MassiveD

Not with road levers they don't. There isn't any problem running vs and the intended levers, just not a good solution on drops. I think there is more coherence on brakes in CX threads, and from that I gather I need to get up to date on mini VS, though they seem to have enough disadvantages that there would be

little reason to shift from working Cants. They do make long pull road levers but they aren't efficient and have very bad ergo. And in any case there are smarter options like Discs or self energizing brakes.

I don't normally have problems with brakes on touring bikes. I normally am not going that fast, and I don't have trouble stopping, and there usually aren't a lot of people around. I have bought the best brakes I could get, dang the cost, just because I don't ever want to have problems. I am in the weight zone loaded where I have to consider tandem brake ideas.

Derailed

This has not been my experience with the linear-brake specific Tektro RL 520 levers. I think they are incredibly comfortable, the set up with my Avid Single Digit 5 linear-pull brakes was super easy, and the stopping power is fantastic.

On my CX bike I'm perfectly happy using them off road, which was never the case with the cantilevers with which I started*, but now I feel comfortable and confident braking from the drops or on the hoods.

As I've said, I wouldn't try to convince someone who is happy with cantilever brakes to switch to linear-pull, but for someone like myself who is interested in switching to linear-pull (and doesn't want to use brifters), I'd say the labor investment in changing to proper levers is well worth it. (And, I'd say the only real issue with switching levers is the need to rewrap the bars, but even that really isn't a big deal... especially if one is about due anyway.)

* I readily admit that my bad experience with cantilevers may have been due to not having the idea angle in the straddle cable. I was using Shimano cantis that came with two sets of pre-configured straddle cables (I believe as a precaution intended to make it harder for the straddle cable to disengage). Before I switched to linear-pull brakes I considered switching to standard straddle cables for which I could experiment with the angle more, but at that point I was frustrated, needed to rewrap my bars anyway, and decided to make the full switch to linear-pull brakes.

BigAura

These Tektro's are what I and others are talking about.

bradtx

While on the plus side the mini-Vs can be used with standard pull road levers per what I've read, both the mini-V and standard linear pull brakes can have interference problems with fenders and/or large tires at the cross over point and/or at the edge of a fender. I'm also considering changing to linear pull on one of my touring bikes.

My tandem used standard Ultegra STI road levers with Travel Agents mounted on the linear pull brakes and performance was flawless. Many don't like the looks of this arrangement.

Brad

tomn

I have used XTR V-Brakes and V-Brake specific drop bar levers on my touring bikes for 9 years now. They stop well and a big plus is you can change the pads without removing the wheels. I installed in-line adjusters to I can close the gap with pad wear. My suggestion is to install zero compression brake housing. My current levers are Crane Creek.

fietsbob

probably have to define what advantage you are seeking..

mechanical advantage has 2 parts the brake lever , and the brake Caliper.

Thus, it happens, as you Increase the MA on one end , you must Decrease the MA on the Other.

grolby

With an LHT, almost certainly.

Which is too bad, because I actually prefer minis to conventional v-brakes. You get a bit more pad clearance.

kpfeif

Has anyone tried using mini v's with long-pull levers? Seems like you could get tons of pad clearance, and in my experience the mini v's have leverage to spare.

I have a pair of long reach levers in my parts bin but I swore off bar end shifters so I don't have any bikes that would take them.

Tourist in MSN

I have not, but on my foldup bike on the back I use a mini-V with regular levers. The brake feels spongy but the brake also is too strong, it will easily lock up the wheel if I am not careful. Fortunately my front brake, a cantilever, is normal so it is unlikely that I will fly over the handlebars while braking.

ncscott

"I thought about converting the brakes on my bike, but I use CX interrupter brakes levers, and they are not recommended with V-brakes."
I did not think about this. I do use these. So if I use cx interrupter levers then I can not use the long pull levers, correct?
I do have the Tektro long pull levers for another bike set up with disks and enjoy them very much so I have no problems using them, but they would need to be compatible with the interrupter levers, which are not coming off.
In the end, I will probably just break down and spend some time adjusting the canti's, especially now that I'm coming up with another bike related money pit in my head right now...
Thanks all

fietsbob

PaulsComp makes one that by moving the Pivot pin , changes the cable pull ratio. CNC in California so not as low cost as Taiwan's Stuff.

I have a Pair to resell I didnt Use ..

MassiveD

That is my premise also, but the responses so far are ecstatic as though no compromise exists.

MassiveD

Mechanical advantage works such that if you are geared so that you move a lot of cable with a small hand movement, you have less leverage. And if you require a small v-brake arm movement to close the same degree of pad to rim gap, you have less leverage. So long reach with short arms is the worst of both worlds for mechanical advantage.

MassiveD

Wow, the Tektro are a lot cheaper than the DiaComp.





So in this picture you are looking at long (top), and short reach levers, and you can see the pivot points of both as the shiny dots. If you operate the levers from the drops, you hands position is placed low enough that you will work as efficiently on either lever, except that the long reach moves more cable but with less mechanical advantage. Depending on your hand size, off the tops you could essentially be unable to place your hands below the pivot bolt on the long reach at all. And in that position would have zero capacity to move the lever. But the real point is that you will even with normal size hands loose mechanical advantage very considerably off the hoods. This happens regardless, with either, but the effect starts to get significantly worse with long pulls.

fietsbob

FWIW, longer , middling pull/MA are the non aero cable straight up levers.

I have Modolo's levers on one of my Bikes , Scott-Petersen SE cantilevers ..

the combination stops super well ..

kpfeif

Yes, short arm cantis with long pull levers would give you less mechanical advantage. In my experience, short arm cantis with road levers have plenty of stopping power but are lacking in pad clearance. It would be fun to see how the performance is with the short arm/long pull combo. You should get plenty of clearance but less power.