Weinmann centrepulls, please explain
 

I'm about to buy an old lightweight with Weinmann centrepulls. I don't have any experience with these brakes, but the public opinion seems to lean towards discontent. Considering trading them for Campagnolo sidepulls. Why are tese Weinmanns concidered unsweet?

Weinmann centerpull brakes are quite powerfull. When set up correctly they can be quite nice. The braking is actually better than the Campagnolo side pulls from the same period. People don't like them for a variety of reasons. 1) since they are centerpulls, they require cable brackets/holders that typically mount to the headset locknut and seatpost bolt 2) while they are powerful, they tend to squeal. You need to be willing to experiment with different brake pads and different toe in set ups until you get it right. 3) some people think they're ugly. The Campys definitely are more elegant and jewel like. Actually centerpull brakes might be making a minor comeback. I recently was bidding on some Zeus 2000 centerpull brakes on ebay that went for well over $100. I think these were some of the prettiest centerpulls ever. I believe Paul Components is still making centerpull brakes and these are quite expensive. If you have the proper tools for doing quality brake work on your bike, I would say, keep the Weinmann's, polish them up, put new pads on, put new cables and housings on, and you are good to go.

If you just want decent braking try to put pads( and holders) made for V-brakes on the Weinmann brakes. Easy to adjust and works OK.

I'd say the Weinmann/Dia Compe centerpulls are making a comeback for a couple of other reasons: 1) The 750 models offer very long reach, which you need if you're converting from 27" to 700c wheels or 700c to 650B wheels; 2) the dual pivot design offers lots of clearance for fenders. I agree that aesthetics are a bit iffy, but performance can be excellent, particularly with Kool stop brake pads.

Neal

I can't answer your question about why some people don't like Weinmann side-pulls, but IMHO they're perfectly adequate and are period correct for a lot of bikes, including some very high end ones.

In the seventies, Weinmanns were OEM on some low end bikes with steel rims. Any caliper brakes on steel wheels have poor performance when it's wet, and I think because Weinmanns were so widely used, the steel wheels were the reason they got an undeserved reputation.

Weinmann center-pulls were standard equipment on Schwinn Paramounts in the seventies and Campy side-pulls were an extra cost option on the model P13 road racers. Interestingly, the Campys weren't an option on the P15 touring models because there wasn't enough fender clearance for them.

Weinmann centerpulls 'unsweet'? Heresey I say my good man! :fight:

I use them and love them. The epitome of style & symetry are those beautiful jewels of polished aluminum. :love:

I found this out when I got possession of my P-15.

I put Kool Stop pads on it and it will outstop all of my other bikes. Yes, I would rather have Campy brakes, but Weinmanns are correct and they do work well as long as you get rid of the cruddy pads.

I have them on several of my bikes as original equipment. I imagine the discontent is the combo of
centerpulls/old dried shoes/steel rims. On my Supersport I have the wheels trued(alloy), koolstop gray shoes, and lined housings. Get the play out of the cables and add koolstops, and the braking feel is awesome. It feels like the brakes on a car! Super firm, releases when you release, and however hard you squeeze is how fast you stop. It also helps to tear the brakes down to the basic parts, grease the pivots, etc. If they still squeal, set the toe in with a crescent wrench. Sounds crude, but it really works. You can't bend them back and forth over and over, so be careful and go slow. To set the tension I tie wrap the brakes against the rim, pull the cable taut, and tighten. 9 times out of ten, the shoes are the correct distance from the rim once the tie wrap is cut off. Sometimes it requires a bit of adjustment one way or the other(Your mileage may vary),,,,BD

Weinman Centerpulls came on a LOT of bikes in the 70s. It seems they were on most everything except the french bikes which got Mafacs, The very cheapest which got crummy steel calipers, and the most expensive racing bikes which got Campy sidepulls.

I think people tend to associate them with the vast quantities of inexpensive 70s ten speeds they see them on, but they also came on some pretty high end bikes, such as Raleigh Supercourse and international. They actually did stop better than Campy sidepulls. Chances are if you are restoring a bike from the 70s Weinmans are the correct caliper, and as an added bonus they are common as fleas on a dog, and they do in fact work quite well for brakes of that period.

I think you have a unanimous consensus that Weinmann center-pulls are actually pretty good - if not really good - brakes. :)

Nothing particularly bad about them at all. Many quality bikes came with them back in the day, even some Paramounts. Some people are just snooty as Hell about bike components. With good quality modern pads, they would be perfectly adequate.

I use them on my commuter. The switch to Koolstop Salmon pads made a huge difference in braking ability and the long reach is a plus for fenders. I think they are cool because not many people have them.

I just think they're cheap looking brakes. I assiciate them and their Dia Compe clones with cheap bikes. They were original equipment on Paramounts and Internationals, but I always thought they cheapened the look of both bikes.

That seems to be the one more or less valid criticism. In fairness though, when they're buffed and polished up they don't look bad, IMHO.

I also think the salmon Kool Stop Continentals really boost their braking performance.

I think they are rather nice looking... I also just installed a set of MAFAC competitions on my bike and the Weinmanns felt sturdier... if that means anything.

http://piledrivermedia.com/files/moto_bike/wmbrake.jpg

I've put in this plug before, but it's worth mentioning again that a Weinmann variation that I like a great deal has a solid steel hanger rather than a wire hanger. Much less slop in the lever and excellent performance.

Neal

http://web.mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bi...nmannBrake.jpg

Thanks you guys. The Weinmanns will stay and, hopefully, stop when called upon to do so. Once again, the public voice has clarified a misinterpreted impression of preference. Weinmann prices probably rising on ebay as i type. Will try adjusting like you say bikedued, if they don't feel smooth at first. Here's to the diet coke of bicycle-brakes!

Despite being 48 years old, my first-generation medium-reach Weinmann Vainqueur 999 centerpulls are more effective than my short-reach Campag. sidepulls. I have the 610 front / 750 rear combination that was popular on English bikes of the same period.

If they were good enough for Adolph Christian in the 1958 TdF, they are good enough for me. :)

Centerpull brakes are also excellent for those who wish free choice in left-right/front-rear cabling.

I was just given Peugeot that I had worked on today. It has those center-pull brakes as well. Heh.

Scott/Mathauser blocks on Weinmann center-pulls are as good or better than any Campy side-pulls I have ever owned. The original salmon S/M formula is still in use today, produced by Kool Stop, as mentioned above. I dig 'em.

How do you get them so shiny??

SemiChrome.

I DO agree there.... BUT they work well... to the OP, I don't believe that your sources for the N/G theory on the funtional aspect for Weinman is at all well-founded . AND you're comparing two entirely diffent brake types. Weinman brakes are VERY powerfull, so are Diacomp. Campy for example has always prided themselves in "modulation". Read what they just did with their latest offerings touting a significant
difference in force pertaining to the rears for example. Some companies are focused more on the feel.

Someone else mentioned using Kool Stops that are made for V-brakes. This would be Kool Stop "thinline" series or my preference is the cartridge-type holders that take the Kool Stop cartridge refills for v-brakes. One big advantage to using these v-brake pads is that they come equipped with spherical washers on the posts, making toe-in very easy because of the ability to change the angle of the pads against the rim as you get them in position before you tighten the nut on the post. I've got the cartridge-type for v-brakes on my centerpulls, the holders are metallic and shiny which look nice on a vintage bike, and like most folks I prefer the Kool Stop salmon pads-

Weinmann centrepulls are more powerful than any other caliper but a dual pivot. It's the sidepulls which are somewhat crapulous.