Which mini-V brakes with 9 speed DA STI?

[jh_on_the_cape]

I want to switch from canti to mini-V.
I researched and am confused...
which ones do I want?
TRP CX8.4 or CX9? Or something else? There are lots of cheap BMX options. Any of those worthy?
Levers are Dura Ace 9 speed STI.
Bike is a bit older but nice. I would like to reduce/elminate the brake shudder from the avid shorty 6 canti. Yes I have fiddled with toe-in and I have ridden MTB since the days of cantis and Vs and have decided to switch.

Thanks!

[559Rando]

If you have shudder and toe-in doesn't fix it, I'd try changing pads.

If you've done that, then it might be trial and error with different brakes. Or maybe a brake booster?

[deechee]

No experience with the TRPs, but I had Tektro RX5's with Shimano 9 speed ultegra levers against 43mm Bruce Gordons. They stopped well, but I had to have the pads super close to not get the lever to bottom out. Even with barrel adjusters, I found I had to undo the brake every time I wanted to take out the wheel. To put on fenders that were wide enough, I didn't have the clearance with the v's ... so I'm switching to Shimano CX-70's. Yeah I'm going in the reverse direction.

Last but not least, I whacked the rear rim the other day (dents on both sides and concaved from the top; the "bombproof" HED C2). Adjusting the v's to not rub before I got the rim manhandled was a royal pain. All the more reason I'm done with v's.

I rode mtn in the days of cantis so I'm more familiar with them so I am definitely biased.

[jtbadge]

CX8.4 or Paul MiniMoto.

CX9s need V-brake pull.

[oldpotatoe]

CX8.4 or Paul MiniMoto.

CX9s need V-brake pull.

CX-9 for shimano road levers, 8.4 for Campag or sram. Neither are v brake lever ratio.

[RudAwkning]

CX-9 for shimano road levers, 8.4 for Campag or sram. Neither are v brake lever ratio.

CX-9 for newer generation Shimano levers with revised ratio no? I'd think the 8.4 would work better with 9 speed Shimano.

[jtbadge]

CX-9 for shimano road levers, 8.4 for Campag or sram. Neither are v brake lever ratio.

Having used the CX-9 with Shimano 10-speed road levers, flat bar canti levers, and V-brake levers... The CX-9 needs V-brake levers. CX-9 with short pull is either A. mushy feel, or B. no clearance.

[bfd]

I want to switch from canti to mini-V.
I researched and am confused...
which ones do I want?
TRP CX8.4 or CX9? Or something else? There are lots of cheap BMX options. Any of those worthy?
Levers are Dura Ace 9 speed STI.
Bike is a bit older but nice. I would like to reduce/elminate the brake shudder from the avid shorty 6 canti. Yes I have fiddled with toe-in and I have ridden MTB since the days of cantis and Vs and have decided to switch.

Thanks!

I had this problem. On my cross bike, I was using Campy ergo levers with Suntour XC pro canti brakes. Hated the brakes! They would squeal, shudder and vibrate, it just didn't work. I changed pads and was constantly adjusting them. Even when they worked, it would only be for a few days then back to the squealing and shuddering. Ugh.

Then I picked up a cheapie Tektro 926al mini-v brake for the front from my LBS. WOW, what a difference! No more squeal, shudder or vibration! It just worked. The best $20 I ever spent!

Note, I didn't know about it at the time, but apparently I could have also gotten a lower brake cable hanger that mounts from the fork crown. Apparently, that also cures brake shudder and squealing. It looks like this:

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NekAAOSwEeFVGlF6/s-l300.jpg

At about $12-15, it is about the same price as the cheap mini-v brake.

Good Luck!

[jh_on_the_cape]

Thanks for the replies. I am still confused as there is conflicting info out there.
Has anyone used cx9 with shimano 9 speed levers?

And the Tektro BMX arms... will work?

[tctyres]

T
And the Tektro BMX arms... will work?

BMX v-brakes?
They *should* work. They work best with V-brake levers, though some have set them up with road levers. I have them set up now with V-brake levers and bar ends on one bike.

My problem with them is that the mechanism on the frame side is sort of open and gets crapped up easily, and there's no simple way to take them apart to clean them out.

[bfd]

Thanks for the replies. I am still confused as there is conflicting info out there.
Has anyone used cx9 with shimano 9 speed levers?

And the Tektro BMX arms... will work?

