CO_Steve

So I built a gravel bike about ten years ago. It was set up with bar ends, v-brakes, and Tektro brake levers. The long pull ones. Somewhere along the way the v-brakes got swapped for cantis, mtb XT.
I know the pull was wrong but it seemed to work well. Recently I traded the bar ends and Tektros for Microshift brifters. The new brake levers have no problem pulling the XT cantis but the braking just isn't where I would like.
Maybe I just need new pads. Running Dia-comp right now, I know everyone likes Kool Stops.
What separates good from great cantis? I have a pair of DIa-comp 987s I could swap in. What about the pricier models. Paul, etc.

3speedslow

Clem von Jones

Wide-angle cantilevers that stick out at 90 degree angles from the rim create a lot more leverage with the same amount of cable pull. Low angle cantis that point up at a 45 degree angle from the rim are always atrocious. Don't waste your time and money on low-angle cantis. The brand name or cost of the brakes makes no difference. Only that mechanical advantage of extra leverage makes a difference. The disadvantage of these wide-angle cantilevers is they tend to get in the way because they stick out about 60mm on either side. You'll occasionally scratch your bare leg or foot on them. They make panniers problematic. Mini-V brakes have more leverage and work well with short-pull brifters but they have limited tire clearance. You can also use full sized V-brakes with Problem Solver Travel Agent pull-ratio adapters with short-pull brifters if you need clearance for 2.1" tires or fenders. That combination works well.

mstateglfr 

How they are set up.
its everything.

I have cantilever brakes from 30 years ago on my gravel and touring bikes and they still work great.
koolstop pads, but I'd figure really any quality pads wpuld be fine.

79pmooney

Clem von Jones nailed it (Post # 3). Any cantilever of the geometry of the ancient Mafacs will work just fine. My Mafacs on my Peter Mooney let me ride down Alba Road above Santa Cruz, CA in a Pacific winter storm. Down 2000' in 4 miles and windy, Rivers of rainwater running across the road, Not braking near full time was not an option. About half way down, my index fingers were starting to tire and I had t go to two fingers for the rest. I'd had the bike 8 months at that point. After that ride, I was sold on the brakes.

15 years later, I picked up a used Miyata tourer with Shimano cantis. Quite different construction but identical geometry width and angle-wise. Same or slightly better braking, far esaier to work on. They came off that bike after the first ride and went on to the Mooney. They are still there.

The last couple of years I have been upgrading the levers on all my non winter/rain/city bikes with Textro (or Cane Creek) V-brake road levers specifically to reduce total braking power and allow good braking with a healthy, strong squeeze of the lever. I love riding the drops and always have for fast and hairy descents. I love having completely predictable braking. (The pads also sit much further off the rim. Not necessary on a well set up bike with good wheels but still, nice.)

Drawback is that braking power is less from the hoods. Not ideal for someone who spends most if his/her time there, especially in traffic or iffy situations.

EdwinHeadwind

Paul Components -- especially the Neo-Retros -- are great cantis. I have a set of IRD Cafams that I would say are almost as good. Virtually everything else = meh.

chas58

Yup, what he said.

fietsbob

Setup? Mechanic? the frame post spacing..

The Mafac Criterium , the short ones and the tandem , long arm

have been on my light touring bike since I built it frame and all in the mid 70s.

When the Mafac Criterium were in short supply when the Cyclocross popularity boomed

a NL company 'spooky' made a newer version
arms a bit longer than the short but not as long as the tandem..

V pull drop levers sacrifice power, MA,for cable pull length ,
but you can use the excess cable pull for mud by making pad to rim clearance bigger..





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