mr_antares

My used Surly Cross Check has Avid Shorty 6s. The spring screw adjusters are just about gone, so it's time to look at new brakes (as the springs and adjusters are not sold separately)

i've seen in the wide profile Tektro cantis in the online catalogs. I'm wondering if they are better than the Avids, or if I should just get a new set of Shorty 6s.

I commute on paved (but somewhat rough) roads. "Mud clearance" is not really an issue for me, but I do care about stopping power and wet weather performance.

Anybody have experience with these brakesets and care to comment?

grolby

Short-profile cantilevers like the Shortys should be more powerful than wide-profile cantis like the CR-720s, assuming proper set-up. The advantage of wide-profile cantis is mostly improved mud clearance - useful on an MTB or 'cross bike, not so important on a commuter. I would stick with stick with the Avids, or similar brakes like the Tektro Oryx (change the brake pads on these) or Cane Creek SCX-5 (come with decent pads).

cooleric1234

Interesting. I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have Tektro Oryx brakes and they are incredibly weak. My road bike calipers are MUCH stronger. This is even with KoolStop Salmon pads. I was thinking of moving to the CR720 as I thought they were stronger, but you're saying that's not the case? I guess that makes more sense, the longer lever arm would mean more travel, which is traditionally weaker.

grolby

Well, braking power with cantilevers really depends upon correct set up, and on top of that, it's just harder to get good braking with road levers than it is with upright levers. As for calipers, modern short-reach dual-pivot calipers are extremely good brakes and they don't require expert set up to be powerful. And let's face it, cantis are just often weaker. But chances are that you could squeeze better braking out of the Oryyxs.

mr_antares

I thought about switching to calipers, but the required reach is around 70 MM, meaning that I'd have to use something like these

The Shortys don't stop as well as the dual pivot calipers on my road bike. I suspect that the long reach calipers won't have that kind of mechanical advantage, either.

I have found that if I keep the "straddle" wire as low as possible (just above my fenders), the braking power is acceptable.

I was wondering if the wide profile calipers (which appear to have a longer lever arm) would have more mechanical advantage.

HardyWeinberg

Sheldon says those kinds are easier to get good performance out of:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html

he is less-clear on the relative amount of mechanical advantage. Of course, if what mech adv there is becomes easier to use, then that's another answer to your question.

I have my low-profile canti's optimized to their peak, and good brake pads too. It is a good feeling to get to that point, but it is frustrating to still want more braking than they give me (when toting 80# of kid and kid-related cargo).

martianone

Have Cane Creek CSX-5 canti on my commuter with salmon koolstops- so far an effective and long lasting combination.

pasopia

I've used both, and I prefer the CR720. That's almost entirely because I could never get the avids to not squeal like crazy, no matter how much I messed with them. The CR720 are a little harder to setup, since there are more variables to deal with the straddle cable.

On the other hand, I'm always in the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" camp with bike stuff. If you are happy with avids I would stick with them.