the Mafacs. All polished up with some salmon colored shoes, they'll look great and stop well.,,,,BD

noglider 

I love Mafacs. Dia Compes, not so much.

bobbycorno

They don't.

SP
Bend, OR

headset

I'd go with the MAFACs too. I've always found them fiddly to set up as well, until I 'discovered' an important step, release the spring tension before aligning the pad with rim! This allows the arms to swing free and you're not fighting the spring tension at the same time. Once the pads are aligned, snug up the 10mm mounting nut, adjust the toe-in with your favorite Cresent, then snap the springs back into place. It's genius!

best

noglider 

headset, I've never tried that. I guess I will, next time, though I don't know when that will be. It's really too bad Mafac is gone.

balindamood

Sounds like Mafacs it is. Now I just have to decide between the Racers, 2000's, Competitions, or Duals. Probably Racers (I have never been able to tell the difference other than the impossible to find straddle wire on the Competitions and 2000's). This will be the first one I set up with non-Mafac aero levers (Shimano 6400's). I love the Mafacs on my other bikes becasue the levers combined with the brakes give a ton of travel and leverage. I am concerned how they are going to do with the Shimano levers.

noglider 

I've found that different levers have different amounts of leverage. You want to make sure your levers have enough. With too little leverage, the brake will feel really solid when you apply them, but you'll have to squeeze really hard.

I had some upright bars on my Super Course. I swapped the stock Weinmann brakes with Mafacs, and I connected the brakes to new Tektro levers with two different leverage adjustments. The lower setting is for V brakes. That was unacceptable. The higher setting is better and works well enough for me but would not be good for others. I have unusually long and strong fingers. A friend of mine tried my bike and said the brakes don't stop. They stop extremely well for me, but I'm squeezing pretty hard.

I think modern levers made for drop bars have more leverage than older vintage levers, so you should be OK.

Mike Mills

Since you have both, why not try both and make up your own mind. You can post your findings right here. It'd make a nice thread which I'm sure we'd all like to read.

ColonelJLloyd 

+1 Excellent suggestion.

unterhausen

I always thought that Wienmann and Diacompe worked a little better than Mafacs, which worked better than just about everything else. I think a Trek should have DiaCompe brakes, but either will work fine

Grand Bois

Plastic bushings on the Racers. Brass bushings on the Competitions.

Dia Compes seem more fitting for a Trek, although I don't like them as much as Mafacs.

balindamood

Which is why I was contemplating them in the first place.

However, at this point the bike has been re-built with the origininal Deore Road group (complete with the best touring pedals of all time, albeit Dynadrive), Cinelli stem, Nitto bars, Wolber 27's on Suzue hubs and a VO Saddle. I am no longer concerned about "proper"

I am now thinking of going with Modolo Speedy levers (my favorite). I have some on my 650B project attached to Mafac's and they worked great, although the bike has been hanging for more than a year now. I have a set of Modolo Corsa Levers and calipers as well, but I don't know if these are any good. I am also not sure about going with traditional brake lines versus Aero. I wish I did not need a job so I could fiddle with this stuff all day long.

ColonelJLloyd 

+1

Glennfordx4

This is my job