fixerupper

Hello All,
I was looking at the newer Tektro brake levers and dual caliper brakes and was wondering if anyone has changed over from old single caliper Shimano 600 and could relate their experiences?
I did like the fit, finish and feel of the newer Tektro levers.
What I really wish I could find is Shimano 600 tri-colour SLR brakes, but I more interested in stopping power than anything else.
Thanks all and happy riding!

RFC

The Tektro brakes are the best deal on the market. They work well and the levers are very comfortable. The only downside is that they don't have the "Shimano" or "Campagnolo" label. Have no fear.

khatfull

There's always a way...

https://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-Shimano-Ulte...item3eff8bbfeb
https://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-6403-SLR...item4152fde338
https://cgi.ebay.com/SHIMANO-600-ULTE...item1c15ed43d1
https://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-600-brak...item3a5f0ad8d6

rccardr 

Have both, run both, like both. The later 600 series brakes are very, very good.
But...IMHO the Tektro is a superior product both in terms of stopping power and modulation, which is why they are installed on both of my daily riders.

RobbieTunes

Thanks for this info. My tripled Paramount is going to be in need of good stoppers for the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The current Universal AER's are 25 years old, look great, adjust easily, and howl. I'm afraid to go single pivots for the descents.

I'll pick up some Tektro's calipers.

roccobike

I have the Tektro brakes on my 06 Giant, they work great. I've had two WallyWorld Schwinns come through my basement shop. Both had low end ProMax dual pivot brakes with low cost aero levers. Both bikes had great stopping power. Bottom line, dual pivot brakes, even the low end brakes, are better than most single pivot brakes.

wrk101

+1 Dual pivots win.

fixerupper

Thanks for all the first hand experience folks.
With it raining sideways in Vancouver all winter brakes that can stop in an emergency in the wet are a necessity.
Tektro it is.

shrinkboy

plus, i strongly believe that Tektro is the original equipment manufacturer for the Shimano items. i've never heard or read that, but hold up a Tektro R556 long reach caliper next to a similar Shimano item and tell me the difference except for the stenciling -- which is easily removed BTW with a cloth and some denatured alcohol-- and i second Rob on the quality of the Tektro product. inexpensive, high quality

Grand Bois

My Tektro dual pivots are the best brakes I've ever used.

They do look very similar to Shimanos, especially the older ones like mine that have the identical quick release.

sauze

Thread's like this are why I frequent BF's. I want to upgrade the stopping power on my Super Course and seeing as I found out the 600's that are on there aren't original anyway I was looking for an affordable dual pivot. Looks like Tektro is my best bet. Cheapest place to find them?

Chicago Al 

I am pretty sure I'm replacing the beautiful bronze anodized Dia-Compe levers on my Turbo with Tektro aero levers, and have been looking at the Tektro dual pivot calipers as well.

RFC

This is an incredible deal:

https://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ls&ProdID=1757

sauze

That is an incredible deal , now as my ignorance shines through, will the standard reach Tektro's be suitable replacements (reach-length wise) for this era of Shimano 600's?



excuse the dirt, this was a immediately post pick-up picture.

Grand Bois

Measure the reach with a ruler.

rccardr 

Agreed. But I think you're going to need a pair of Tektro R538's. Awesome brakes, lovely finish.

noglider 

fixerupper, by the way, the caliper is the thing that grabs the rim, i.e. the thing we call the brake. The old sidepull is a single pivot caliper and has two arms around the pivot. The new design is called dual pivot, and one of these brakes is still called a caliper.

20grit

here's an odd question... semi-related even. Say I have a bike that is meant for a nutted caliper, and wanted to use a dual pivot that has recessed nuts without actually using the recessed nut. Has anyone converted a recessed nut to a nutted?

edit: I'm totally opposed to the drill out and flip/flop methods.

squirtdad

Why? you only need to do the back hole of the fork (use a nut for rear brake) and the amount metal it removes is really pretty small?

I have done this to a nishiki and a univega with no problems

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

IIRC you'd need to replace the bolt on the caliper because the bolt is too short for a nut.

I'm pretty sure that Tektro makes dual pivot calipers for nutted brake mounts though.

Whats a flip/flop method?

**edit**
here's some Nutted Tektro Dual-Pivot Calipers
https://www.rivbike.com/products/show...outh-73/15-151

smoothness 

20grit, if you're opposed to the idea of drilling out or flipping the brakes, I think you might have a bit of a hard time trying to fit recessed nuts into a nutted hole. I think you'd be better off buying a pair of nutted dual-pivot brakes, as it would not only save you the stress of trying to rig together a bolting system, but also the idea that your contraption might fall apart at any moment.

ColonelJLloyd 

+1
Yes, Tektro makes a few models for nutted brake mounts. You will find that several Tektro models use the same caliper arms. My Tektro R365 (for nutted mounts) calipers have R556 stamped in the back.

Dia Compe's new CNC Gran Compe centerpulls allow for both types of mounting without additional hardware, but are $150 a pair.

20grit

the question is more about replacing the bolt with a longer one that would work with a nutted set-up. no way could one use a recessed nut in that hole without drilling.

Zaphod, those are interesting, but Rivendell doesn't do them any favors with the opening description. Someone in the marketing department probably needs to rethink that strategy.

ColonelJLloyd 

BF member Kurt has this tutorial on his website, but this procedure is unnecessary now as the nutted, dual-pivot caliper is readily available.

That where I purchased mine. That's just their bag, man. They're quirky, to say the least.

Chicago Al 

Velo Orange has the Tektro R538 and 539 brakes in nutted mounts, $55 and $60 respectively. Their website is down at the moment but should be up soon.