The Tektro BMX "Mini-V" brakes , i.e., BX3v or 926al, should work well with Campy ergo levers, so it should be just as good with Shimano STI levers.

http://www.tektro.com/_english/01_products/00_bikeslist.php?pid=8

Of course, YMMV! Good Luck!

[Cameron]

Paul MiniMoto.

Seconded.

[benb]

If you were going with TRP definitely the CX 8.4. Do they even make the CX9 anymore?

I'm on my second set of CX9s. I've run them with Tiagra 10 speed, 105 5700 (10 speed) and have Rival 10-speed on right now. They seem to work slightly better with the Rival. But even with these that are clearly what TRP says matches I wish the levers had more cable pull. Performance, pad clearance, feel, power, etc.. are all noticeably inferior to MTB levers + MTB V-brakes. I wish they'd just make some levers that get this right.. it would obviate a lot of the need for discs. IMO some of the MTB V-brake setups 20 years ago were as good or maybe better than the road discs I've gotten to test ride, and they were a hell of a lot simpler and a hell of a lot cheaper. (MTB wet discs are way off on another planet IMO)

I may try the 8.4s next time, but they will probably seriously hamper my tire selection if I want to use fenders. If I set everything up super super super careful on my bike I can get a 38c tire on with the fender and have like 0.5mm of clearance between the brake cable and the top of the fender. Not ideal at all but it just barely works. I really should be using no bigger than 35c with the CX9s if I have the fenders on. If I had the 8.4s I'm 99% sure I'd barely get the 35c to work, maybe I'd have to go to 32-33c tires.

I feel like I have to adjust the CX9s 2-3 times a month, they're pretty needy. (FWIW I've rode 3600 miles this year. Probably 2000 of that on the bike with the CX9s, so we're talking maintenance on the brakes maybe every 100 miles depending on weather.) I also got less than a year out of the first pair due to bad weather trashing the pivots. Second pair I think is probably not going to do much better but this is about normal IME for V-brakes.

[phutterman]

TRP CX9s or Tektro RX6 for Shimano 7900 and later (hidden cable 10-speed, all 11s: new longer-pull ratio, still shorter pull than full V-brakes)

TRP 8.4s or Tektro RX5 for older Shimano and SRAM/Campagnolo/etc.

(That said, 8.4s with new-ratio-Shimano should allow pads to sit farther from the rim, but the lever feel might be bad like when you have the straddle cable too high on a canti brake)

[Ed-B]

Mini-v brakes have arms that are typically either 80mm, 85mm, or 90mm as measured from the pivot to the top where the noodle and cable clamps are located. The longer the arm, the more cable pull required to make the brake effective.

The older Shimano STI levers are not long pull levers. They work best with mini-V brakes that have 80mm arms. The inexpensive Tektro 926 mini-v brakes with Jagwire adjustable noodles are the way to go. It's one of the only 80mm brakes produced. I'm running this brake and noodle setup with Tiagra 4600 controls on the front of my Ebisu. BTW, I fit an Oryx low profile canti on the back to retain the use of the cable hanger built into the frame. These two dissimilar brakes have a very similar feel from the lever, they both use V brake pads and have linear spings. The mini-v front generates considerably more stopping power than the old cantilever brake that I had on the bike previously, and there is no shudder.

The TRP Cx8.4 brakes have 84mm arms, and the CX9 is a 90mm brake. Although they are a better quality product, most people report that they don't work as well for the older STI levers with exposed shifter cables; the pads need to run very close to the rim or the brake lever will bottom out.

It's probably also worth mentioning that the location of your cantilever bosses and where the pads are adjusted in the slots can have an effect on how much cable pull is required. Also, the brake pads protrude behind the mounting studs, so the width of the fork blades can effect the amount that the brake will open. This might present a problem when removing bigger tires when they're fully inflated.

[weisan]

Seconded.

Third. That's what I run on my Merlin touring bike with 9-speed ultegra (because Ultegra allows you to do triple crank in the front, not DA).

I even have this installed on the bar, I think they called them "interruptor", found them super helpful since most of time my hand position is on the top when I am bikepacking or touring.

https://www.adventurecycling.org/default/assets/Image/blog/20090815salsa.jpg

[bfd]

Third. That's what I run on my Merlin touring bike with 9-speed ultegra (because Ultegra allows you to do triple crank in the front, not DA).

