Honk, I thought you meant for me to clean it up, but you did a much better job than I could’ve, thank you! Just curious, what do you mean by clear coat, is there something I should be putting on brakes after I clean them up? I’ve just been covering them with oil to keep them from rusting.

Ouch! you just brought back a memory from my high skool days. A fellow brought in his VW for brake repair and when the drums were taken off they were full of oil mixed with pad dust. When asked what happened he replied: they were squeaking so I oiled them. So no, don't oil those brake pads! I use a clear coat when a bit of chrome has been damaged to prevent further rusting. Most folks won't see it and it is a better fix since it can't be washed off. The caliper is going to be just fine, and it has the best of the stash parts on it. You will find the cable ferrules may stick in the adjuster barrel for the brake, but it will happen for almost all of the Modolo calipers. Just a minor design flaw that all of the adjusters have. Do I need to add extra length recessed nuts for the front? Smiles, MH
And be sure to send Ben a note of thanks for the caliper!

. Ok got it! I try to just oil the pivots but I could be way more careful about not getting any oil on the pads

Maybe? 😂 I just remember having trouble finding a recessed bolt that would fit when I installed the front 105 caliper … but now that I think of it can I just use that bolt on the Modolo?

will do!

Got the brake in the mail recently (thank you Mad Honk and Ben!) and opened it up today, here they both are together
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ed1800c43.jpeg
Had a little time so I took the 105 calipers off of the Basso and put these bad boys on 😎

Sorry about the poor lighting (it was raining outside) but even in the dark garage these brakes look so slick on this bike!
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...651bf8cb4.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8f31b13b9.jpeg

Only problem I came up against was not having exactly the right hardware to tighten the rear brake fully. I’m not sure exactly what I need but it won’t tighten even with a spacer added so maybe another spacer? Not sure if that’s safe. …
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b018c9f9a.jpeg
Rear brake with the spacer
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...40b17f300.jpeg
Still can’t tighten the recessed nut all the way. 0If I go any further I lose the ability to turn the nut.

Add a spacer, it will be fine with one in the system. As long as the caliper is tight against the frame it will work correctly. I likely have used more than a few six mm spacers to get the calipers correctly seated. In your case a two or three millimeter spacer will work. HTH, Smiles, MH

Do you happen to know where I can find more of those spacers? I only have one and even with that on there I need more. I think mine is one of the 3mm ones. I’ve looked online but can’t find it …

Well Erin,
If you look in one of MH's stash boxes you can find them. also I found a seller on Flea Bay that sells them in pairs for around $16. They are a Kingsbridge product known as 6mm spacers.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f913cdeb4d.jpg
In a stash box of parts there are four of the 6mm spacers for brakes.
I suppose you are gonna need one from me. Be sure I have your correct addy. Smiles, MH

Spacers are a $1 at a bike shop. Use however many makes the bolt tighten correctly.

Covering the entire bar with electrical tape also keeps the lumps off, but it also holds the cables securely and you don't have to re-do it when you retape the bars.


I was shocked those pads are Kool Stops. They look like something designed for furniture. I would get something else.

The fixed cup needs to be tightened pretty much as hard as you can. Clamping it in a bench vice and rotating the frame works well.


That Loto paint job is so cool. I love the fastback stays and internal cable. Super nice frame.

I've been around the industry for likely 50 years and the Kool Stop- International brake pads were the first in the industry to dissipate the heat from braking; the same idea was used by Mathauser for the tandem brake pads and later for the road bike models. I am not sure what brake pad would be better than Kool Stop but there are plenty of opinions what might be. I use the KS and am also a dealer for the product line, hence my choice of sending the best pads they make along with the Loto to her new owner. If however other BF members are willing to send along parts to Erin for her builds I am pretty sure she isn't going to turn them down. JMHO, Smiles, MH

Funny how those pads never come up in conversations about the best brake pads. I've never seen them, but I've only been in the industry 35 years. Since when is heat dissipation a problem for ablative rubber pads, anyway?