Brakes: Canti vs V vs Disc

5F27DAD7@roulez-libre.animail.net>
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 13:05:09 -0700
Subject: brakes

I just thought I would add a few comments to this
otherwise healthy discussion.

Namely, I don't really see discs as advantageous,
especially as a solution to the overheating rim
problem. Sure, it does solve that problem, but
that doesn't mean that the heat just suddenly
isn't there. What gets hot is the rotor. And I
have heard examples of warping rotors.
Considering that the latest issue of BRAIN
(Bicycle Retailer and Industry News) has a bunch
of stories to tell of mechanics cutting their
fingers down the bone on disc rotors that aren't
even hot, imagine that a nice hot rotor would do.
Either way, I really don't like the idea of
having to retrue a flimsy piece of metal (which
is already a reason for me to avoid using them on
a folding bike) at the bottom of every steep
downhill. I would much rather stop halfway down
the hill and wait for the rims to cool off than
that. But that's just me.

The other thing is that v-brakes and cantis are
essentially the same thing. I mean there are
obvious differences that have been pointed out,
but the idea is that you have two separate arms
with their own little springs that when pulled
together, stop the rim. Neither is inheriently
better technology based on this perspective
alone. Avid cantilevers are just as nice in
terms of stopping power as v-brakes. So really
what it comes down to is a question of
compatibility and clearance. And when you're
using road levers, you're going to be better off
with a canti than anything else. The TravelAgent
does complicate the whole cable line and the
problem I find worst with them is that, since
they add friction to the cable line, you need to
set your spring tension on each brake arm a bit
higher than normal to make up for this. There is
one solution to this whole dilemma that I can't
recall being brought up. This of course is only
applicable to drop bar bikes with barend
shifters, but DiaCompe makes a 287 'V' lever that
just happens to have a cable pull ratio
compatible with a standard long arm v-brake.
Problem solved. Unless you want STIs.

Anyways, I thought the whole point behind
bicycles was to propel yourself forward, not
stop. So maybe we should discuss transmissions
instead? :)

Walter

---
Keep the rubber side down!

WALTER LAPCHYNSKI
Bike Friday Travel Counselor

walterl@bikefriday.com