Setup tips for Mini-V brakes with SRAM Force shifters

[Likes2ridefar]

My wife's bike has Sram Force and TRP mini-V's.

they stop just fine. thats about the only positive I can say.

To get them to work so that you don't run out of lever pull, they have to be set VERY close to the rim. Often the SRAM shift lever will get stuck on her drop bar since the lever pulls back too far even with the pad set nearly against the rim.

Adjusting them for brake pad wear is non-existent.

any tips or ideas on how to make these work better?

I've never been a fan of cantilevers but may have to look for something else.

[bikinchris]

Here you go:

http://problemsolversbike.com/products/travel_agents/

I have these on my tandems and my touring bike, which has XTR V brakes and SRAM levers.

[Likes2ridefar]

I was not aware they had one with an adjuster.

have you used it? does it work well?

[4Rings6Stars]

This is precisely how I ended up with discs on my two recent builds...

Even with travel agents I did not like min-v's with road levers.

Next built will probably be long reach dual pivot calipers...then I might try my way back to cantis if I am desperate.


My wife's bike has Sram Force and TRP mini-V's.

they stop just fine. thats about the only positive I can say.

To get them to work so that you don't run out of lever pull, they have to be set VERY close to the rim. Often the SRAM shift lever will get stuck on her drop bar since the lever pulls back too far even with the pad set nearly against the rim.

Adjusting them for brake pad wear is non-existent.

any tips or ideas on how to make these work better?

I've never been a fan of cantilevers but may have to look for something else.

[eak12]

Certainly these brakes have to be run close to the rim, but not to the extent you are describing.

Are you running the CX9 (designed for Shimano) or CX8.4 (designed for Sram and Campy)?

[Likes2ridefar]

she has the 8.4 for sram

[eak12]

Wow, that is strange. It shouldn't be this bad.

Tektro has other mini-v's with 80mm arms- 926AL. That might help.

[sparky33]

This is precisely how I ended up with discs on my two recent builds...

Even with travel agents I did not like min-v's with road levers.

Next built will probably be long reach dual pivot calipers...then I might try my way back to cantis if I am desperate.

that's the Achilles heel of mini-v's. The have to run so close, but they stop so well that I never need to bottom out the lever that brake/lever combo, so I back off the adjuster a turn or so. That said, I've switched back to canti's (CX70s w/ Koolstops) on a new bike. I am pretty happy with the set-up, power and modulation I get from that.

Long reach calipers are looking pretty good, though any caliper except for the Tektro R538 has a tough time opening wide enough to remove a tire bigger than 30... everything has a compromise.