Originally Posted by
Ride-Fly
What are the options for these types of brakes? The most obvious are Paul Racers and Compass CPs. Any others worthy of consideration? Between these two, any opinion on which is the better brake?
Are the braze-on post positions a universal fit for all of these types of brakes? Once I have the posts installed on the frame, can I use Pauls, Compass, or the other potential options?
Thanks.
You need to first consider the relationship between the brake, tire, and fender (I'll assume that since you'll want to ride this bike during the long rainy season of Portlandia). For example, the 650b x 42mm tired, fendered "standard" for rando bikes gives you a choice between cantilevers or long reach centerpulls. Paul and Compass make them, but I prefer reusing the classic MAFAC RAID, which even Jan Heine admits is an optimal shape. The brass bushings and thrust washers are an upgrade, the rest of the "upgrade kit" are really cosmetic, IMO.
The reach of a MAFAC RAID is 66-80mm from the bolt hole. If you're brazing the posts on, the bolt hole doesn't matter, it's where the posts are brazed on relative to the dropout/hub centerline. Back to the "rando standard" I mentioned, you need long reach brakes. If you're using 700c x 35 tires + fenders, a "medium reach" centerpull might work just fine, and you can save some money on the brakes.
If you're a cost-conscious cyclist, I'd recommend staying away from the Compass or Paul brakes, since you can get the same performance for less money by purchasing a set of vintage RAID's and add the brass bushings and washers for less than $100. Add a little elbow grease and they can even be polished up. If you don't need the extra reach, there are less expensive options.
Note that just because a frame has centerpull posts you can't just mix and match any brake, even assuming the reach works. The center distance between the posts varies between different centerpulls. You can cheat a bit away from the published dimensions, for example, if you have a fairly narrow fork crown and want RAID centerpull posts. The brakes will work, but not optimally.
Building bicycles is an exercise in compromise and value judgements.