Opinions on Mini V-brakes

[fa63]

I am pretty sure I have convinced myself to swap out the fork on my bike for a Whisky No. 7 Canti fork, and I will be needing new brakes for the new fork (I am currently using long-reach caliper brakes, TRP R559). I am pretty sure I will be going with Mini Vs and not cantilevers (in fact, I am 100% sure).

The last thing preventing me from pulling the trigger on everything is the issue of modulation with the Mini Vs. My research suggests that while these are not typically lacking in power, they may not be the best for modulation. The potential problem here is that I will be using these on a bike that gets ridden in both gravel rides as well as road rides, and I don't want to be that jerky guy in the group if I have to tap my brakes a bit (I usually do that with the rear brake, which will remain a long-reach caliper, but never know if I might have to use the front a little as well).

So for those who have experience with Mini Vs, especially in a road group ride situation, what are your thoughts? Will I adjust pretty quickly to the different style of braking? Am I thinking too much about all of this?

I am between Tektro RX5 (I prefer the all black look, the CX8.4 seem to be silver/black) and Paul MiniMoto for the brakes.

Thanks!

[CMiller]

I really love mini v's and while they are grabby it's not terrible. Maybe keep a regular canti in back?

[CMiller]

Never mind, just read you're keeping long reach. No prob then! Modulate with rear, stop with front. Same axle to crown with the new fork?

[Peter P.]

If you're worried about modulation in the front, go to your local bike shop and get one of those noodles that come with low end comfort bikes and the like. Inside the portion of the noodle where the cable housing enters is a spring. When applying the brake, the spring slowly compresses with lever actuation, providing modulation. Your local shop should know what I'm talking about. If not, just go to a shop and test the brakes on the low end comfort and hybrid bikes with V-brakes, until you find one that does what I'm talking about.

Your shop can also order from QBP a Tektro Power Modulator, QBP part number BR7118, which does the same thing.

[donevwil]

I have Mini-Motos and while grabbier than a good road caliper it only takes a few miles to reacquaint oneself with their road manners. They are fine in front, but I did ultimately ditch the stock salmon Kool Stop thinline pads (I hate those things) for their dual compound cartridge cross pads. It helped, but the rears are still very easy to lock-up on dirt downhills.

[thermalattorney]

Originally Posted by donevwil

while grabbier than a good road caliper it only takes a few miles to reacquaint oneself with their road manners.

+1

You'll get used to them in no time. My experience has been with both SRAM levers w/ TRP CX8.4 and Shimano levers with CX9. Once you get the feel of mini-vs, you'll appreciate the extra power in the front.

Good luck

[fa63]

Originally Posted by CMiller

Same axle to crown with the new fork?

Pretty much; 390mm for the old fork vs. 395 for the new one.

Originally Posted by Peter P.

If you're worried about modulation in the front, go to your local bike shop and get one of those noodles that come with low end comfort bikes and the like.

I had never seen those before; thanks for sharing. They seem cheap enough to be worth trying.

Originally Posted by donevwil

I have Mini-Motos and while grabbier than a good road caliper it only takes a few miles to reacquaint oneself with their road manners. They are fine in front, but I did ultimately ditch the stock salmon Kool Stop thinline pads (I hate those things) for their dual compound cartridge cross pads. It helped, but the rears are still very easy to lock-up on dirt downhills.

Thanks for the feedback on the Mini-Motos. I don't love the thinline pads from a practical perspective either (it seems they become the limiting factor after releasing cable tension to get the wheel out, since they are so long and they end up hitting the inside of the fork), so I was thinking about changing them out for more road-style pads anyways if I go that route.

[Gummee]

I take those springs out of the noodles of the hybrids I work on.

Hate those $#%$^ things

M

[tctyres]

I have a question on the Tektro and TRP v-brakes (as I believe Tektro makes the TRP's). I've had Tektro mini-v's on my touring bike, and they seem to get debris in the rotation mechanism. They feel cruddy. Has anyone else experienced this? Do the TRP's have the same sleeve between the brake post and the v-arm?

TIA!

