Originally Posted by
Koyote
Here is what I meant: as long as it is impossible to pull the lever all the way to the handle bar, I think you can develop the same amount of force on the brakes whether the pads are very close to the rims (so don’t need to pull the lever very far), or the pads are just a bit further away (and hence you have to pull the lever is a bit further).
I’m willing to be corrected if I’m wrong...But even if that’s the case, I don’t think there is any advantage in having so little brake lever travel.
There are two things you aren’t taking into account. First, as the lever moves toward the bar, the angle of the leverage lessens. If you start braking when the lever is at a low angle, the leverage that can be developed is less.
Secondly, a long lever pull means that more cable has to move and the cable stretches more. It’s a smaller effect but it’s still significant enough to make the brakes feel mushy.
And, again, these effects can easily be demonstrated with a hub mounted mechanical disc. Move the pads away from the rotor and the braking ability suffers significantly. And it does so with far less distance from the rotor.