Switch to a different brake type. Dual pivot side pull brakes have poorer modulation by their design, where power is prioritised directly over modulation. a single pivot side pull has much better modulation. You could try a set of the newer dura ace rim brakes, as shimano *claims* better modulation. You could also try some u-type callipers like used on TT bikes. The best option I can think of, and probably the most expensive by far would be a set of ‘eeBrakes’ (now owned by CaneCreek). They have excellent modulation by design, (similar to the above mentioned u-type) and equal power to any current dual pivot. (With the simplicity in setup of a sidepull) But you’ll pay a lot for it. Or you could save a ton of money and switch to a set of older single pivots. You give up some overall stopping power but much better modulation. A set of newer (more recent) camapgnolo record single pivots would be an excellent choice, as would any older dura ace. The Campagnolo Record D ‘skeleton’ brake set could be worth looking into, but I don’t know if they will work with your shimano brifters. It has a single pivot rear brake and a dual pivot front, to give a choice of modulation for scrubbing speed at the rear wheel, and hard stopping power when needed at the front.

Simple fact is that you can’t significantly improve modulation in a design that literally prioritises power directly over modulation. So the simplist and cheapest answer is literallly single pivot side pulls.

I wouldn’t recommend hudraulic, and I don’t know why anyone would either. They don’t guarantee better modulation, just a lot of reliable stopping power.

^^ none of these things will significantly improve modulation, because the dual pivot/cam design inherently reduces modulation for increased pull ratio, i.e. greater clamping force. (Aided by shorter and stiffer arms) Your brakes don’t have poor modulation because of your cables or housings, they have poor modulation by design, for better overall stopping power. This is exactly why campagnolo offered brakesets with a single pivot rear and dual pivot front.

I have never heard this term before. Sounds like an odd word to use for what might be considered (to me) as breaking efficiency.

Damn guys, you’re really letting me down here. Eleven posts and NOBODY mentions toeing in the brake pads?! Seriously?

OP, toe the pads slightly (I use about the thickness of a dime or penny) so the leading edge hits the rim first. The harder you squeeze, the more pad you bring into contact with the rim. Light squeeze? Then you just get the tip of the pad. Grab a handful and you’ll bring the full contact patch of the pad against the rim. I haven’t checked but I bet it’s on YouTube. Google it as well.


-Kedosto

Edited to add: So YouTube mentions toeing the pads to eliminate squeal, but it’s also great for modulation. I’m too lazy to dig it up for you deadbeats.

your understanding of modulation is accurate, and I don’t dispute that new cables and housing can be helpful, but you don’t even know what setup the OP has. For all you know he has brand new dura ace cables/housings. And yes, worn cables/housings can reduce modulation, in all brake types. This means replacing them can get back lost modulation, but it won’t give you more than what the brake is capable of. The problem is that you’re still missing half the picture here, and I’ve already explained it twice so far.

A single pivot brake has a 1:1 pull ratio. This gives good (more accurately: direct) modulation, but you have to pull hard to get the full stopping power. A dual pivot/cam brake has a more than 1:1 (I believe usually between 3-5:1) pull ratio. This means you don’t have to pull as hard to get full stopping power. Aided by smaller, stiffer brake arms, you get increased power. But this also means that your pull ISNT proportional, by design! To put it simply, the pull ratio, controlled by a cam, isn’t direct i.e not 1:1, this greatly decreases your ability to directly modulate (or control) the braking force applied. (This is why dual pivots are often described as “all the way off or all the way on”, also why single pivots were called ‘speed modulators’, which despite being an insult, is perfectly accurate.). You can’t ‘fix’ this with new cables and housings, because it’s inherent to the design. This is exactly the problem the ‘eeBrake’ tries to solve, which is why it’s so expensive. It’s also exactly why I copied what campagnolo did for a long time with a single in the rear and a dual in the front (in my case a dura ace 7403 dual up front and 7400 single in back.)

you can’t change the behaviour of the brake, with cables and housings. You can help brake feel, increase stopping power and marginally help improve modulation, but the basic dual pivot design has poor modulation, literally by design. A brake with 1:1 ratio, will have direct, more controllable modulation.

we are in agreement, and I think explaining it out is at least, helpful in a general sense for the topic. I didn’t explain it out because I thought you specifically didn’t understand, so I hope you don’t think I was talking down to you in any way.

Yes, we don’t know anything except that the OP has 6800 dual pivot brakes. Common sense assumption though should follow that: the OP has ultegra cables/housings and pads. But we don’t know if they need to be replaced. I also agree that’s an easier way to start. Where I think we diverge is in making an assumption on the level of modulation the OP is seeking. This is why I specifically stated that new cables can restore lost modulation but can’t get you more modulation than the design allows. So it seems that you and others are working on the idea that he’s lost modulation, and I’m working on the assumption that the OP wants more modulation than what his dual pivot brakes can give. I work on this because he compares his 6800’s to other brakes (campagnolo chorus) and never mentioned that his 6800s have less modulation than before a previous point. Until we know which assumption is more accurate or factual, both sides of advice have merit. We’re just on opposite sides here.

Hydraulic won’t necessarily give you better modulation, just better consistent clamping force. It’s also an expensive and more complicated investment over standard cable actuated callipers. What hydraulic rim calipers would you suggest the OP invest in?

i don’t argue this ability, but I disagree that this should even be a consideration in the basic discussion of modulation for a multitude of reasons that can’t be accounted for in regards to the OPs abilities. Campagnolo, as I’ve twice mentioned, addressed this by offering brakesets with single rear and dual front calipers. Honing your braking skills, while worthwhile, doesn’t change or arguably, overcome the basic fact that a dual pivot cam design literally sacrifices modulation for power. It’s part of the design. A 1:1 ratio is proportional. Put simply, it will respond directly to your pull, proportionally. When you change that ratio, you eliminate direct proportionality. That directly translates to less or indirect modulation. I don’t believe you can totally overcome this by muscle memory. The brakes ability to modulate is directly related to the ratio. If you believe you can achieve better modulation by muscle memory, from a mechanics consideration that is technically possible, but probably not likely achievable by most. And at best, what you’re doing is finessing the brakes design. So in fairness, you’re asking the op to try and overcome the literal mechanical design of his brakes and I can’t agree that’s a smart choice to answer the OPs desire. It’s a choice, it’s doable, but will it give the level of fine modulation the OP likely wants?

It seems to me to be a simple case. The same case for which it is why we have single and dual pivot brakes. Unless you can afford a set of eeBrakes, you need to choose wether you want more stopping power or more modulation. And in that you can choose a single pivot and attempt to stiffen it, increase spring tension or other ways to increase clamping force. Or you choose a dual pivot for its stopping power and try to finesse an indirect modulation, non proportional cable pull setup. Or do what I did and copy campagnolo.

this is a good point about pad placement, as this directly effects a brakes mechanical advantage.