Canti's or V's that is the question

[Matthews]

Opinions please , which work best (I've only got experience with canti's).
Matthew

 

[the_duke]

Sheldon Brown says the following:

Direct-pull cantilevers (v brakes) have double the mechanical advantage compared with traditional (canti) brakes. Direct-pull (v) brake levers pull the cable twice as far, half as hard. The lower mechanical advantage of the lever compensates for the higher mechanical advantage of the cantilever.


My understanding of this is they are effectively the same in braking power. BUT.

V brakes are simpler to set up correctly (so you are more likely to get the best out of them)

However, retrobike law says that if your frame has canti stops, you must use them

 

[marky2484]

V brakes for braking, cantis for retro kudos........Having said that, someone will be along in a minute to tell you that well set up cantis are better than V's :roll:

 

[jimc101]

What about Magura HS33's, great stoppers, and have been around forever, so can keep in with the retro factor if you find an early set.

 

[daj]

Total pointless comment but after getting off the lts with a pretty good canti set-up I jumped on the mrs 2011 cube ... No lie I nearly put myself over the bars using the front brake ha,ha

V's are deff better than cantis

 

[johnnypie13]

canti Vs vs

Canti's for me

just for tinkering value they are never truly set up and need tweaked every time you ride with them love it keeps me busy

that said i have V's on two of my bikes and they brake great

my hope M4 Discs however are the business but so strong they frighten me sometimes

 

[technodup]

I've got two bikes with Vs, one with cantis and one with hydraulic discs. Discs are clearly miles better than either other.

Cantis are fine but when you shift from the discs you have to remember to plan ahead a bit more.

The Vs I have I don't like. At all. One bike the lever feels all squidgy and the other it's really hard and ratchety when I pull it. Both work fine at the pad but I don't know why they feel so bad. AFAIK the squidgy feel is more normal, but I hate it. And the stupid noodle thing rubs the paint on my fork away.

For retro I'd go canti, for modern it has to be discs.

 

[jimihendrix]

Canti's for me, my main riders are a 94 Zaskar and a 91 Clockwork so must use Canti's (by law ) perfectly fine if set up properly with good pads, and if you use cartridge pads, once set it's just a case of replacing the friction material.

Would have to say either or for me, V's may have a greater mechanical advantage over Canti's but just squeze the lever harder, any brake only works until the wheel is locked up (skidding) and a well set up Canti should be able to do that.

 

[the_duke]

Canti's for me, my main riders are a 94 Zaskar and a 91 Clockwork so must use Canti's (by law ).

Right on

V's may have a greater mechanical advantage over Canti's but just squeze the lever harder

To (try to) clarify what Sheldon is saying. V brakes themselves have double the mechanical advantage of cantis, BUT, V brake levers have half the mechanical advantage of Cantis (levers). The overall brake power should be about the same.


I too use and love canti's. . .V's. . .and discs

 

[Matthews]

Guess I'll be going for V's then as the new(old) frame I'm building doesn't have canti stops (96/7/8 unsure Stumpy M2), the next big braking question is do I put a disc on the front (got no forks yet it adds yet another dilemma into the pot).
Matthew