Brake pad suggestions

[widowmaker]

Hi

I testdrove my 1985 Raleigh Clubman yesterday after its restoration, its the first time i have ridden a road bike for many a year, its all good and feels great BUT i think the original spec brake pads may need replacing :shock:

Any suggestions as to what could improve the brakes, they are W/man 610 centrepulls.

I am sure i have read somewhere that the longer MTB ones can fit :?:

 

[Ross 1964]

Purists look away now.

I have been running the same brakes on my mid 80s 531 frame for a while (well since 1987 actually but recently brought back into service!). Improved them massively with some Clarks blocks from CRC (not sure of model but white painted pad holders and black and red pads).

However, still scary in the wet on big downhills, so I've just invested in some Tektro extra-deep drop dual pivots (R559) available at SJS in silver at £35 a pair. These will replace a Weinmann Vainquer 610 front and 750 rear.

Everywhere I read about retro/modern bikes people rave about Koolstop salmon pads but I haven't tried them. Whatever pads you get the advantage of modern ones (vs the old flat-faced Weinmann type) is you can adjust them for toe-in with the domed washer system.

I'll fit the Tektros this week and report back if you're interested in a review. I'll try the standard Tektro pads first. I'm using them on some quite worn MA40 rims so my expectations are fairly low!

 

[widowmaker]

Thanks for the advice, and i didnt realise the domed washer is for toeing in the brakes , i went from classic road bikes to discs and never paid the washers much attention :shock:

I have heard good things about those salmon pads too, i will give them a go first and see how they go.

I like the simplicity of the current centrepulls but I would rather be an alive Philistine than a dead purist The hills that i regularly cycle in Dorset (Bullbarrow included) are pretty extreme :shock:

My other bike has avid hydraulic discs so maybe i am expecting too much.

And any feedback on the tectros would be appreciated

 

[rocky ridge]

get yourself a decent dual pivot front brake
dual pivot means the cable pulls each side in the same amount and doesnt let one side touch the rim and the other side is miles away from the rim
like a shimanoe 105 just check the drop you need before getting some
the difference in performance will be imense compared to the old centerpulls
like you said you would rather be alive than dead
if you look at a caliper head on if theres a hex allen bolt to one side that means theyre dual pivot

 

[chambo34]

Hmm, if you are really looking to keep it retro go for Koolstop....I have used Weinmann centre pulls on and off for years and whilst modern twin pivots are undoubtedly better the old Weinmanns when set up correctly give good service.....I had and used them throughout Derbyshire(it's hilly) fully loaded an old Carlton 531 Corsair fitted with Weinmann centre pulls, it even had the 'suicide' levers(though the later ones where the safety hasndle goes through the blade not above it!) Just completely strip clean, poilsh and lube the pivots etc fit new stainless cables and new outers and decent pads and you will be ok....I don't recall any really hairy moments except perhaps the drop down into Eyam but then again thats a bad un even with modern brakes....I weigh 13 1/2 stone BTW so no lightweight!

 

[widowmaker]

Thanks for the advice people

The brakes were stripped, polished and refitted with new cables. I suppose its a lot to expect the original pads to be super

So ill change the pads and see

 

[chambo34]

also make sure the straddle cables slide smoothly through the hanger, and one last thing make sure the headset cable stop/ anchorage arm doesn't flex, I fitted a modern 'Ritchey' alloy one polished up and it vastly reduced flex as the old steel or Mafac ones do flex, the Shimano ones from the 1970's/80's are quite good but can be heavy...ditto check out the rear stop...BITD bespoke French frame builders (Herse etc)would braze pivots straight on to the frames and remove the Weinmann backplate.

 

[Midlife]

One of the reasons why Dual Pivot are better than Single Pivots is due to "mechanical advantage"....... that is the leverage applied because of the longer distance between the pivot and the cable versus the distance between the pivot and the brake blocks.

Like a pair of pliers really, the handles are long compared to the beaks.........

Shaun

 

[flimflam_machine]

Ross 1964's thread on upgrading to dual-pivots is interesting. I posted a few weeks back about switching to aero levers to boost the performance of Weinmann centre-pulls. I got Shimano R600 levers and I think they look pretty classic.

I use Kool-stop V-brake dual compound blocks. I'm about 13st and I ride pretty fast, I find that with the aero levers and these my Weinmanns give me as much braking as I need. I've not tried them on hairy downhills but I'm confident in riding in amongst traffic and pedestrians even in the wet.

As posted in the thread I started "One fix for [the pivot bolts on Weinmann centre-pulls flexing] is apparently to fit a second U-shaped bridge (possibly by cannibalizing a spare set of 610's) with extra-long pivot bolts so that the caliper arms are sandwiched between the two bridges. This is basically just like a brake booster for cantilever brakes."

 

[Ross 1964]

They're interesting threads flimflam. I'm already on Shimano 600 aero levers. I did notice the flexing of the 610s and your extra bridge is a good idea.

However, if you're non-purist I can't recommend highly enough the Tektro option. After another couple of very hilly wet rides (yesterday's was 60 miles in the rain with some very scary twisty downhills) and with the new brakes bedded-in, they just got better, dare I say almost on a par with the new 105 short drop brakes on my 2011 bike. It'll be interesting to try them in dry weather.

Just as a footnote, in all honesty the Tektros flex too but they give a much more solid feel when you pull the levers.