I'm in the middle of search and salvage mission... On my 79? Super Le Tour 2 it has side pull brakes 605 Weinmann to be exact. They do the job but, I'm in negotiations with a seller that's got a 79 Le Tour with center pull brakes. My intention is to salvage all the missing parts to complete my project. Somewhere in it's life my bike got modified so it's not exactly stock anymore. It's a combination of at least a few different bikes. What is the best plan of action??? Thoughts... Suggestions..
Anyone...

is there anything else that needs more attention if the brakes you have work? if not and putting it back into original condition is a priority then get the correct brakes

Get it then ask again.. The Randonneur set really like center pull, braze on brakes.

what if there were no theoretical questions?

The side pull Brakes will work fine, so will the centre pulls(harder to set up but great when done), most important thing with any brake is fresh pads, then editing cable drag through either luring or replacing inner sand oysters if need be

You will need cable hangers for centerpulls.

Hmmmm, out of curiosity, is this a New Zealanders' euphemism ? Perhaps its lubing the cables, following a good cleaning, if so I have to agree.

Restoring the center pulls shouldn't be difficult, a dedicated stop for the cables, from the seat tube binder/lug on back and a hanger from the head set. Unless they happened to install direct mounts or cantilevers, but I'm pretty sure you'd already be familiar with these.

Bill

He'll also need feed for the sand oysters!

Wow that is some messed up auto correct and no proof reading by me!
Lubing inners or replacing outers

The correction above, I nearly missed the "luring of inners and replacing of otters"
Lol

Yeah, blame the autocorrect.......

I kind of figured it was a/c making it up as it went along. Sand Oysters and luring otters will be a part of C&V lexicon for years to come.

Just find the hangers I poorly described (darn auto correct changing things) and you can reinstall your original centerpull brakes. I would find the correct Kool Stop pads for them regardless.

Bill

Centerpulls and sidepulls offer comparable leverage -- if they didn't, then the corresponding brake handle travel would differ radically. However, centerpulls offer the benefit of adjustable leverage, achieved by shortening the bell cable (for longer handle travel and greater braking force). This is super easy to do with Mafacs.

For best braking performance, select either centerpulls or sidepulls, but use KoolStop pads, modern low-friction cables and housings, and if you don't mind going non-original, aero brake levers for a 10% boost in braking force.

Well, here are some practical questions, that explain in part why randonneurs like them.

Do you plan to have a front rack so as to carry a bag? With Mafac Racers and Raids*, you can get a little TA rack that bolts right onto the brake unit, no other braze-ons on the fork and no clamp-ons required. So, centerpulls simplified mounting a rack, while in general sidepulls complicate rack mounting, because even if you have rack mounts brazed on the brake is in the way. (*I believe Diacompe also has a little brake-mounted rack but I'm not certain about the models, etc.)

Do you plan to run fenders? There's usually more room for fenders under a centerpull than under comparable sidepulls, and when you apply the brake sidepulls close in on and crowd the fender while centerpulls open up leaving even more room for the fender.

Let's get the terminology right. The feature is more commonly referred to as autoCORRUPT😀

I'm still wondering how dangerous sand oysters might be. Should I avoid them if I see any?

Sand oysters are evil, the luring of otters is a national past time in New Zealand, even though we have no otters.
And, yes you should avoid the sand oysters as they do not have a nice "texture" while being eaten.

Sand oysters are no ordinary oyster. They're the most foul, cruel and bad tempered mollusks you ever set eyes on.


Anyhow, those midrange Weinmann sidepulls were sort of an exercise in mediocrity. If you keep them, I'd recommend using stiffer modern housing and cables, and upgrading to Koolstop or equivalent pads. If properly set up that should make them work well enough.

I'm not familiar enough with Schwinns to know if those were OEM or not, but sidepulls were the cool thing at the time, even for touring bikes. Weinmann centerpulls might feel a little stronger.

A nice thing about sidepulls that is rarely mentioned is that the brake pads stay in adjustment as they wear down. Practically speaking, this means you can get a lot more life out of a set of pads. Dual pivots - and CP to a lesser extent - have thinner pads that must be replaced more often for this reason.

If you are using fenders then definitely go for center pulls.

+1 one one modern pads with aero levels on vintage brakes. For this build I would likely go with the center pulls and aero levers which will likely give the option of running 27 or 700c wheels and enough clearance for bigger tires.

He started it dad, honest he did. I can't even spell auto collection,.... See there

Really? I've been using the same size (more or less) pads of C&V sidepulls ans centerpulls for 40 years or so.

Top

No he started it!!

He's got huge sharp... he can leap about!!!

Look at the Bones!!!

I knew someone would catch the reference...

He'll do you up a treat, mate.

Centerpulls have more leverage than (single-pivot) sidepulls. The difference is small enough that you don't need different levers, but you'll probably notice centerpulls require less force from the hands.

Does a sand oyster still make a pearl when it gets a grain of sand in it?