Best of the pre V Brake Cantis... a thread that may of been done to to death

[Tommy27]

I can already see the evangelists coming "Have you considered letting the idea that Cantilevers are shite compared to V Brakes into your life"?

To be honest I looked for threads I could ask these questions in, but couldn't find quite the right one. If there is if someone could just post the right link(s)

Happy to see this thread go off on whatever tangents in terms of what was best (in terms of Cantis, not in terms of there's better options).

Personally I've currently a budget of up to £100 for levers and brakes. Would rather something more interesting than Diacompe ss7 with 987s or XT/ XTR.

Was looking at Curve, but seems the Kona era ones were a shadow of the orignal and the orginal are difficult to source. Wouldn't be against combining different brand of levers with the brakes either (Philistine!). But I guess that gives an idea shape wise?

 

[Rod_Saetan]

I don't actually think that in terms of performance and looks for the money anything beats a combo of Dia-Compe SS5 or SS7 levers with 985 or 987 brakes (986s as well, preferred the other two personally). I know there are better looking, lighter chi-chi brakes out there, but they aren't as easy to set up and won't last as long or work better. I run 985s/7s on numerous bikes including my touring bike (occasionally laden) and have always been pleased with them, got me down the other side of a mountain with all my gear at speed in the wet so that was test enough

The Shimano wider arm XT (M732?) are great too, I use these on my commuter, again I've never had any problems. I don't really ride fast enough to benefit from a V brake, and I enjoy being stubbornly retro-grouch about it too.

 

[benjabbi]

Honestly, within your budget you'll struggle to get anything that beats those you've mentioned in terms of function. Might be boring but works. Some of the Tektro stuff works nicely if you can see past the name. Set up and pads make the most difference. The more boutique stuff costs and doesn't really work any better, just looks nice really!

 

[bikeworkshop]

Brat50s a mighty brake.
But the Rabbit Ears M730s are fantastic

 

[Tommy27]

Of course this thread pops up under similar threads as soon as I post this...

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/best-favourite-best-made-canti-brakes-from-90ies.454999/page-2

 

[Tommy27]

Could probably up the budget.

987s are a bit of a faff. My partner has them on her Pace. She worked in a bike shop (front of house and lighter end of mechanics) off on for a long time and she likes how they perform, hated installing them (no shame in admitting she's the better mechanic, though I installed one of the two pairs just to get an idea).

Would 737s work with Avid levers say?

 

[doctor-bond]

Dia compe levers (ss4 /5) and Tektro (wide) arms/ self centering fan here, but you’ll get lots of varied advice none of which is necessarily wrong.

Maybe a way to break it down is:

Why? They’re retro and the progressive feel is impossible to beat.

Arms:
Low profile (don’t stick out much, good mechanical advantage, loooads of choice but perhaps fiddly and often dull)

Wide profile, old skool and obtrusive but many are easy to set up and they look like ….. retro brakes.

Boutique: some wide, some low, some light some, lustrous, but none any better at stopping you than non boutique.

Stuff that makes a difference:
Good Pads
Good Pads
Self centering hangers vs fail safe (the former work beautifully, the latter are failsafe)
Taking time to set them up nicely.

Levers.
They’re mostly all pretty good so it comes down to how you want to look. SS5s are light and cheeky, 4 finger M730 are tank cool. 733s optimum? CNC/Boutique ones are shiny but look to see if they have decent pivot bearings so they don’t wobble. (Paul’s, IRD, etc)