Long reach brakes - which ones do I buy?

[fa63]

So I just bought this thing on Craiglist:

http://i.imgur.com/OgvOm87.jpg

Motobecane Century Team Ti frame and fork for long reach brakes, supposed to accept up to 40 mm tires. I will probably run 32 mm tires with fenders.

That said, which long reach brakes do you guys recommend? The bike will be used for commuting around Atlanta. So far the Tektro R559 seem good but wouldn't mind hearing from those with real life experience.

Thanks.

[jmoore]

The Nashbar long reach calipers are rebranded Tektro's so might be worth a look. I have a set on an inexpensive fixie and they are surprisingly good.

[AngryScientist]

when i bought my black mountain i ordered the tektros with it to save some green.

really disliked them, very "mushy" feel.

replaced them after less than 50 miles with velo orange brakes.

night/day difference. well, OK, they both stop the bike, but the VO brakes feel a LOT better in my experience. this is a back to back comparo, using the same levers and cables, so it's pretty representative IMO.

thats my experience anyway.

[zzy]

Oh man you lucked out. I have that exact frame. It's fantastic. You'll need some extra long reach brakes (57-73mm). I've had great luck with Tektro 559s and kool stop pads. I'd imagine the VO ones would be even better. I have mine setup with 35mm tires and 45mm fenders - no problems. Best commuter I could imagine.

[jmal]

Velo Orange Grand Cru

[JAGI410]

Velo Orange Grand Cru

Absolutely. Great brakes.

[Wakatel_Luum]

Absolutely. Great brakes.


Agree!

[thirdgenbird]

VO user here too. They don't give up much compared to a high end short reach. My only nitpick was the mounting nuts. They are torx. The tool is supplied but I used the nuts from the Campagnolo short brakes that go with my group. I'm not a torx hater, i just didn't want to add a tool to my tool roll.

[JLP]

Tektros with Kool Stop pads worked fine for me. With original pads, not so much.

[Dale Alan]

+1 on the Velo Orange Grand Cru .

[fa63]

Thanks for the responses so far. One thing that I hadn't really thought about (until it was pointed out by zzy) is that it sounds like this frame requires 57-73 mm "extra" long reach brakes. In that case, that leaves me with relatively fewer options...

[jtakeda]

I just bought a set of rivendell silver brakes (rebranded tektro 559) will report in a few days for another opinion on them.

[bicycletricycle]

I'd get the vo ones in black, they work great and look modern and techy like your frame and fork

[commonguy001]

The one long reach caliper I know if is the R559 but there are a couple of center pull options that may work.

The Paul Racer (not the medium) or the Dia-Compe Mod 750 both have a fairly long reach and would work with the caliper mounts on that frameset.

[PSC]

Never used them, but people seem to like them. Expensive.

http://paulcomp.com/shop/components/racer/

I use Tektro brakes with Kool Stop pads and they just work fine.

[don compton]

So I just bought this thing on Craiglist:

http://i.imgur.com/OgvOm87.jpg

Motobecane Century Team Ti frame and fork for long reach brakes, supposed to accept up to 40 mm tires. I will probably run 32 mm tires with fenders.

That said, which long reach brakes do you guys recommend? The bike will be used for commuting around Atlanta. So far the Tektro R559 seem good but wouldn't mind hearing from those with real life experience.

Thanks.
I have tried the Tekro brakes on some of my bikes and felt they were mushy and less powerful than my Shimano long brakes. Also, the front brake would vibrate under braking.

[plattyjo]

I'm a fan of the Paul's, but recently got ones from TRP for an upcoming build.

[p nut]

I ran Nashbar long-reach brakes for a bit. Performance was ok. I would probably get something else if I were to need another pair.

[saab2000]

Shimano and done.

[drewellison]

Tektros, yep, they're a bit mushy but I haven't bothered to swap the pads with something better. I'm sure that would help quite a bit.

The concern I have/had with mine is with the cantilevered QR on the caliper arm. In my setup, it was always oh so close to flipping open (not enough angle back toward the rim on the attachment point) that I was afraid I'd be bombing down a hill, have the QR move a little away from the rim from vibration or something, then squeeze/QR release/no brakes/crash. It never happened on the road at all, but it did in the stand a few times.

So I took a file to the little stop and now it angles much more securely than before. Still squishy, though.

[classtimesailer]

I've got Shimano BR 650s on my fat tire road bike but if I did it again, iD get Dia-Compe center pulls which clear the fenders better and any potential front rack, and rando bag. Dia Compe levers are cool.

[Vinci]

If you go with Tektro, plan on replacing the pads right away. They are terrible. Night and day difference with some Kool Stops.

[Look585]

Stock photos of that bike show Tektro R556, so 55-73mm long reach.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/century_elite_ti_pics/images/IMG_5894.jpg
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/century_elite_ti_pics/images/IMG_5902.jpg

CLEARANCE!!!
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/century_elite_ti_pics/images/IMG_5906.jpg
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/century_elite_ti_pics/images/IMG_5909.jpg

[fa63]

Thanks, that settles it!

