v brakes with cantilevers
 

can i use a set of avid sd-ti's with shimano xt cantilever brakes

and still have quality braking... btw im upgrading to xtr v brake soon.. this is just a project

Does the XT brake lever have an adjustable pin marked with "H" and "L"? For a while Shimano made the levers interchangable for canti and v-brake. Canti levers pull more cable faster than a v-brake lever. If you use a canti lever with a v-brake they will contact the rim with too much force too quickly.

Do you mean in place of Shimano XT cantilevers? I think it depends on the amount of cable pulled by your present levers. If you have Shimano road levers, you will need to change to a different lever, like a DiaCompe 287-V, or use an in-line adapter like a QBP Travel Agent. If you are converting to straight bars and MTB levers, then you should have adequate cable pull.

Other way around. Levers for v-brakes pull more cable than normal brake levers, because v-brakes have more mechanical advantage than normal cantilever or caliper brakes. If you use a standard brake lever with v-brakes, it will be difficult if not impossible to adjust the brakes close enough to the rim to actually contact it when the lever is applied without having them drag all the time. Furthermore, if they are close enough to actually work, braking power will be dangerously high.

To address the OP, I'm not entirely sure what's being asked, but I'll give it a try.

Are you thinking about using Avid v-brake levers with cantilever brakes? Don't. V-brake levers pull too much cable and won't give you sufficient braking force.

Are you thinking about using cantilever brake levers with v-brakes? Don't. I already described the problem with this set up above.

Always match v-brakes or disc brakes (or any brake system with a different mechanical advantage) to the appropriate levers, and other kinds of brakes to standard levers. Doing it any other way is asking for trouble - getting your brake set up wrong can have serious consequences.

EDIT: It's possible that your brake levers have adjustable mechanical advantage, and can be used with either v-brakes or cantilever brakes. If so, there will (generally) be two holes provided for installing the end of the brake cable. You must install the cable end in the appropriate hole. I'm not familiar with those levers, however, so I don't know if they have adjustable mechanical advantage, or how it would be marked. If you are in doubt, ask at your LBS, they should be able to help you out.

You're right, sorry.

i wanted to use avid speed dial-ti levers with shimano xt cantilever brakes...


but wont work would it i would have to upgrade to v brakes before using the speed dial levers?

Yeah, unless those levers have adjustable mechanical advantage (which I doubt), then no, you can't use them with any kind of cantilever brake. However, they will work just fine with v-brakes, so if you want to make the upgrade, then go for it! On the other hand, XT cantis are quite nice, and brake levers to match them would be relatively inexpensive. Either way, you're going to be buying something. Brakes or levers, they'll run about the same price, unless you get really, really nice v-brakes.

yeh rite now im running the canti's with canti levers... "diacomp power control 7 (pc7)"

i ordered the avid speed dials... and was pretty sure i wasnt going to be able to use them with out v brakes..

i was going to upgrade to xtr v's soon any ways..

thanks, you guys rock