Suggest some cantilevers!

[setspeed]

I'm looking for some period appropriate cantilevers for a 1992 bike. Don't want Shimano, they're a bit boring. Would like something a bit more unusual/blingy, but not mega bucks. Scott Pederson SE would be nice.
Not sure what else is in the 'medium' price range, apart from Ritchey and Dia Compe?
Silver would be acceptable colour, but gold would be great!
Oh, and they need to work well, as they're replacing V brakes, so I don't want to downgrade my braking power too much.
Easy to setup would be a bonus.
Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[mdvineng]

Sacrifice your firstborn

 

[Frankenorange]

I haven't tried them but i like the look of Curve cantis. Healthy and complete examples with text don't go for silly money. Not sure when they came out but must be around that year.

How about Spooky cantis? . Again; i haven't tried rhem but i ran with Frogglegs for a good while and they are the same. They are very light and work well. The only problem i found was you can't move the round bit that holds the pad post up and down. You have to luck in with the boss height to get a good angle onto the rim.

Getting cantis to work well is all down to arm angles, straddle height, and pad quality. Also; you need stiff cable stops or it all gets spongy and shite even with the other boxes ticked.

 

[setspeed]

I haven't tried them but i like the look of Curve cantis. Healthy and complete examples with text don't go for silly money. Not sure when they came out but must be around that year.

How about Spooky cantis? . Again; i haven't tried rhem but i ran with Frogglegs for a good while and they are the same. They are very light and work well. The only problem i found was you can't move the round bit that holds the pad post up and down. You have to luck in with the boss height to get a good angle onto the rim.

Getting cantis to work well is all down to arm angles, straddle height, and pad quality. Also; you need stiff cable stops or it all gets spongy and shite even with the other boxes ticked.

The original Curve brakes look good, not so keen on the Kona version.
Never heard of Spooky before. Just looked them up, and they're ugly cyclo-cross brakes that don't really belong on an MTB in my mind.
I'll keep an eye out for Curves now though

 

[joglo]

Hi, i think it's not so hard to suggest nice non-Shimano canti brakes, affordable ones make it harder, but if you ideally would like to have it time correct, that's the real challenge. Most nice and well known custom brakes came rather mid nineties.

The list below from the german bike magazin from 1992 might be helpful, this is to me a comprehensive list of available brakes and levers at this time.


The timeline at the old Mombat page seem to be also very reliable.
http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Timeline.html
This is what's listed for 1992

• Dia Compe987/984/986 canti,
• Scott/Mathauser finned pads,
• Suntour/Scott Pederson SE brakes (canti and U)
• Dia Compe Advantage SS5/SS7 and 290/286 levers
• Magura Hydraulic rim brakes
• Shimano Deore/XT II for SLR levers (Power Plate on U brakes), Shimano Deore/XT 2/4 finger with SLR (with or without STI shifters)
• Grafton Speed Controllers
• Ritchey Logic brakes and levers
• Mountain Cycles (Answer) Pro-Stop disk
• Suntour XC-Ltd/XCE/XCM low profile canti's, Suntour dipped levers
• Paul Stop Lights
• Grafton Mag Lites, Grafton Re-Entry levers
• Boulder canti (became Onza HO)
• Hope All Terrain disk brake
• Critical Racing

 

[Thame Game]

What about a set of Mafac cycloX cantis? I think they are Bare Bones Beautiful.

 

[setspeed]

Hi, i think it's not so hard to suggest nice non-Shimano canti brakes, affordable ones make it harder, but if you ideally would like to have it time correct, that's the real challenge. Most nice and well known custom brakes came rather mid nineties.

The list below from the german bike magazin from 1992 might be helpful, this is to me a comprehensive list of available brakes and levers at this time.
View attachment 731458

The timeline at the old Mombat page seem to be also very reliable.
http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/Timeline.html
This is what's listed for 1992

• Dia Compe987/984/986 canti,
• Scott/Mathauser finned pads,
• Suntour/Scott Pederson SE brakes (canti and U)
• Dia Compe Advantage SS5/SS7 and 290/286 levers
• Magura Hydraulic rim brakes
• Shimano Deore/XT II for SLR levers (Power Plate on U brakes), Shimano Deore/XT 2/4 finger with SLR (with or without STI shifters)
• Grafton Speed Controllers
• Ritchey Logic brakes and levers
• Mountain Cycles (Answer) Pro-Stop disk
• Suntour XC-Ltd/XCE/XCM low profile canti's, Suntour dipped levers
• Paul Stop Lights
• Grafton Mag Lites, Grafton Re-Entry levers
• Boulder canti (became Onza HO)
• Hope All Terrain disk brake
• Critical Racing

Thank you, that is really helpful!

 

[setspeed]

What about a set of Mafac cycloX cantis? I think they are Bare Bones Beautiful.

Thanks, but I don't like the style of cx brakes. They look, to my eyes, as though they belong on an old-timey bike from the early 1900s

 

[Thame Game]

Thanks, but I don't like the style of cx brakes. They look, to my eyes, as though they belong on an old-timey bike from the early 1900s

Yeah, they are a required taste. I'm building an ultra retro at the mo with them.
If you're interested in anything like that, I love listening to Ronnie Romance on YouTube. Check out his talks at the Philly Bike Expos. Truly inspiring. He will give you the red pill to break out of the bike industry matrix.

 

[focomat 1c]

The Scott Pedersen SE is currently available new from SJS for under £10 !
Its the rear version manufactured by Suntour , as you probably already know
Suntour never produced a front version , they considered it too dangerous !
However Pedersen themselves made a front version with the same operating
system though in appearance its simplified construction is quite different to the rear .