[benb]

Originally Posted by tctyres

I have a question on the Tektro and TRP v-brakes (as I believe Tektro makes the TRP's). I've had Tektro mini-v's on my touring bike, and they seem to get debris in the rotation mechanism. They feel cruddy. Has anyone else experienced this? Do the TRP's have the same sleeve between the brake post and the v-arm?

TIA!

I've never had any V-Brake, Mini-V, or Canti that didn't get gunk/corrosion inside the posts.

It's just nearing the end of life of the brake.

Really good care of them can extend their life, as can avoiding bad weather. Salt is the worst thing for them.

But nothing you can do to them IME is going to make them last as long as normal road brakes or discs. Those other brake types just don't place pivots/bearings/bushings in such a place as to collect so much debris and moisture.

It's not at all logical why regular road brakes take longer to kill to me but in practice that's what happens for me.

Given the choice I'd rather have long reach standard calipers... I usually have not had that as an easy choice though on certain bikes. I don't have any trouble with the modulation on Mini-Vs but I have just found them finicky and requiring lots of care as pads wear. Standard road brakes are seemingly set and forget in comparison, just gotta hit the adjuster as the pad wears. Way easier. Mini Vs and Cantis for me always seem to require adjustment to keep them centered as things wear and then as the brake nears it's end of life it will have trouble with one arm pivoting more easily than the other which then makes things gradually worse till you have to replace the caliper. I haven't had any that you could actually take the posts apart and service bearings/bushing, etc... as far as I know. My Mini-V experience is with the CX-9s.

[dbh]

Having ridden with all three setups (canti's, mini v's and long reach calipers), I don't know why you'd want to ditch the calipers unless it was to get more clearance. I have TRP 8.4s on a Campy equipped cross bike. They are a smidge grabby but you get used to it. Much more stopping power than the canti equipped cross bike (TRP EuroX), but pad wear and trueness can be unforgiving. Wheel swaps can be a pain with mini-v's if rim size is different between wheelsets. For rim brakes, long reach calipers are ideal for clearance if you aren't racing cross IMHO as they given ample stopping power and aren't fiddly.

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by fa63

I don't love the thinline pads from a practical perspective either (it seems they become the limiting factor after releasing cable tension to get the wheel out, since they are so long and they end up hitting the inside of the fork), so I was thinking about changing them out for more road-style pads anyways if I go that route.

That is initially why I swapped to the CX pads as well.

[p nut]

Originally Posted by fa63

Thanks for the feedback on the Mini-Motos. I don't love the thinline pads from a practical perspective either (it seems they become the limiting factor after releasing cable tension to get the wheel out, since they are so long and they end up hitting the inside of the fork), so I was thinking about changing them out for more road-style pads anyways if I go that route.

I think even shorter pads will hit the side of the fork. I've not found a set up that allows for the pads to clear the fork, personally.

[fa63]

The reason for the switch is basically twofold:

1) Mild paranoia - I have recently taken to gravel / single track riding on my road bike which can take up to 40mm tires. However, I am not sure this bike's fork was designed for the rigors of such riding (especially single track). Unfortunately, no one seems to make an aftermarket fork with the appropriate AC measurement (390-ish) that can take a long-reach caliper, unless I go the custom fork route (or maybe I missed something and you guys can point me in the right direction).
2) I find the braking with the TRP R559 to be not so great. They are perfectly fine on the road, but they feel lacking when I am riding off road, especially when going downhill on sketchy sections. I have tried different pads, etc.

I also thought about getting a disc fork and switching to disc brakes for the front only, but then I would need two new front wheels as well.

Originally Posted by dbh

Having ridden with all three setups (canti's, mini v's and long reach calipers), I don't know why you'd want to ditch the calipers unless it was to get more clearance. I have TRP 8.4s on a Campy equipped cross bike. They are a smidge grabby but you get used to it. Much more stopping power than the canti equipped cross bike (TRP EuroX), but pad wear and trueness can be unforgiving. Wheel swaps can be a pain with mini-v's if rim size is different between wheelsets. For rim brakes, long reach calipers are ideal for clearance if you aren't racing cross IMHO as they given ample stopping power and aren't fiddly.

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by fa63

... Unfortunately, no one seems to make an aftermarket fork with the appropriate AC measurement (390-ish) that can take a long-reach caliper.

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