Brakes on my new Dahon Speed Pro TT
 

Hi, i have recently purchased a new dahon speed pro tt frm my LBS, and although i absolutely love it, i have to say the brakes are seriously spongy!! Dangerously spongy!! Im having problems stopping quickly from full speed, iv tried adjusting them but to no avail, iv read elsewhere that this is a common issue with the speed pro, has anyone here got one? Do you have the same issues? How have you over come this?

Any help/advice greatly appreciated!

Got pictures of the calipers. Pads normally can make a world of difference.

Make sure the pads contact the brake track fully (not too high, no too low) and are square to the rim. Then toe the pads in just a bit. The thickness of a business card under the leading edge is about right.

Clean the brake track off with solvent that doesn't leave residue. Acetone works well.

If none of those work, then the problem is pad quality or brake caliper design or stretchy brake cables. Try some good pads. Watch the brakes as you apply them (on the stand). Do the arms flex a lot?

Hey Peter,

Suggest you try the Dahon forums (http://www.dahon.com/forum/index.php) and/or the "Folding Bike" forum here on BikeForums if you have not already. You will find considerable information about the SPTT brakes already addressed there... most folks on the road cycling forum may not be familiar with folders or that specific model.

Make sure you are clear which model year SPTT you have. You said you just bought it, but that does not make clear what model year it is. The '09 uses v-brakes, while earlier TT models used a long-reach caliper which folks found very lacking. I have not followed the '09 models closely enough to comment with authority on the 2009 setup/braking. In the past folks were tuning the cabling and pads as suggested above. They could make it better but not 100% from what I recall. I don't have the SPTT, but I have a Helios (modified into road-bike) with TRP cantilever brakes + SwissStop pads... that brakes quite nicely. Rather extreme modification for you to consider, but figured I'd mention it in case you get desperate/creative. You'd need to fit a cable hanger to that handlepost somehow.

Here's some of the many SPTT braking posts at Dahon's rider forum:
http://www.dahon.com/forum/index.php...opic=6126&st=0
http://www.dahon.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6369