I just purchased a new touring bike with cantilever brakes. The front brake is uneven with one side longer than the other. I've been a customer of the shop for a while and when I pointed out the lopsided front they said that it wasn't a problem and had to do with spring tension. The bike stops well with no problems right now.


I want to believe them but...? I'm just wondering if this is indeed normal and I want to know that it's not something that will cause a problem in the future.


Your expertise and experience will be appreciated. Thank you.

pictures?

Some canti brakes have a screw to adjust tension, The $11 cantis may not have a tension adjustment screw. A google search of, tension adjustment cantilever brakes, pops up a lot of videos.
Mine are even and level.

chrisx nailed it. If your cantis do not that the screw, don't sweat it. The old Mafacs which for many years were the only canti had no such screw. Unless you messed with the springs or your bike's mounts had several holes to anchor the spring, uneven brake straddle cables were a fact of life. My Mooney has seen decades of it. I absolutely don't care. I just move the triangle to center teh brakes and call it done. Bikes have no brains that get bent out of shape from asymmetrical cables. If you can keep yours straight, the bike will be fine.

Ben

Many of the brakes have a set screw that won't allow you to slide the "triangle". In fact, the Tektro brakes that came on my LHT had 2 set screws, why I have no idea, it seems that they could have accomplished whatever it was they were trying to do with just one.

I think the springs that came with them were defective. Often times I would find the brake pads off center after removing the wheel for transportation purposes. The bike shop tried to tell me that each time you remove the wheel, you can't reinstall it in the exact same spot. BS. I did my own experiment. I would just walk over to the bike and release the brakes. The next morning I would check it and they would be off center. Touching the rim on one side. My wife has the same bike and the same problem. After a few days, they would be nearly centered again. A mind of their own.

I solved it by replacing them with Pauls. Have not had a problem since. I just recenter the moon unit whenever I remove the wheel.

You need to learn how to adjust the brake yourself. It's not hard.

I like those triangles with the two set screws. Easy to loosen them, put the triangle where needed to center the pads, then lock that position with the set screws. Means having springs that are way off isn't an issue. Yes, I need to have that tiny allen wrench to deal with them but far better is than no knock, bump or wheel change is going to alter the centering.

Ben

I doubt there isn't a way to get them more centered. Post a picture or at least a model name.

Centering the brakes pads to the rim with canti-brakes is done with the small bolt that adjusts spring tension on the brake arm.


Paul brakes adjust differently; the mounting bolt is loosened and the spring tension is adjusted with a 15mm wrench on the large silver nut on the front of the brake arm, and then the mounting bolt is retightened.

+1