If you HAD to choose new V brakes for a Retrobike?

[mynchiboy]

I'm running TRP v-brakes on a couple of my rides. Look ace, work well and titanium hardware too.

Avid Mag are also a favourite of mine

 

[dyna-ti]

I would say unless its some high end bike then LX m600. Which were the standard everyone pretty much had back then.
Who bitd had money for XT ? and certainly not XTR. You might have maybe afforded an XT front, maybe from a swop, then cherished it, but not a bikes worth and not a bikes worth with levers, that would have meant you'd a rich Dad or money falling out your arse.

XTR was shop window stuff

 

[FluffyChicken]

If you dont mind moderner then the XT/LX and Deore from 2010 onwards just work 770/780 era.
Pick between them on colour and looks.

Mate with some Avid SD dialed or Shimano XT 739ish plastic bits out levers and job done..go newer levers if you don't mind the look.

 

[Cloverleaf]

I would say unless its some high end bike then LX m600. Which were the standard everyone pretty much had back then.
Who bitd had money for XT ? and certainly not XTR. You might have maybe afforded an XT front, maybe from a swop, then cherished it, but not a bikes worth and not a bikes worth with levers, that would have meant you'd a rich Dad or money falling out your arse.

XTR was shop window stuff

Kids might not have had the money for high end stuff but there was still plenty of it around. BITD we started out upgrading our M737 XT stuff to M739 V brakes and they were awful. The levers were great but the brakes themselves would wear out in less than 1000 miles to the point where no amount of their rebuild shim kits could fix the linkage system. Then we started using XTR calipers, starting with M950 and later M952. These would last closer to 3000 miles with rebuilds of the pivot bearings and the addition of shims, but they were still crap (and still are if you actually want to slow down). Then I moved to discs and my dad switched to Magura HS33's - oh how we wished we'd discovered the Maguras earlier, they were night and day in the reliability stakes and nearly 20 years on his original silver set is still going strong.

 

[Tsundere]

I don't want to open a can of worms and start a Cantilever v V's argument.

But if you had to put new V Brakes and levers on a Retrobike which if any new ones would you choose, are there any that are acceptable looking. It's not a high end build, but towards the top of its range.

I have another build that's 'period correct' but this one that's suits the use it's going to get and that means V's.

I'm a canti fan, I prefer them aesthetically, and the bikes I like the most come from the canti era. However, I bought a bike that had V-brakes fitted and was surprised how much better they seemed to be than even my best set up cantis.

As the bike in question was due for a complete overhaul I was on the fence about whether or not to stick with V brakes or switch to cantis, because I eventually opted for drop bars and drop bar levers and as the bike is set up for bikepacking and carrying fishing kit etc, I thought V brakes would be the more practical choice.

I found a cheap set of minty XT V brakes and they are fantastic, I've become fairly proficient at setting up cantis but none of my other bikes come close to this one for braking.

For that particular bike and its specific uses I have zero regrets, but I will stick with cantis (and rollercams) for everything else.

 

[CrossFred1978]

I'm running mc40 stx rc v brakes/ levers on my fire mountain commuter, they have great feel and power. The pad mounts are the same as standard cantis I have blue koolstops fitted. The bike is full stx rc, lovely groupset imo.

 

[Star12]

Paul Component Motolites.

Star12

 

[slackboy]

I rather like the look of the Box three v brakes

https://crucialbmxshop.com/box-three-v-brake
but otherwise whichever Avid SD or Deore v brakes are available. I think the avid levers still look pretty good.

 

[xtaffa]

I rather like the look of the Box three v brakes

https://crucialbmxshop.com/box-three-v-brake
but otherwise whichever Avid SD or Deore v brakes are available. I think the avid levers still look pretty good.

I’ve got these on the back of my Gary fisher - the blue is an almost exact March for the frame! Nice looking, very solid and the adjustment screws actually do something…not always the case, especially with ‘tired’ springs in retro sets; then you’re into bending the spring by hand!

 

[August Bicycles]

Has anyone suggested the DXR BMX V Brakes yet? They are reasonably cheap and pretty classy looking with their polished finish and subtle etched logos.

I know it says rear brake only, but I've seen them used up front numerous times.