Brake Recommendations
06-06-10, 06:13 AM
#1
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Brake Recommendations
I have an old 72' Gitane Gran Sport De Luxe...it's completely stock and original. Bike rides ok...not great, but good enough. However, I do have one massive problem with it; it has old Mafac Racers on it with old Rigida Steel Rims and they are incredibly loud when braking. I replaces the pads to Kool Stops and they're still super loud. I've adjusted and adjusted and tweaked all I can but they still make the same deafening squeel. I rebuilt the brakes 2x and cleaned em and oiled em but its not use. I've been told new rims would help, but I really like the old school steel rim look. They are serated as well. Other than getting some new rims, would getting new brakes help? And if so, what would be a good choice? I have a few buddies that have old vintage Weinmann Center pulls that seem to stop beautifully. Any thoughts?
06-06-10, 06:37 AM
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Mafac Racers are really good brakes. Read the Sheldon Brown site on brake toe in.
06-06-10, 06:40 AM
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yeah i've done all that...it seems like it's something else...i mean this is a super loud sound, like a rubbing friction sound
06-06-10, 06:50 AM
#4
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I have a Gitane Grand Sport Deluxe, same vintage. The Mafac brakes sort of grind on the serrated steel rims but dont squeel. I really toe in the brakes. The front of the brake pad is probably 1/4" closer to the rim than the back of the pad.
06-06-10, 06:54 AM
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How is the spoke tension? I had a wheel that was a little loose and truing up the wheel changed the tone of the noise a great deal. It almost buzed with the spokes loose. Not had a steel rim bike to tell you much more. Few things I have tried with alloy rims will not apply here.
Did you wax the rims? Might try wiping down the brake surface and removing the wax if you did.
Did you wax the rims? Might try wiping down the brake surface and removing the wax if you did.
06-06-10, 08:44 AM
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You could try taking steal wool and rubbing down the braking surface? I dont know if this would help at all, but my friend does this to his rims ever so often...
06-06-10, 02:08 PM
#7
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How is the spoke tension? I had a wheel that was a little loose and truing up the wheel changed the tone of the noise a great deal. It almost buzed with the spokes loose. Not had a steel rim bike to tell you much more. Few things I have tried with alloy rims will not apply here.
Did you wax the rims? Might try wiping down the brake surface and removing the wax if you did.
Did you wax the rims? Might try wiping down the brake surface and removing the wax if you did.
06-06-10, 02:16 PM
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I have Mavic aluminum wheels on my Gitane TDF. I am also using the Kool Stop Red brake pads but for cantilevers. My Mafacs don't make any sound whatsoever and they brake better than the Veloce D brakes on Ambrosios with the weird braking surface that they have.
I'm thinking that it may not be your brakes and that is why all your work is yielding the same result. Is it possible that something else is wonky and vibrating like mad? Spokes, look at the fork when braking, are there any clunks or odd rattles you may hear when not braking? Fortunately for my squeal, it disappeared when I went to the Kool-Stops.
I'm thinking that it may not be your brakes and that is why all your work is yielding the same result. Is it possible that something else is wonky and vibrating like mad? Spokes, look at the fork when braking, are there any clunks or odd rattles you may hear when not braking? Fortunately for my squeal, it disappeared when I went to the Kool-Stops.
06-06-10, 02:43 PM
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If your brake caliper pivots are excessively worn, your toe-in will vanish when you apply the brakes, and they will squeal. Just a thought ...
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Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
06-06-10, 02:47 PM
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That's the trouble with Racers. The pivot bushings are plastic. The brass bushings on the Competitions were a big improvement.
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