What's your favorite canti set up?

[William]

Brand and pads that actually have stopping power.....and actually don't produce high pitched squealing that results in copious amounts of blood spurting from your ears.;)






William

[sparky33]

Shimano CX70 w salmon Koolstop pads. Surprising how well these work and how easy they are to set up.

[tuscanyswe]

For cash i think tektro 720s are really good. I also liked the trps when i had them (the carbon ones). Run swiss stop yellow for carbon or a really cheap no-name pad from the lbs for alu. No squels on either if correct set up. Stopping power is okay but not great imo.

[CNY rider]

Compared to TRP V-brakes they all suck.

[jonbek]

Paul mini-motos with kool stop.

[gavingould]

Avid Shorty Ultimates + SwissStop Yellow, Firecrest 303s.
Haven't tried anything else, but they worked well enough for my 225lbs all cx season.

[choke]

I'm really happy with the Paul Neo-retro and Koolstop pads.

[Frankwurst]

Paul with Kool stop salmon pads. Touring works great front and back or Neo retros front and touring in the back. If you can't stop fast enough with touring you're probably in to deep and if you need neo's your probably in to deep.:beer:

[neiltron]

Tektro / TRP mini-V brakes. Everything else is a horrible mess of mediocrity.

[donevwil]

Well you mention canti's so I'll assume you're avoiding mini-V's (too bad, Mini Motos are the bomb). My best canti set-up ever were '90's NOS Suntour XC Pro with Yokozuna Mathauser finned pads and a Suntour Power hanger. Better than any combo tried until the Mini Motos were purchased. They stopped just as well as the Mini Motos, but were nowhere near as easy to set up and maintain.

[William]

Well you mention canti's so I'll assume you're avoiding mini-V's (too bad, Mini Motos are the bomb). My best canti set-up ever were '90's NOS Suntour XC Pro with Yokozuna Mathauser finned pads and a Suntour Power hanger. Better than any combo tried until the Mini Motos were purchased. They stopped just as well as the Mini Motos, but were nowhere near as easy to set up and maintain.


If you like your mini set up, let's hear what combo works well for you!!:banana:





William

[pinkshogun]

im using shimano brr-550 calipers with Yokazuna pads with good results. a good combo of stopping power and pad distance from rim

IRD cafams stop better and have the lightest pull with same pads but too squishy for my taste. pads had to be close to rim else brake lever bottomed out against bars.

rim/pad distance was an important consideration for my touring bike in case of broken spoke or out of true wheel...which has never happened tour, knock on steel

[FlashUNC]

I've had good luck with the TRP's personally.

[oldpotatoe]

Brand and pads that actually have stopping power.....and actually don't produce high pitched squealing that results in copious amounts of blood spurting from your ears.;)






William

shimano or the new Campagnolo ones(made by Tektro).

[rockdude]

Three words: Pauls, Swissstop yellow.

[559Rando]

Tektro / TRP mini-V brakes. Everything else is a horrible mess of mediocrity.

I'd like to run mini-Vs, but need more clearance.

For cash i think tektro 720s are really good. I also liked the trps when i had them (the carbon ones). Run swiss stop yellow for carbon or a really cheap no-name pad from the lbs for alu. No squels on either if correct set up. Stopping power is okay but not great imo.

+1 for the CR-720.

Paul's are great, too. Just very pricey!

Shimano Deerheads are way rad, too.

[bfd]

Well you mention canti's so I'll assume you're avoiding mini-V's (too bad, Mini Motos are the bomb). My best canti set-up ever were '90's NOS Suntour XC Pro with Yokozuna Mathauser finned pads and a Suntour Power hanger. Better than any combo tried until the Mini Motos were purchased. They stopped just as well as the Mini Motos, but were nowhere near as easy to set up and maintain.

Interesting, I had just the oppose results with a set of 90s NOS Suntour XC Pro with kool stop salmon colored brake pad! The rear was fine, but the front - ugh, squealing, shuddering and if the pads weren't just right, my campy ergo lever would bottom out! A front Suntour XC pro was down right scary. I tried several different pads, including the kool stops and still no go.

