Weinmann Center Pull Brakes and differences in models
 

i have a Weinmann 750 Vainqueur 999 front brake and im trying to mount it to a mid 80s schwinn sprint. The pads bottom out and wont go any higher. THe pads barely touch the rim. That said.......is the 750 Long Reach? I see they made a model 610 as well. Im wondering if that is the shorter model? I havent found much. Maybe the schwinn sprint needs side pull or DP brakes instead? Ive got rear weimann that works just fine. THe front however is too long. DId they make different lengths?

Looks like you need a 610 in the front.

+1 You've got it right, 610 is short reach, 750 long reach, a very common setup.

My Nishiki took 610 front / 750 rear, which allowed me to use either 700C tubulars or 27" clinchers. This seems to have been an English thing, as I have seen French bikes w/ more even front vs rear brake reach. If there is any difference, it is invariably the rear that is longer than the front, which would cause faster closure at reduced leverage in back.

I too have seen several (older) bikes which need more brake reach in the back than in the front. I always though it had something to do with fender clearance. Almost all bikes have vertical "dropouts" at the fork, so you just pop the wheel in straight up. With horizontal dropouts in the back you need more clearance to wiggle the wheel in, therefore it would make sense with a heightened brake bridge. I swear I've seen original specs dictating Weinmann 610 in the front and 750 in the back.

That makes sense to me.

Weinmann 610's are very inexpensive, they are lots of them on Ebay. I have a few.

Bit off topic, but related: Does anybody know whether the Gran Compe 610s are comparable in performance to regular Dia-Compe 610s? I know the GCs are CNC machined and the old 610s were forged, but apart from that?

Should work just fine