Specialized Sirrus Drop bar conversion with Cantilever Brakes
01-13-20, 09:23 PM
#1
Velocommuter Commando
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Specialized Sirrus Drop bar conversion with Cantilever Brakes
Has anyone done a Drop bar conversion on a Y2K (2000 to present) Sirrus and ditched the linear pulls for Cantilevers?
01-14-20, 06:57 AM
#2
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Are you asking for first-hand experiences or just in general what parts you would need? I doubt too many have attempted this, but it's certainly possible (and maybe even desired for fans of cantilever brakes). The biggest hurdle is the lack of front and rear cable hangers over the brake area. A cantilever brake needs a cable hanger on the frame or fork to hold the cable housing. You can get ones that mount to either the headset or the fork itself for the front pretty easily. The rear may be a bit harder to find -- you'll probably want a hanger that mounts to the seat clamp pinch bolt, but there may be a variety of other options that might work. There are definitely more brake levers that will work with the cantilever brakes (short pull) than will work with the linear pull brakes (long pull), but levers for both cable pull ratios definitely exist.
I have some Tektro CR510 cantilever brakes on my Trek MultiTrack (using flat bar levers) and they're REALLY light action brakes! They take threaded post brake pads (like linear pull brakes use), so they're really easy to setup. And each brake arm has a threaded spring adjuster (like linear pull brakes), so they're also really easy to tune. I have slightly shorter straddle cables than one would "normally" use, and I have the spring adjusters backed way out...there's just enough tension on either side to keep the brake arms centered. This makes for super light action, great feel, and I can easily stop the bike with just one finger. This bike is easily the equal to my hydraulic disc brake'd bike in terms of stopping power.
I have some Tektro CR510 cantilever brakes on my Trek MultiTrack (using flat bar levers) and they're REALLY light action brakes! They take threaded post brake pads (like linear pull brakes use), so they're really easy to setup. And each brake arm has a threaded spring adjuster (like linear pull brakes), so they're also really easy to tune. I have slightly shorter straddle cables than one would "normally" use, and I have the spring adjusters backed way out...there's just enough tension on either side to keep the brake arms centered. This makes for super light action, great feel, and I can easily stop the bike with just one finger. This bike is easily the equal to my hydraulic disc brake'd bike in terms of stopping power.
01-14-20, 08:04 PM
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No, but I have done a conversion on a Bianchi hybrid using mini-v brakes: https://www.bikeforums.net/hybrid-bi...onversion.html
You can also use TravelAgents.
Or ditch brifters and use long pull levers like Tektro RL520 with barcons.
Sorry if the post is not relevant to the original question.
You can also use TravelAgents.
Or ditch brifters and use long pull levers like Tektro RL520 with barcons.
Sorry if the post is not relevant to the original question.
01-15-20, 04:48 PM
#4
Velocommuter Commando
Thread Starter
No, but I have done a conversion on a Bianchi hybrid using mini-v brakes: https://www.bikeforums.net/hybrid-bi...onversion.html
You can also use TravelAgents.
Or ditch brifters and use long pull levers like Tektro RL520 with barcons.
Sorry if the post is not relevant to the original question.
You can also use TravelAgents.
Or ditch brifters and use long pull levers like Tektro RL520 with barcons.
Sorry if the post is not relevant to the original question.
I'm already using travel agents with the stock mini-v and the problem is over time they either have to be rebuilt or replaced as the brake cable will saw through the little hole in the pulley.
