Originally Posted by
John E
I concur with everything in this post except the brake caliper length. Most English, and many Japanese, bikes of that era came w/ 610 length brakes in front and 750 in back.
That is certainly true of my mid-1970s Raleigh Gran Sport. I think it makes good sense; more cable stretch between rear lever and rear caliper compared with the front; and maximum usable braking torque (before skidding) for rear wheel is less than the front.
And, for those with a wont to run larger tire and perhaps even correspondingly larger fender in the rear than the front, the longer reach brake may be an enabler.
In summary, I see a certain elegance to staggering brake reach front-to-rear, not to mention other parameters.