I even have this installed on the bar, I think they called them "interruptor", found them super helpful since most of time my hand position is on the top when I am bikepacking or touring.

https://www.adventurecycling.org/default/assets/Image/blog/20090815salsa.jpg

Fourth on Paul mini-motos! In this era of "everything must be disc brakes," for my new bike I'm planning to have it built for mini-motos. Cheaper, lighter and since I'm not really planning on going "off-road," should be all I need for a bike with clearance for 35mm tires or 32mm with fenders! Good Luck!

[spartanKid]

Mini-v brakes have arms that are typically either 80mm, 85mm, or 90mm as measured from the pivot to the top where the noodle and cable clamps are located. The longer the arm, the more cable pull required to make the brake effective.

The older Shimano STI levers are not long pull levers. They work best with mini-V brakes that have 80mm arms. The inexpensive Tektro 926 mini-v brakes with Jagwire adjustable noodles are the way to go. It's one of the only 80mm brakes produced. I'm running this brake and noodle setup with Tiagra 4600 controls on the front of my Ebisu. BTW, I fit an Oryx low profile canti on the back to retain the use of the cable hanger built into the frame. These two dissimilar brakes have a very similar feel from the lever, they both use V brake pads and have linear spings. The mini-v front generates considerably more stopping power than the old cantilever brake that I had on the bike previously, and there is no shudder.

The TRP Cx8.4 brakes have 84mm arms, and the CX9 is a 90mm brake. Although they are a better quality product, most people report that they don't work as well for the older STI levers with exposed shifter cables; the pads need to run very close to the rim or the brake lever will bottom out.

It's probably also worth mentioning that the location of your cantilever bosses and where the pads are adjusted in the slots can have an effect on how much cable pull is required. Also, the brake pads protrude behind the mounting studs, so the width of the fork blades can effect the amount that the brake will open. This might present a problem when removing bigger tires when they're fully inflated.

This is a great summary. I've run the 926Al on several bikes with older shimano levers and they're great! Only downside is that if you're running 35+ mm tires and they get caked with mud, you might find the cable starts to scrape the mud off for you...

[notsew]

I've attempted CX9s with 7700. Doesn't work (or didn't work for me).

[Mike Bryant]

TRP CX8.4 works well with my Dura Ace 7800 levers. I'm using a Salsa Cowbell handlebar which kicks the levers out a bit allowing for more pull. CX8.4 will work with 7700 Dura Ace. CX9 for 7900 Dura Ace and later.

[Gummee]

TRP stopped making 9.0s to concentrate on the 8.4s

I've installed those and the cheap 926al brakes. Both work, but the 926als will leave your wallet MUCH fatter.

I've got 8.4s on my Gunnar Crosshairs that I use as a gravel bike. Work really well, but I get em for less than retail so it helps

M

[jh_on_the_cape]

I am running dura ace 3x9.
Those are bar top levers. Good stuff.

Third. That's what I run on my Merlin touring bike with 9-speed ultegra (because Ultegra allows you to do triple crank in the front, not DA).

I even have this installed on the bar, I think they called them "interruptor", found them super helpful since most of time my hand position is on the top when I am bikepacking or touring.

https://www.adventurecycling.org/default/assets/Image/blog/20090815salsa.jpg

[jh_on_the_cape]

I've attempted CX9s with 7700. Doesn't work (or didn't work for me).

Thanks! Useful

[weisan]

I am running dura ace 3x9.
Those are bar top levers. Good stuff.

Interesting....I never could get the DA to play well with my triple so I went and took one of the left side Ultegra from another bike (that is running double) and replace it with the DA. So now I got two bikes that is Ultegra left / DA right and DA left / Ultegra right.

[oldpotatoe]

Thanks for the replies. I am still confused as there is conflicting info out there.
Has anyone used cx9 with shimano 9 speed levers?

And the Tektro BMX arms... will work?

Yes, they work fine..I sold a bunch of them in the shop.

[jh_on_the_cape]

Is the ultegra better up front with the triple?

Thanks for mini moto suggestion but I got some tektro 926 in silver. I could not see the value going from $30 a pair to 200 a pair.
And I normally am a sucker to pay double for boutique stuff, but not 6.5x.

Interesting....I never could get the DA to play well with my triple so I went and took one of the left side Ultegra from another bike (that is running double) and replace it with the DA. So now I got two bikes that is Ultegra left / DA right and DA left / Ultegra right.