Sidepull to centerpull
 

I'm thinking about switching some old dia-compe sidepulls to centerpull. I really am looking for more power, but i don't want to spend the money for new dual pivots and aero levers just yet. That and I may want to keep my bike period-correct.

Is there any stopping difference with centerpulls than sidepulls? Nowadays these are both old and dual pivots are the only thing in bike shops, but I thought i'd ask anyway. :)

dual pivot brakes are overrated. good brake set up is more important. anyway, mafac center pulls were great, just make sure the bushings are brass, not plastic, and your set. they put out as much if not more power as a cantilever, so easily as much as a single pivot caliper. get some koolstop salmon pads for em...and roll. or if you cant source mafacs, but you can they are every where, diacompe makes some.

Cheap old sidepulls really suck big time, decent old centerpulls with new pads are much better. Good quality old sidepulls are really not that bad if you change to modern brake pads, ie Cool Stop or something similar. Cheap Weinman sidepulls should never never have been put on any kind of bike meant for the open road.

Replacing the cables and housings, as well as the pads, may make a dramatic difference for you. Aero handles will boost your braking leverage by about 10%. I am satisfied with the original Weinmann and Mafac centerpulls on my Capos and Peugeot UO-8, and I am not at all happy with the early Campag. sidepulls on my Bianchi, which pale in comparison with the same-generation Galli sidepulls on my Peugeot PKN-10.

My personal ranking of stopping power of my own brakesets:
SunTour RollerCam / Shimano U-brake combo on my mountain bike -- the best
fairly short-reach Galli sidepulls
all of my Weinmann and Mafac centerpulls
short-reach Campag. sidepulls -- the worst
longer-reach Weinmann sidepulls* -- so bad I no longer have any

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* In my one collision with a car, almost exactly 30 years ago, I was abruptly left-hooked while going about 20mph/30kph down a hill. Did my Weinmann sidepulls and Weinmann pads contribute by cheating me out of maximum stopping power? I'll never know, but it is possible.

dia-compe and similar centerpulls were standard on many good quality bikes 30 years ago. they were absolutely the easiest-to-setup and adjust brakes ever.

True, and 47 years later my Weinmann Vainqueur 999s, of which the DiaCompes were a shameless direct copy, are still going (stopping?) strong.

+1 on the centerpulls. Mine are "Schwinn Approved" Dia-Compes, apparently another Weinmann knock-off. They do have excellent stopping power, and I like the extra long reach centerpulls typically have. If you ever convert an older bike from 27" wheels to 700c's, centerpulls are hard to beat for that reason............Funny thing, some people absolutely hate them, judging by some comments I've seen. They are a little clunky to look at I guess, but I like the design myself.

I experimented with different brakes on my wife's mixte and MAFAC Competitions with were the clear winner, even though I had to fabricate an extra long bridge wire to clear the seat tube. I've always hated MAFACs, but I've learned that you just have to take the time to get them set up right and you have to use Koolstop salmon pads.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...8014369VNpklt#

+1 on the koolstop salmon pads, too. I'm about convinced the best brake upgrade you can make on an old bike is koolstop pads and aero levers, whether you're talking about sidepulls, centerpulls, or cantilevers-

I have a set of aero campy levers and campy brakes on ebay right now - $1 with no reserve. These will more than do you. Ditto on the koolstops too
http://cgi.ebay.com/Campagnolo-brake...QQcmdZViewItem

I'm going to disagree with most of the earlier posters. I've been messing with bikes for a long time so I've tried just about every style of brakes. For a road bike I find modern dual pivot brakes hard to beat and far, far easier to set up than any center pull brakes that Ive ever tried.

I know nothing of dual pivot brakes. I've never even seen one up close. I really am a retro grouch.

most modern brake calipers won't fit 27" wheels.

I've replaced with XT housing and Jagwire teflon cables and Jagwire Slick dura-type pads, but I guess I'm used to cantilever power. The bike I want to do this to is my Miyata 310 with Dia-Compe AO 500 stock calipers.

Oh and I LOVE my Deore u-brake on my Scott :).

+1. My Shimano long drop DP brakes are exccellent and still look good on any bike. The DP design gives excelent modulation and the arms are super stiff so you get loads of stopping power, as much as cantilevers.

Don't tell any of the purists, but I have a set of late model Shimano dual pivots ready to try on the Bianchi. :)

Retro G
 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Campagnolo-Delta...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Campagnolo-Choru...QQcmdZViewItem

how bout them?

Only half true. It depends on the frame and fork as much as the wheels.

I've got a pair of late model shimano dual pivots that I'm trying on my '80 Le Mans today. As far as fitment from 700c to 27", all I'm having to do is grind out about 1/64" of material at the bottom the slot. It will be different for every application I'm sure, but I'll post which worked better on mine at the end of the week. All the vintage guys will lynch me for this, but I can say the clean design of the dual pivots looks a whole lot better.

"... and get a rope!..."

Campy Delta brakes were about the worst component Campy ever made. Uselessly complex, poor performing and a nightmare to set up. Avoid at all costs. The Record Delta bakes could be made to work with enough time and expertise. The lower line Deltas were hopeless.

The Chorus single pivots (These are "Monoplanar" if I interpret the picture correctly) are as good (or bad) as any other single pull. They work ok but new double pivot brakes are better.

Not at all; but I will point out that classic center-pulls are indeed a dual pivot brake.
I run slightly hot-rodded Weinmans on my Atala (booster bridge and solid cast front cable hanger) with no special pads and brake about as well as the v-brakes on my dirt road bike (I can lock up either wheel with modest hand pressure applied from on top of the hoods).
Top

You forgot boat-anchor heavy. Thank god they looked cool. That 3.5mm(?) cable stop bolt was such a great idea.

If you need longer-reach brakes, Shimano makes an Ultegra level long reach dual pivot.

Tektro also makes long reach dual pivot brakes that work quite well and at a bargain price. Nashbar sells them under their house brand name and they are currently on sale for $30 for a complete set of front and rear. A friend has them on an older Bridgestone and they have been very satisfactory.

Koolstop salmon pads are a big upgrade and the Tektros take the same slip-in pads as current Shimano road brakes.

Look here:http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...eid=&pagename=