cbender

Hi all,

I mostly lurk in the C&V forums, but am attempting to address some issues with the v-brakes on a Cannondale Hybrid (Quick SL3) my wife bought a couple of months ago, so figured I'd tap the collective wisdom here.

FWIW, I had no previous experience with v-brakes; I've got an old Bridgestone MB with cantilevers and an even older Bridgestone RB with sidepulls, and have a sizeable supply of vintage brake pads (so haven't used any pads manufactured more recently than ~1995).

The Cannondale came with Cannondale branded v-brakes (Cannondale by ProMax). Either they are complete junk, or all v-brakes are junk (seems unlikely).

When properly adjusted they bounce between several states: 1) working fine, 2) squealing badly, 3) grating sounds due to junk accumulated in the brake pad. I can adjust out the squealing, but it is annoying. The grating/junk accumulation is completely new to me; I don't recall ever really getting things stuck in the pads on my old bikes. But these new pads seem to be attracting aluminium bits. Since we're riding over the same roads, and I'm not picking up this garbage, I assume that the bits are either embedded in the brakes (seems unlikely, but I don't know how these pads are manufactured) or the machined brake surfaces on the rims are shedding particles. Is this expected?

The centering adjustment of these brakes also seems quite difficult to maintain. We routinely remove the front wheel to transport the bikes. Several times on recent rides she's found the centering to be really screwed up just a few hundred feet from the car, after we've started down the road. I swear I checked it when reassembling the bike moments earlier, but none the less one side of the brake ends up rubbing the rim. I can usually fix this by grabbing the whole assembly and rocking it back and forth a few times.

So the question is, are v-brakes just a lot more finicky than the old cantilevers and/or sidepulls (can't believe I'm saying that last bit). Or are the brakes that came with her bike just junk, and upgrading to more name brand models would produce better results?

I'm also discovering that rim brakes are somewhat out of fashion, having succumbed to the disk brake trend (which her fair weather riding, non commuting usage, doesn't require). I wouldn't have guessed that from the number of bikes being sold in several different LBS with v-brakes. Am I correct that Shimano no longer makes them in their higher lines? I've located a few NOS Deore XT sets that seem to be still available. Would those behave more predictably than the current ones? Any other suggestions on how I might make this part of the ride experience better for her? She loves the bike, but hates the brakes (and I'm tired of hearing the squealing and picking bits of junk out of the pads).

Thanks!

jbchybridrider 

Don't believe the traditionalist people who say rim brakes work fine and that's all you need. Sure they work but not as good as disc brakes that just have more power with better feel, full stop.

Mt pug had Tectro V brakes that worked excellent but I took them off for canti's coz they look better, still work great but more work setting them up. Have you tried Coolstop pads with a bit of toe in at the leading edge, are your rims true ? Setup is learned through trial and error, maybe your still trialing Still disc's are forward thinking for the future.

badger1

Simple solution:

TRP

Had (have always had) similar problems with generic v-brakes. Installed these ^^ spring 2011 w/XT cables (Avid SD7 levers). One pad change aside, zero issues since -- I mean nothing. Set up properly they are powerful, quiet, and stay in adjustment.

DorkDisk

Get some better calipers and better brake pads. Ive had XT Vs since 1996 and still use them to this day with no problems. KoolStop makes good pads

Little Darwin

I had issues with brakes not stopping like I prefer, and swapped to Shimano Alivio brakes and they made a big difference. They may be low bling, but they work well. Whether it is the brakes or the pads, it seems to be a good combo for a hybrid in my experience, and affordable.

Coal Buster

Your biggest problem seems to be with your pads. Replacing them first seems like the best starting point. Re shards, I recall from following some other threads that certain rims shed metal bits for the first 100 miles or so. I can't remember what brands but there's been more than one post about bits and pieces in the brake pads of new bikes or wheels.

Have you used the spring adjuster for centering?

MileHighMark

V-brakes come in many flavors. Most work just fine. Some require more frequent adjustment than others, but the better-made ones are pretty much set-and-forget.

Before replacing your bike's brakes, consider upgrading your pads to something from Kool Stop, SwissStop, or Yokozuna.

cbender

OK. Thanks for the advice. I'll start with the pads.

I'm really playing 20 year technology catchup here with this bike. In addition to my first experience with v-brakes, it's also the first time I've dealt with machined rims. I think she's got ~300 miles on the bike, so hopefully any shedding will diminish soon. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but it seems that a properly machined metal surface shouldn't shed anything.

MileHighMark

If your pads are picking up grit, or worse, metal from the rims' sidewalls, you should replace the pads sooner than later. This is often a problem with stock/OE pads, and new pads are a quick/easy fix.

dynaryder

First,for the centering issue. If you're removing the wheel frequently,count the number of times you spin the QR lever open,then spin it closed the same number of times. This will help ensure the wheel's in the same position. This is usually only an issue for disc brakes,but I've seen V's and canti's effected by this as well. Another thing to check is that no grit has gotten into the pivots(where the brake arm meets the canti post). I see V's all the time that are dragging or pulled to one side because the pivots are dirty and slowing the retract spring's action. It's also possible that the pivots didn't get any lube in the first place. Also,just to make sure,check that both return springs are set the same. There are three holes at the base of the canti post for the spring to go into;both springs should be in the same hole(both in the top,middle,or bottom,they should match).

Next,for the brakes. Promax are low end,so it's not V brakes,it's these V brakes. Replacing the pads will help,and is the cheapest and easiest solution. After that,if you're going to upgrade the brakes,then upgrade the levers as well. It doesn't matter how good the calipers are if the levers are meh.

fietsbob

Another mention. German made.
Magura HS 33 HS33 R*| MAGURA

or HS 11 HS11*| MAGURA

pad wear doesn't tend to be also moving off the edge of the rim towards the pivot bolt ..

because the hydraulic piston mounted pads , move in a straight line..



Shimano's 'parallel push', attempt to do a similar motion, was abandoned .. too many pivots ..

desertdork

Shimano Alivio: I had these on a bike in recent years and was never disappointed. No issues whatsoever. I considered "upgrading" them to XT or similar and then thought Why?

Like most, I did change the stock pads to Kool Stop.

So about $30 for a bike's worth of v-brakes and another $12 for great pads that won't grab debris or chew your rims.

FWIW, I did work on a neighbor's bike with Promax V-brakes. Promax has earned its poor reputation rightfully. I finally told him to spring for decent brakes and I'd set them up.