I got cantis on both my bikes and love them, though I would be lying if I didn't say that they are a little tricky to setup and if you ride it alot it seems that they require some occasional adjusting. Then on very humid days they will squeak the first few brakings when I bring them out from a cool dry apartment. I have avid 6 and chepo tektros. The tektros seem a little more finiky to setup but the adjustibility of the stradle cable is nice. The avids seem to stay centered better (though they are newer). I think stopping power between the two brands is the same and they have the same pads on them. No real experience with long reach couldn't say only test rode a bike with them once.