Long Reach Breaks?

[bkboom123]

I have my entry level Trek 1.2 that I bought last year to pick up the sport. During the winter I was able to shop around and get some great deals and put together a full Ultegra group for a great price. So I put all of this onto my bike just to get me through the season in hopes of finding a frame on the forum once I have the cash flow.

Upon bringing my bike for a tune up to start the year, the LBS told me that my Ultegra Calipers are right on the border and that I may need long reach brakes. Basically he said ride at your own risk, you may be fine, or you may not. Is it imperative that I get long reach brakes? I really don't want to shell out another $100 or so on long reach brakes when I plan on buying a frame in a month or two (where i wouldn't need long reach), where i would not need them. The LBS said "it is very very close" when talking about if the location of the caliper is safe.

Any advice?

[Blue Jays]

Darn, that's the breaks!

[bkboom123]

oh and i should mention, so far i have had no issue.....even when breaking going down a hill at 45 MPH. Breaks smooth and efficiently.

[Ray]

When you say the BRAKES are on the border line, that probably means they're just about hitting the tire even when the pads are all the way at the bottom of the slots. If they're NOT touching the tire, you can probably get away with it. If they are, even a little bit, they can wear through a sidewall pretty fast. There's no downside to long reach brakes. You could get a set and then you'll have one set of each so that when you go to buy your next frame, you can buy one that takes short reach brakes, or long reach. If you get one designed around long reach, you can probably fit fatter tires and/or fenders if you so choose.

-Ray

[konstantkarma]

The answer to your question lies in determining where the brake pads contact the rim. Are they touching the tire anywhere when you give the wheels a spin? If not, you are good to go. If they touch the tire at all, you could be in for problems. My guess is that they are OK if the LBS let you out the door.

BTW, here is a description of the problem along with some possible solutions from Sheldon Brown, RIP.

Brake Reach (http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ra-e.html#reach)

and..... (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/home-drop.html)

[Ray]

The answer to your question lies in determining where the brake pads contact the rim. Are they touching the tire anywhere when you give the wheels a spin? If not, you are good to go. If they touch the tire at all, you could be in for problems. My guess is that they are OK if the LBS let you out the door.
For now. But another thing that can happen even if they're not touching the tire now is that if the top of the brake pad is hanging over the edge of the rim, that part won't wear as the part hitting the rim wears. Which means that I may well hit the tire after several hundred miles of uneven wear. If this is the case, you're gonna want to file those little nubs off periodically before they reach the tire.

-Ray

[konstantkarma]

For now. But another thing that can happen even if they're not touching the tire now is that if the top of the brake pad is hanging over the edge of the rim, that part won't wear as the part hitting the rim wears. Which means that I may well hit the tire after several hundred miles of uneven wear. If this is the case, you're gonna want to file those little nubs off periodically before they reach the tire.

-Ray

Good point Ray!

[bkboom123]

So what everyone is trying to say is that I should just buy a different frame to alleviate this problem entirely? :beer:

[FMS_rider]

http://sporting-goods.shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=long+reach+brakes&_sacat=7294&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&_odkw=cycling&_osacat=7294

this one in particular: http://cgi.ebay.com/Tektro-510-Dual-Pivot-Long-Reach-Road-Caliper-Brakes_W0QQitemZ320368672772QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCyc ling_Parts_Accessories?hash=item4a97760004&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[palincss]

So what everyone is trying to say is that I should just buy a different frame to alleviate this problem entirely? :beer:

No, they're saying that maybe you may need long reach brakes. A set of those is lots cheaper than a new frame.

[Peter P.]

If the fit of your brakes is borderline, one way to make it work is to file or Dremel the slots. If the bottom of the brake shoe will need to extend below the bottom edge of the caliper arm for a proper fit, then I wouldn't do it. Just purchase long/normal reach brake calipers.

[Marcusaurelius]

Trek Pilot 1.2 uses long reach brakes but the new Trek 1.2 uses short reach brakes (all the pilot models I've seen use long reach brakes).

The big advantage to long reach brakes to me is it gives you much more fender clearance. If I'm not mistaken the trek 1.2 has fender and rack eyelets so I think long reach brakes would make a lot of sense.

[RudAwkning]

Post some pics so we can see what's happening.

[Dave Wages]

I glanced at the 1.2 on Trek's website and it appears to have short reach brakes, I'm confused as to how your Ultegra brakes are somehow not compatible? Most production bikes like the Trek you mentioned are not set up to have the pads anywhere near the maximum reach, that way you can run any short reach brake on the market.

Some pics of the problem would help shed some light on the issue. :)

[dogdriver]

"Brake" -- -1 sp.

I was thinking this was going to be a surfing thread. Bummer, dude

[Hardlyrob]

I have the Tektro brakes on my Kirk for fender clearance and big tire clearance. They were $49 or thereabouts, and are as well made as any Campy Chorus, or Ultegra - the finish is beautiful.

They also have enough range - I believe - to work on a "short" reach frame.

The other thing to try is an offset brake bolt. The bolt lowers the caliper to resolve this issue. Harris cyclery will know if these still exist and where to find them.

Good luck

Rob

[Ken Robb]

The other thing to try is an offset brake bolt. The bolt lowers the caliper to resolve this issue. Harris cyclery will know if these still exist and where to find them.

Good luck

Rob

Been out of stock for a long time

[Hardlyrob]

Been out of stock for a long time

Hey I'm old...

[Marcusaurelius]

So what everyone is trying to say is that I should just buy a different frame to alleviate this problem entirely? :beer:

If it's a Trek Pilot 1.2 it uses long reach if it's the a standard trek 1.2 it uses short reach. The pads are at the bottom so you can put fenders on the bike (photos on trek website show fender eyelets on the fork and rear dropouts of the trek 1.2)

[flickwet]

Go buy some long reach Tektro brakes, they are nice, you can always sell the others keep these whatever, Or... If the brakes you got work so be it