So it seems my choices are:

- Tektro R559
- Paul Racer (big $$$)
- IRD B76
- DiaCompe 750 (not sure about these)

Looks like Tektro R559 with better pads might be the way to go, without spending $300 on Paul Racers...

[pinkshogun]

the Tektro 559 has a little lock that prevents the brake release from accidentally opening up and its the same reach as the 556

[Stinkydub]

Thanks, that settles it!

So it seems my choices are:

- Tektro R559
- Paul Racer (big $$$)
- IRD B76
- DiaCompe 750 (not sure about these)

Looks like Tektro R559 with better pads might be the way to go, without spending $300 on Paul Racers...

Note the Paul Racer's require canti pivots on the fork so not an option. < Never mind, i was mistaken - I see the center mount version.

[thirdgenbird]

Note the Paul Racer's require canti pivots on the fork so not an option.

There is a center mount option.

[drewellison]

the Tektro 559 has a little lock that prevents the brake release from accidentally opening up and its the same reach as the 556

Ahh, I see that this is an upgrade. Must be because of the exact issue I was having. I might call 'em and see if there is an upgrade small part I can get to retrofit my brakes.

http://www.trpbrakes.com/userfiles/R559%20Manual.pdf

[jtakeda]

Paul option would require cable stops

[muz]

No love for TRP RG957? My problem with the Tektro brakes is the cheap hardware prone to rusting.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41OFWxAykrL.jpg

[zzy]

Like I said earlier folks, I have this frame and it needs at least 65mm of reach. VO grand cru, Shimano, 957s, etc - all won't work.

OP: Just get the 559s and kool stops and be done with it. You really don't have a good options unless you want some real pricey Pauls.

[fa63]

Yeah, I will start with the Tektro R559 and good pads, and see how that works. I can upgrade to the Paul Racers later if needed.

Thanks.

[NHAero]

For the 55-73mm reach set-ups, not 57mm, so not Shimano BR-650, etc.
Thanks

[donevwil]

For the 55-73mm reach set-ups, not 57mm, so not Shimano BR-650, etc.
Thanks

There are the now defunct Rivendell Silvers which I think are simply aesthetically and materialistically (?) refined Tektros (my wife has had a set on her rain bike for over 10 years and nary a spec of rust). Beyond that I believe you'd need to consider centerpulls (Paul Racer, Dia-Compe, used Mafac, etc) which would be a level above from a performance perspective, but obviously require complete revision of your cabling setup.

[type2sam]

I ran a set of R559's on a 68cm Miyata the first time I did the D2R2. Worked fine - plenty of stopping power on some pretty hairy descents. Way better than the canti's I have used.

[oldpotatoe]

VO user here too. They don't give up much compared to a high end short reach. My only nitpick was the mounting nuts. They are torx. The tool is supplied but I used the nuts from the Campagnolo short brakes that go with my group. I'm not a torx hater, i just didn't want to add a tool to my tool roll.

Don't want to argue about what ya carry when you ride but you carry a wrench in case your brake caliper gets loose? I get it, a 5mm allen would do many things but you feel like you would need a Torx, for your brakes, to carry?

Just curious, not slamming or anything..:)

[ripvanrando]

So I just bought this thing on Craiglist:

http://i.imgur.com/OgvOm87.jpg

Motobecane Century Team Ti frame and fork for long reach brakes, supposed to accept up to 40 mm tires. I will probably run 32 mm tires with fenders.

That said, which long reach brakes do you guys recommend? The bike will be used for commuting around Atlanta. So far the Tektro R559 seem good but wouldn't mind hearing from those with real life experience.

Thanks.

I had the Tektro R559 with Kool Stop pad on my fendered randoneuring bike and did not like them because they were mushy, weak, and modulated just ok. I needed about 63-65 drop IIRC. Tektro R559 were the only ones on the market that I could find for this distance. The custom frame builder screwed up on the brake drop but that is another story. Any way, I bought TRP R957 with a set of brake pad holders that drop them just far enough. I don't remember the distance but the pads extender got me there. The TRP R557 are much better but no question the Tektro R559 will stop a bike and they have tons of clearance and they open very, very wide unlike the R557 that probably is limited to 32 mm tires. When I ride 38 mm wide (actual) I either have to loosen the brake adjuster bolt or

EDIT....I found them....these are the holders that I use to lower the brake pads.

http://www.bdopcycling.com/BDop%20Offset%20Holders.asp

[fa63]

I saw this thread has been brought back to life so I figured I would give an update.

I have been using the R559 for about 8 months now. I have found the power to be a bit lacking but not enough to be a problem. This is also on stock pads; I also have a set of Koolstop Salmon pads sitting in my parts bin waiting to be tried. But all in all, they work pretty well.

That said, the offset pad holders seems like a great idea; would allow the use of many more options.


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