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Motobecane townie build done- with one problem...

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Motobecane townie build done- with one problem...

Old 09-22-20, 08:25 PM
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polymorphself 
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Motobecane townie build done- with one problem...

This build really kicked my ass for various reasons (mostly lack of expertise), but here it is. My friend asked me to do it for his wife for her birthday, both friends of 20 years so I was happy to do it. I’m happy with out it turned out. However, I cannot get the rear brake pad to stop squealing. It’s so loud it’s unusable. Tried filing it down a little. Any advice? Front brake makes a little noise but is bearable.

Frame (76 Super Mirage), stem, headset and seat post are original. Brakes may as well be original but had to swap them for the long reach version. Stronglight 93 crankset, Velo Orange bars, brake levers, BB and fenders, Sun M13 wheelset, pedals off a PX10, Rustines grips, don’t remember what the freewheel is but the setup is 45/16. Worried I maybe should have went with 42 up front for her but oh well. Oh and obvious brooks.

Two quick pics:



Last edited by polymorphself; 09-22-20 at 09:19 PM.
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Old 09-22-20, 08:50 PM
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SurferRosa
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Gorgeous Moto.

What pads? New? Toed in the exact same amount on each side? I like to use an adjustable wrench on the arms. Bend 'em for the win. Demand your fundamental human rights for silence!
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Old 09-22-20, 09:06 PM
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Nice build! And no need for a bell when your brake pads let everyone for blocks around know you’re there.
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Old 09-22-20, 09:11 PM
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polymorphself 
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Originally Posted by SurferRosa
Gorgeous Moto.

What pads? New? Toed in the exact same amount on each side? I like to use an adjustable wrench on the arms. Bend 'em for the win. Demand your fundamental human rights for silence!
Yep, they are. And they are just some cheap possibly no name pads from an LBS that I picked up last minute, but yeah brand new.

Bend the arms how so?
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Old 09-22-20, 09:12 PM
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polymorphself 
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Originally Posted by nlerner
Nice build! And no need for a bell when your brake pads let everyone for blocks around know you’re there.
Thanks! And thanks for the brakes
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Old 09-22-20, 09:18 PM
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Looks great! I've had good results using these with Weinmann brakes, and I think they look sharp. No noise, good stopping power, curved washers for toe-in.
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Old 09-22-20, 09:21 PM
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Originally Posted by ascherer
Looks great! I've had good results using these with Weinmann brakes, and I think they look sharp. No noise, good stopping power, curved washers for toe-in.
Thanks!

Awesome. I’ll put these on order and if they aren’t here in time she can deal with the squealing for a few days.

Ill keep trying some random things tonight and tomorrow just to see if I can make it work with these in the meantime.
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Old 09-22-20, 09:32 PM
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Originally Posted by polymorphself
Bend the arms how so?
With an adjustable wrench and rag (to aid leverage and for protection) with the wheel dismounted. You just toe 'em in.

But if you're gonna buy the kool-stops, I'd wait. They probably have adjustable concave washers.
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Old 09-22-20, 10:27 PM
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Well that's a great looking build! Congrats! Is that a freewheel or a fixed gear? 44 or 45t front and 17 was a pretty common choice BITD. For flatter areas 45/16 should be fine.

+1 on the Koolstop 'dura' dual compound pads. I use the same ones on the modern Gran Compe version of Weinmann brakes, and it's a great combo. No need to toe in, since the adjustment is built into the pad design.Yes, they have concave washers.

Unlike some brakes, Weinmanns can be toed in by bending the arms, but you don't need to if you're getting those pads. IME they can always be made to not squeak. Check in again if the new pads don't do it.
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Old 09-23-20, 11:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Salamandrine
Well that's a great looking build! Congrats! Is that a freewheel or a fixed gear? 44 or 45t front and 17 was a pretty common choice BITD. For flatter areas 45/16 should be fine.

+1 on the Koolstop 'dura' dual compound pads. I use the same ones on the modern Gran Compe version of Weinmann brakes, and it's a great combo. No need to toe in, since the adjustment is built into the pad design.Yes, they have concave washers.

Unlike some brakes, Weinmanns can be toed in by bending the arms, but you don't need to if you're getting those pads. IME they can always be made to not squeak. Check in again if the new pads don't do it.
Thank you. It is a freewheel. One request was to make it as easy to pick up and get up to speed as possible, and I know a 42 or 43 would feel a little easier in that regard. Although. I guess the 45 works out better long term when you are at speed.

Hopefully those kool stops do the trick. Weird thing is I used these same cheap pads on a Fuji Royale with sidepull brakes and they worked fine. Can side vs center make that much of a difference in how much noise the pads make?

