Recommend some cantilevers

[ibbz]

I need some cantilever brakes - I have had the Campy Record OR which were very nice and all metal hardware and parts - also the Paul’s which again were metal and durable
I have the Ritchey Logic which have plastic parts around the spring and which I’ve broken.
Are there any other Cantilevers which have all metal durable bullet proof hardware and components ?
How’s XTR M900 and XT M732/734 73x like?

 

[Tootyred]

All shimano offerings have plastic shrouds over the springs, that said ive used most of their late 80s / early 90s offerings and never found issues with them

The ritchey ones however, i did have fail on me....which i believe are just diacompe offerings anyway ( please correct me if im wrong there).

 

[hamster]

Not retro, but the Avid Shorty Ultimate are all-metal. And very nice too!

 

[66 triumph daytona]

I dont think Onza HO cantis had any plastic bits.

 

[ibbz]

how about suntour XC Pro?
I’m looking for the champagne ones

 

[ibbz]

All shimano offerings have plastic shrouds over the springs, that said ive used most of their late 80s / early 90s offerings and never found issues with them

The ritchey ones however, i did have fail on me....which i believe are just diacompe offerings anyway ( please correct me if im wrong there).

Yes was lead to believe that these were a version of the Dia Compe brakes - but the plastic shroud and the other fittings there differ - the Dia Compe parts are actually better made and durable. These not so much

 

[Matttymm]

I have M900 XTR with Kool stop salmon pads. Their braking performance is awesome IMO.

 

[retrobikeguy]

M734 are nice, bit of a shunned cantilever and often come up at a reasonable price, trick is nice blocks, kool stops or eagle claws are great, IF you can splash out and find some... Controltech, so easy to set up and cool looking brakes.

 

[Matttymm]

Kool Stop salmon readily available.

https://www.bikester.co.uk/kool-sto...qT-GrULBT-WarTeyajCNqEQjHtaltYj8aAizNEALw_wcB

 

[ferrus]

I dont think Onza HO cantis had any plastic bits.

The spring covers are plastic. But the original Boulder canti’s which the Onzas copied are all alum’ and better quality too (they don’t crack), but they’re quite rare.

Lots of boutique CNCd canti’s were made from the likes of Gravity Research, Machine Tech, Avid, Critical Racing, Joes, TNT, WTB, Crystal, Grafton etc, which used precision machined proprietary hardware. Not all were an improvement over Shimano though, performance wise!
My personal favourites are the Boulders, followed by Avid Tri Align, Paul Stoplights and Gravity Research Pipe Dreams.
The original version Campag Record OR take some beating though, they’re probably the most powerful canti’s I’ve ever used.