Which brakes for Dura Ace STI
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Which brakes for Dura Ace STI
I wrecked my Cannondale road bike, so I'm switching all the parts off it onto a Specialized Tricross frame. The gruppo is 7800 Dura Ace 10 speed, and the wheels are 7850SL Dura Ace.
I'm thinking of using a travel agent with XTR V Brakes. Any other suggestions better than this?
I'm thinking of using a travel agent with XTR V Brakes. Any other suggestions better than this?
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I wrecked my Cannondale road bike, so I'm switching all the parts off it onto a Specialized Tricross frame. The gruppo is 7800 Dura Ace 10 speed, and the wheels are 7850SL Dura Ace.
I'm thinking of using a travel agent with XTR V Brakes. Any other suggestions better than this?
I'm thinking of using a travel agent with XTR V Brakes. Any other suggestions better than this?
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Would the V-brake+travel agent be stronger than the CR720?'s I don't mind the looks of the travel agent.
Thanks
Thanks
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+1 for the BR550's.
I am running them with STI's on a Soma DoubleCross.
I was considering TravelAgents with V-brakes, but after doing searches on the topic, found a lot of people who expressed the opinion that rating brake performance ranked from best to worst is as follows:
1. V-brakes
2. Cantilevers
3. V-brakes with TravelAgents
BTW I have a pair of TravelAgents on hand, and was very put off when I realized the installation requires putting a 90-degree kink in the brake cable.
I am running them with STI's on a Soma DoubleCross.
I was considering TravelAgents with V-brakes, but after doing searches on the topic, found a lot of people who expressed the opinion that rating brake performance ranked from best to worst is as follows:
1. V-brakes
2. Cantilevers
3. V-brakes with TravelAgents
BTW I have a pair of TravelAgents on hand, and was very put off when I realized the installation requires putting a 90-degree kink in the brake cable.
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People dislike travel agents because (1) they look kludgey, (2) they add (minimal) weight, (3) they didn't set them up correctly, and/or (4) they completely misunderstand how they work and why they are necessary.
When used correctly with short pull levers and V brakes, travel agents have less friction than a cable noodle and work great.
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This is worth spending some time to understand:
Mechanical Advantage
Mechanical Advantage
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V brakes with travel agents work better than the any of the cantilevers I have used before, but I just ordered a set of Paul Neo Retro's for my commute bike so maybe they will be better. That said, the Avid S7 or Avid Ultimate V brakes worked better than Shimano V brakes, ESPECIALLY when things got dirty. Avoid the Shimano V bakes, the parallel pad mechanism squeals and/or fills with crud and sticks.
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Cool, good info, thanks all. That's good to know about the Shimano V's. So I'm looking at QBP and I can get the Paul Motolites for a little more than the Ultimates. Any advantage of one over the other?
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i have avid shorty 6's and i really like them...
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Compare with a noodle, which has a length of cable rubbing against teflon every time you brake. A small amount of grit can gum up the works, until the teflon wears away completely.
Last edited by flargle; 01-05-09 at 06:55 AM.
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I agree with flargle--CR720s are the best option for cross applications (mud clearance) and offer the best cost-to-performance ratio for everyday applications ($20/brake). Lightweight, well-engineered and manufactured, with lots of modulation and power. Also eliminated the carbon fork/squeal problem I had with Avid Shortys--although they've revamped their design this year, so I have no idea what the new ones are like.
Combined with the pinch-bolt straddle, I don't find them terribly hard to set up, either. Tektro has some cheap/poopy products, but they really hit it spot-on with this one.
Combined with the pinch-bolt straddle, I don't find them terribly hard to set up, either. Tektro has some cheap/poopy products, but they really hit it spot-on with this one.
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I would be afraid to take my cross bike off road with the risk of breaking a DA brifter if I went down. They cost a stupid amount of money ($500+) I'll stick to Tiagra brifters and a 9 speed drivetrain.
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They're already banged up from this crash
They seem to be pretty resilient.
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If its a race bike, swapping wheels without having to undo the straddle cable is a consideration if you don't have a spare bike and a mechanic. Some brakes have more travel then others and don't allow you to pull a 34 straight out. I think the last thing you want to do is go into a corner hot out of the pit and learn that you forgot do put the straddle cable back because you were in a hurry.
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it took me along time to figure out how to set up the TRPs but i really like them. cantis work better with sti, i see no reason to use travel agents w/ v brakes, shimano or or the cane creeks cantis are really simple to set up and use...