I switch back and forth on the Marinoni between 700C wheels (H+Sons tb14 with Compass 32’s) using Ultegra short reach dual pivots (pads at slot bottoms); and 650B wheels (Pacenti Brevets with Compass 38’s) using Tektro R556 (predecessor to R559) dual pivots (pads near slot bottoms). Both setups use Kool Stop salmon pads. Levers are Ergo 8-speed brifters. And BTW, the Miyata 912 has R600 medium reach dual pivot rear and Gran Compe 610 braze-on centerpull front brakes, 700Cx28 Compass tires, Ergo levers and KS salmon pads on both ends.

Braking with all those setups is quite similar and is powerful enough to meet my expectations, there are plenty of steep (10% or more) hills on my common routes, and I don’t mind letting my bikes go on those descents. I had worried about braking degradation with the 650B setup, but don’t notice much, if any. As [MENTION=111144]Andy_K[/MENTION] measured, the long reach Tektros compensate for their longer pivot-to-pad dimension by increasing the pivot-to-clamp dimension, and the caliper arms seem stiff enough. Maybe I’m just less demanding of my brakes?

If the rear works OK, but the front requires noticeably more force, then something else seems amiss.