Avid Shorty Ultimate Installation

[Cat3roadracer]

Anyone install these brakes? Im following the instructions, but compressing the spring resulting in no movement at all. What am I missing?

Thanks.

[kppolich]

Install the spring and pick a hole on the canti post and rotate the post over to get some tension.

[Cat3roadracer]

Agreed, but when I tighten the bolt everything compresses and the arm doesn't move.

[gavingould]

missing washers/spacers? been a few years since i had those brakes but they would bind if something was missing.

[Cat3roadracer]

New set. I have all the washers, am I setting up correctly, probably not.

[p nut]

https://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/95-5115-003-000revcshortyultimateeng-101005080143-phpapp02-thumbnail-4.jpg?cb=1286268666

If it’s a new set, I’m guessing it came with the instructions? Do you have it set up like in the picture?

[Cat3roadracer]

Exactly like in the pictures

[gavingould]

i think on the bike i had them on (Felt F3x, the first year they did a carbon cross bike) i had washers in front of the canti arms (behind fixing bolt) and behind (between the frame/fork and arm) on either the front set or rear, but only washers behind on the other set.
the posts weren't exactly the same length...

[kppolich]

Exactly like in the pictures

can you pick a different hole and twist the spring to generate some tension while fixing it with the canti bolt?

[old fat man]

If these are new old stock, might be defective. Avid had to replace portions of these because they would bind and not compress/return when secured properly. If left loose, they worked, but obviously were loose.

Call sram, they'll know. I was sent replacement pieces for mine 5+ years ago

[Cat3roadracer]

I appreciate the input, but I still think it is user error. There is nothing mounting the arm to the brake boss itself. I think this is why it continues to slip. I see no method of securing the arm to the canti stud on the frame. There are holes on the stud on the frame, but nothing to mate on the brake arm

[p nut]

Just to clarify, because a poster earlier mentioned the “tensioning” holes on the canti post: these brakes don’t use those. Need to hold the red square washer with a wrench and tighten the Allen bolt to get the proper tension. Works way better than the “holes”.

And the spring goes on the outside, just as pictured above in the directions and below.

http://cdn.velonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/IMG_1687.jpg

[chiasticon]

similar issues I've had with these were related to which washers were being used along with the bolts. too few and the spring would bind as the OP describes. this is mainly related to how long your canti posts are. the directions tell you which washers to use, depending on what your post lengths are.

OP have you measured your posts and used the washers the directions describe? note that the directions tell you to measure your posts, but it's a 1mm difference... totally possible you measured wrong. it's 1mm! so maybe try the other configuration?

[old fat man]

Also, be sure to use quality allen wrenches and perhaps a cone wrench on the red square spring tension adjuster because Avid/SRAM made the hardware out of swiss cheese.

[zennmotion]

Don't mean to discourage, but these things are overcomplicated, overpriced and the swiss cheese analogy is apt. Nothing like having your brakes fall apart while trying to adjust minutes before a CX start time, while tiny pieces disappear into the grass, too many tools needed to work on them- I eventually tossed mine after a season of frustration. There are mo better cantis out there IMO for less money (Tektro), or the same money (Shimano), or if you like, mo money (Paul). These suck.

[shovelhd]

I love them. Super easy to get right.

[zennmotion]

I love them. Super easy to get right.

Well, wish you were there to witness my drama! :help: Good luck to the OP- it's definitely a solvable problem.

[zank]

The binding was really common on a lot of different canti posts. I doubt it's user error.

[Tony]

I love them. Super easy to get right.

Same! Been using them for the last three years, one of the best Canti's I've used.

[quickfeet]

Just installed these on my own bike last week. They require a specific length of stud to work with the supplied spacers. I have paragon machine works brake studs and they make two versions. Ordered the right set and they installed in minutes.

Annoyingly the brakes don't come with any sort of instructions.

[daker13]

I think there's a typo on their instructions, or at least that's what I read somewhere (might have been a forum post...). I had trouble setting them up, too, and had to ask bicycletricycle for help--maybe he'll chime in.

[shovelhd]

The binding was really common on a lot of different canti posts. I doubt it's user error.

Agreed. The stud preload has to be set right for everything to work correctly. Once the spring is set up to coil freely, it's cake to set these up.

[Cat3roadracer]

I appreciate all of the comments. I have tried all washer combinations and cannot get it to not compress the spring. If it matters these brakes are being installed on a Moots Psychlo X with a Moots fork.

[Cat3roadracer]

A quick call to Sram solved the problem. The instructions are incorrect. 22mm post needs the steel washer - BUT - there is a flat side and a cambered side to this washer. The flat side needs to be on the post. Done.

Mason at Sram, very helpful.

File this one away.

[Cat3roadracer]

Front set up nicely with the black plastic washer.

I still cannot get the bolts in the back tight without compressing the spring.

Back to the drawing board.

[Cat3roadracer]

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

[shovelhd]

Do you have all of the original hardware? Can you take a few pics of the trouble spots?

[noonan1970]

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

Maybe take a spacer/washer out. I had some issues that were a little frustrating a while back.

Not enough spacers/washer the brake gets pushed against the post and will not rotate.
Too many spacers/washers I think the spring gets compressed?

I think that was what was going on for me.

[quickfeet]

I may have missed it but what bike is it going on? Custom frame? If it used a paragon machine works canti stud you will need to order the correct stud kit. I had the wrong one and no combination of washers/spacers would correct it. With the correct stud brake set up was less than 10 min.

[Cat3roadracer]

Moots Psychlo X. I will take a few pictures tonight.

[Cat3roadracer]

Paragon BK2014 on the way. We will see.

[Cat3roadracer]

Installed in a matter of minutes. The different studs made all the difference. Hopefully this thread will save someone some frustration in the future.

[sw3759]

yeah probably me..thanks C3RR ! have the same brakes and bike as you but not yet installed.just curious,how much shorter are these bk2014 studs compared to what was installed on the moots f&f ?

[Cat3roadracer]

I should have measured, but I didn't. With as tight as the tolerances are here, I'd say the difference is significant. Probably 1.5mm. Moots tells me that they have used two Paragon studs, BK2013 and BK2014.

I should also add no spacers are used with the new stud.

[quickfeet]

Same thing as what I described earlier that happened to me! Annoyingly the paragon studs have a different thread pitch by .5 making standard Shimano studs impossible to use as an FYI to anyone that might run into this.