Changed to a cheapie $20 Tektro 926al mini-v brake in front and it was wow, power brakes! No squealing, shuddering and my ergo lever just worked! Yes, I could have used a bit more clearance as the arm sat on top of my fender, but I think there are now different sizes - 80mm, 85mm and 90 mm versions, so you can probably dial it in. Bottom lin I could bomb down hills in total confident without the fork shuddering or the pads squeaking!

So, I guess I'm a mini-v guy and won't go back! Good Luck!
:eek::bike::butt:

[JanG]

I've used Paul Neo Retros with Kool-Stop salmon pads on my CX bike. Also, I found Sheldon Brown's discussion (http://http://sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html) to be helpful.

[rice rocket]

I'd like to run mini-Vs, but need more clearance.



V-brakes w/ travel agent?

[spaced_ghost]

this is relevant to my interests. anyone had experience with the frog legs?

[zandrrr]

Yet another vote for MiniMotos, but honestly, the Shorty 4s they replaced were also fine.

[Gummee]

If we're talking cantis, my favorites were OnZa HO brakes. ...till they started cracking! I had em on a few mtn bikes, but replaced em with v-brakes.

After that, I'd have to say my Mafacs. Only reason I stopped running those is squealing and fork shudder. This was back before the adjustable pad holders came out, so the only adjustment was bending the arms. I was pretty leery of doing that to ancient brakes. Then the $$ for a pair of adjustable pad holders was out of reach.

Now I've got 2 pair of Euro X-es on my cross bikes. They're brakes. They're not my favorites, but they work acceptably.

M

[Oregonic]

Had Neo Retro's with Salmon KS. Toed in, toed out, long straddle, short straddle... never really happy with them. With clean rims and pads, properly toed, they'd work okay for a while, then the shudder would return, then the screech. Switched to some cheap Tektro RX-5 Minis and couldn't be happier. The springs and internals aren't as nice as the Paul Mini Motos (which I hope to pick up some day), but for $15 a pop, they're incredible.

[donevwil]

Interesting, I had just the oppose results with a set of 90s NOS Suntour XC Pro with kool stop salmon colored brake pad! The rear was fine, but the front - ugh, squealing, shuddering and if the pads weren't just right, my campy ergo lever would bottom out! A front Suntour XC pro was down right scary. I tried several different pads, including the kool stops and still no go.

Changed to a cheapie $20 Tektro 926al mini-v brake in front and it was wow, power brakes! No squealing, shuddering and my ergo lever just worked! Yes, I could have used a bit more clearance as the arm sat on top of my fender, but I think there are now different sizes - 80mm, 85mm and 90 mm versions, so you can probably dial it in. Bottom lin I could bomb down hills in total confident without the fork shuddering or the pads squeaking!

So, I guess I'm a mini-v guy and won't go back! Good Luck!
:eek::bike::butt:

I guess that is in a nutshell why canti's have such strong opinions. They worked great for me on one bike, never tried them on another. A royal PITA to setup right. Extra hard with the Power Hanger, but I think I luckally stumbled on a perfect setup. Don't ask me to repeat it. The Mini Motos on the same bike took far less time to setup and had as good power and better modulation (more road caliper like). Not a fan of the thinline pads Pauls come with and the extra cost of some Kool Stop Cross pads adds to the already pricey Pauls, but they work very well and I guess that's the bottom line.

[nooneline]

this is relevant to my interests. anyone had experience with the frog legs?

I've used 'em.
I've also used a bunch of Shorty 6's, Tektro 720s, and similar midrange wide and tall-profile brakes.
Frogglegs... decent brakes. But I can't shake the conclusion that wide profile brakes are just plain old weaker than I care to use.

They tend to be fine for 'cross racing for me, but for around-town stuff I like something with a bit more stopping power. I'm impressed with Shimano's recent brakes, but I don't use Shimano and while a Campag or SRAM lever would probably pull cable just fine for them, shrug, I don't feel like mixing and matching. I'm on the hunt for whatever Rabobank uses, if I can find 'em from somebody other than Velo-Orange. Tall brake, long arms, cool look - got it all. I'd also be interested in trying Tektro/TRP's high-end carbon canti. T makes good products. I bet they're good.

[spaced_ghost]

which ones are those? the only thing I see on Velo Orange are the in house brand ones (grand Cru) and tektro cr720's

[handsomerob]

I'm on the hunt for whatever Rabobank uses, if I can find 'em from somebody other than Velo-Orange. Tall brake, long arms, cool look - got it all.