There are a handful of dura brakes on their site. Which ones am I looking for, they all seem pretty similar aside from the black ones. These? https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Stop-Bic...0884092&sr=8-1

Last edited by polymorphself; 09-23-20 at 12:02 PM.
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Old 09-23-20, 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by polymorphself
Thank you. It is a freewheel. One request was to make it as easy to pick up and get up to speed as possible, and I know a 42 or 43 would feel a little easier in that regard. Although. I guess the 45 works out better long term when you are at speed.

Hopefully those kool stops do the trick. Weird thing is I used these same cheap pads on a Fuji Royale with sidepull brakes and they worked fine. Can side vs center make that much of a difference in how much noise the pads make?

There are a handful of dura brakes on their site. Which ones am I looking for, they all seem pretty similar aside from the black ones. These? https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Stop-Bic...0884092&sr=8-1
Yes, those are the pads. Dual compound (red/black) koolstop 'dura' pads. The all black ones are the least squeak prone. The all red ones stop best when it's wet. Black/red is a good compromise. It's really easy to replace the rubber inserts with modern holders, BTW.

Brake noise is a resonance, so yeah, caliper length, mass, friction all make a difference in whether there's going to be a resonance. It can be random. Also the rims -- specifically the surface condition of the rims. Not so much a sidepull vs centerpull thing. If you toed in those Weinmanns, they'd probably stop squeaking even with the cheap pads. Using the modern pads with conical washers is an easier way to do it though.
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Old 09-23-20, 12:53 PM
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Toe-in like others have suggested cost you nothing to try and typically is the issue. Also, Velo-Orange has some options.

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...dge-road-shoes
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Old 09-23-20, 01:11 PM
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Beautiful Moto Mixte! I have found that when I am building mixte to just sell on I am not all that inspired but when I have built them for friends and family members I have really enjoyed the process
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Old 09-23-20, 01:15 PM
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Wow that is beautiful!! Love the frame color! Did you repaint the frame or was the frame already in pristine condition already?
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Old 09-23-20, 01:26 PM
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I used the “Cyclocross” version of those Kool Stop pads with the Dia Compe G version of that brake.

https://www.universalcycles.com/shop...65&category=36

This version has a longer threaded post (like V-brake pads) that pushes the brake arm farther from the rim. The road bike version that ascherer linked is excellent and easily toed in (put a rubber band around the rear end of the pad when adjusting) to deal with squeal, but I couldn’t get the pads rotated to fully contact my tb14 rims. I added even more space by substituting thicker V-brake washers, visible in the second photo below.

The problem (admittedly minor) visible by the inward slant of the brake arm:


The solution (note that brake arm is now vertical)

Last edited by Dfrost; 09-23-20 at 01:48 PM.
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Old 09-23-20, 01:28 PM
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ascherer has the right solution. Shimano brake shoes of the same style work great.

Mild words of caution on Velo-Orange options:

1. Their stainless hardware for their shoe assemblies is rather soft with shallow sockets.
2. Their pads, the orangeish colored compound they use, can be aggressive. I experienced excessive sidewall abrasion on some old Rigida AL1320 rims, which seem on the soft side.
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Old 09-23-20, 01:44 PM
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Originally Posted by ryansu
Beautiful Moto Mixte! I have found that when I am building mixte to just sell on I am not all that inspired but when I have built them for friends and family members I have really enjoyed the process
Thanks, and same. If you want them to they can be so elegant and streamlined looking. If you don't care then they can be some of the ugliest looking bikes around.
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Old 09-23-20, 01:45 PM
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Originally Posted by tpadul
Wow that is beautiful!! Love the frame color! Did you repaint the frame or was the frame already in pristine condition already?
Not a repaint, the paint is just very much intact. There are a few chips here and there but not much! It shines nicely too but is hard to pick up in photographs.
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Old 09-23-20, 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by polymorphself
Not a repaint, the paint is just very much intact. There are a few chips here and there but not much!
Wow that is awesome!! It is gorgeous!!!
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Old 09-23-20, 02:04 PM
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Digging waaaayyyyy back to something my dad said as a kid. I think a little lube, either from the chain or others, can cause squeaky brakes. Try cleaning the rim with dishsoap and water (just dip a rag and wipe) then rinse and dry really well. Do the same to the pad. Before touching the rim with the brake pad, file it down some to get any oil/lube that penetrated the pad a little.
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Old 09-24-20, 04:20 PM
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No joke I took it out today and the squealing is totally gone...what!
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Old 09-24-20, 07:03 PM
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Sometimes it just has to be taken apart and put back together.. Even figuratively.
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Old 09-25-20, 07:43 AM
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Originally Posted by polymorphself
No joke I took it out today and the squealing is totally gone...what!
Was the bike outside for a bit, or ridden before you tested it? I have a set of chronically squealing rims (yes, rims, not the pads) on V-brakes which I've finally quieted with these el-cheapo soft pads - but they will only quiet down once warm. The first few applications will squeal enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.

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