Paul Components Motolite v brakes - worth it?
- Thread starter Imlach
- Start date
Can get them on bike discount in the EU, but you'd still be paying import fees. Fixedgearshop in EU has em for about 135 euro.
I'd stay well clear though and spend your money on something more worthwhile
Your best bet to get them in the UK is to look used on here etc.
I just realised this is my own thread so preaching begins again
Do not but motolites if you like getting bang for your buck. Overly complex design that requires multiple hex key sizes and a little cone spanner to be able to tension the springs, awfully overdesigned with no improvement to braking performance, if anything there is more that can go wrong with these than a cheap set of Deore v brakes
A premium price for a mediocre product
And please do not start the "but small company must support"
Sure we should support small companies when they produce something good, but this is an example of taking something that works beautifully already, and making it worse by overthinking
Do not but motolites if you like getting bang for your buck. Overly complex design that requires multiple hex key sizes and a little cone spanner to be able to tension the springs, awfully overdesigned with no improvement to braking performance, if anything there is more that can go wrong with these than a cheap set of Deore v brakes
A premium price for a mediocre product
And please do not start the "but small company must support"
Sure we should support small companies when they produce something good, but this is an example of taking something that works beautifully already, and making it worse by overthinking
I have had a few sets of brakes like these, Paul's, prg, onza, rbp etc. They do the job of stopping, but are inherently different to set up as they have the spring tensioner as part of the brake rather than using the stops on a frame or fork. This does make that aspect more of a faff to set up over standard brakes for sure, and more tools required for a simple job.
However I'd say there are some bonus aspects.
1. Pad set up is easier
2. Pad height adjustment range is greater so can be adapted for wheel sizes
3. Can switch cable clamp side over to support cable runs
4. Look very nice
My Paul's look and work great, a change from the norm, but not without compromise. The levers had play from new, I do have to retention the brake bolts periodically (though I think that was down to me using alloy bolts that stretched and finally snapped one day).
Avid ultimates are the best v brake I've got on a build, they do everything needed, can swap cable clamp side with ease, levers are great. Arguably more expensive than Paul's, but better.
Standard brakes like avids and Shimano do the same job, just in a quietly generic looking way, nothing wrong with that either.
However I'd say there are some bonus aspects.
1. Pad set up is easier
2. Pad height adjustment range is greater so can be adapted for wheel sizes
3. Can switch cable clamp side over to support cable runs
4. Look very nice
My Paul's look and work great, a change from the norm, but not without compromise. The levers had play from new, I do have to retention the brake bolts periodically (though I think that was down to me using alloy bolts that stretched and finally snapped one day).
Avid ultimates are the best v brake I've got on a build, they do everything needed, can swap cable clamp side with ease, levers are great. Arguably more expensive than Paul's, but better.
Standard brakes like avids and Shimano do the same job, just in a quietly generic looking way, nothing wrong with that either.
Brilliant - thankyou @Imlach + @ishaw retrobike info shared 
Am off bike after hard crash…classic broken collar bone - naturally designing return to riding in due course.
My interest in Pauls Motolite was nice option to convert to 700c wheels (on my bonty racelite).
Another (learnt via another forum thread) was to install some cheap cnc brake mount adapters to uplift to 700c.
Reading above advice has reminded me that I havd BNIB Avid Black Special Ops v-brakes … think csnti mount adapters + Avid is a nice solution + gets some cool brakes finally into riding use
Am off bike after hard crash…classic broken collar bone - naturally designing return to riding in due course.
My interest in Pauls Motolite was nice option to convert to 700c wheels (on my bonty racelite).
Another (learnt via another forum thread) was to install some cheap cnc brake mount adapters to uplift to 700c.
Reading above advice has reminded me that I havd BNIB Avid Black Special Ops v-brakes … think csnti mount adapters + Avid is a nice solution + gets some cool brakes finally into riding use
MattiThundrrr
Kona Fan
Sad to hear that
I really like that option with the Paul's, opens up a new window of wheelsizes to keep old bikes viable. But for me, it's the price. I simply can't justify the expense.
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