Why not get them from VO?

[Lewis Moon]

Tektro / TRP mini-V brakes. Everything else is a horrible mess of mediocrity.

I went through a set of Tektro 720s and a set of Paul's. Both were iffy at best, scary at worst. Like stopping a freight train with a hanky. I'm now riding the CX 8.4s and they're even a bit too grabby. When I get a bit of dosh I'll probably go "mullet".
I tried and tried to set the cantis up properly. I measured angles, installed Kool Stops, etc but I couldn't get them to stop w/o going white knuckle. The CX 8.4s are MUCH better, but curve from gentle slowing to locked up is WAY too steep.

Cantis and V brakes both seem to be a bad compromise.

[rice rocket]

I went through a set of Tektro 720s and a set of Paul's. Both were iffy at best, scary at worst. Like stopping a freight train with a hanky. I'm now riding the CX 8.4s and they're even a bit too grabby. When I get a bit of dosh I'll probably go "mullet".
I tried and tried to set the cantis up properly. I measured angles, installed Kool Stops, etc but I couldn't get them to stop w/o going white knuckle. The CX 8.4s are MUCH better, but curve from gentle slowing to locked up is WAY too steep.

Cantis and V brakes both seem to be a bad compromise.

Have you tried normal length V-brakes and travel agents?

I have the same experiences as you, I went for the even shorter Tektro 926AL (8 cm arms similar to the brakes OP mentioned), which theoretically should lower my leverage ratio, but it is still way too much power. Travel agents should allow us to split the difference though, I'm curious if anyone has first hand experience.

[Lewis Moon]

Have you tried normal length V-brakes and travel agents?

I have the same experiences as you, I went for the even shorter Tektro 926AL (8 cm arms similar to the brakes OP mentioned), which theoretically should lower my leverage ratio, but it is still way too much power. Travel agents should allow us to split the difference though, I'm curious if anyone has first hand experience.

I'm not a fan of Travel Agents. I have a set if anyone needs them. In dusty/muddy conditions they gum up horribly.

[nooneline]

Why not get them from VO?

well the first reason is because they're out of stock.

[Suctionprints]

Not a fan of travel agents either, too prone to clog with grit. Save up for Pauls or CX70s.

[oldpotatoe]

Had Neo Retro's with Salmon KS. Toed in, toed out, long straddle, short straddle... never really happy with them. With clean rims and pads, properly toed, they'd work okay for a while, then the shudder would return, then the screech. Switched to some cheap Tektro RX-5 Minis and couldn't be happier. The springs and internals aren't as nice as the Paul Mini Motos (which I hope to pick up some day), but for $15 a pop, they're incredible.

Yep, these Tektros, the 926s, even some Origin 8 'BMX' mini vs can be had for like $15 an end..Not as 'pretty' but they work, as well as TRP 9.0, at .2 or so the price.

They're brakes, right? They either work or no..I think Pauls are keen but yeegadds, even expensive at wholesale.

[Dustin]

Friends don't let friends ride cantis.

Calipers, v-brakes, centerpull, disks--just about anything else is a better option.

[William]

Yep, these Tektros, the 926s, even some Origin 8 'BMX' mini vs can be had for like $15 an end..Not as 'pretty' but they work, as well as TRP 9.0, at .2 or so the price.

They're brakes, right? They either work or no..I think Pauls are keen but yeegadds, even expensive at wholesale.


Those mini motos look like the ticket but yer right, I thought $130 for the pair was a little steep......then I realized that was just for one!:eek: Those orange ones would look good on the Zanc though.

Good to know about alternatives.:cool:





William

[oldpotatoe]

Those mini motos look like the ticket but yer right, I thought $130 for the pair was a little steep......then I realized that was just for one!:eek: Those orange ones would look good on the Zanc though.

Good to know about alternatives.:cool:





William

Just built 2 bikes for NAHBS, for Soulcraft, both had Pauls and yep, in spite of needing unique to those brake, mounting point positioning(not a great idea, IMHO but the customer wanted them) for the Paul center pulls, nice brakes is are most Paul stuff. Just premium $ for similar stopping power of other choices.

[djg]

Avid ultimates with swiss stop pads.