Wanted Shallow drop steel calipers

[bikeworkshop]

I'm after a pair of nice quality, good condition steel brake calipers, for my curly. I've nearly managed to make a complete lightweight bike without any aluminium alloy, but the final couple of parts are proving difficult.

 

[gilmo789]

left field option,
no relation https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22615275...oZoRevTpZIkFQXBfws36Uijd4=|tkp:Bk9SR9yR0rXeZA

 

[bikeworkshop]

It's true that this was a short drop option, but the curly's paintwork is too good to fit resilion - and almost all the parts are in near new cosmetic condition

 

[walkmanman]

Monitor brakes may suit your bike. I have a set (possibly two) but I doubt either set would be in mint condition, although I recall the chrome on them was nice. Also- Grip-It aren't so well known, but certainly better looking than the standard Raleigh or unbranded steel brakes seen so often on many bikes from this era. I'm sure I have a set of these, too.

 

[bikeworkshop]

That sounds promising - please post a pic if you find time and the brakes the brake caliper seems to be the first part that became alloy, pre-war even.
And a deep drop was pretty ubiquitous.
I'm using resilion levers btw

 

[walkmanman]

Glad to help. Although you should know that I've quite recently moved house (and also have separately moved garages, where most of my bike stuff is stored) and am in the process or reorganizing all my bike kit- so really, it will be a case of my managing to come across the brakes during this process, rather than my specifically trying to sift through everything to find them. It may well take a few weeks before I'll have any news for you on the outcome, and after that you may still be disappointed in the condition of the brakes, considering you seem to want kit to match the near new kit already on your bike.

 

[walkmanman]

So it's been a good while but now I've finally been able to find some brakes you might like. No sets as yet though as I thought I should show you what I've managed to find and if you like the condition then I can carry on searching for the matching brakes. The first one for your consideration is a Monitor Sheerline which is roughly in condition I recalled it would be in my last message, that being pretty tatty with quite a bit of chrome flaking, although the chrome that remains is still quite shiny. Overall, it's probably not up to what you require for your bike but very likely the other one (I bought them as a pair) will be in similar condition so if you're actually keen on the one then the other will satisfy you too. The second brake I found is a Follis Bebo Sport and this is quite a contrast to the Monitor as it's in pretty much new-looking condition and I suspect may even be NOS which is quite unusual for brakes from this era (I suspect 40s but possibly 50s/60s). There's no wear I can see, but on the downside the brake isn't as exotic a design as the Monitor and also I'm not entirely sure I have the rear brake to match it as I can only remember having alloy Follis brakes, not their steel ones. Anyway, I'm still sure I have the Grip-It brakes I mentioned previously (and these were definitely a set) so if you're interested in the Follis then I'd also try to search out the Grip-It brakes seeing as I recall they're very similar (plain) designs, so I'd guess you'd be equally interested in both.