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Canti brakes

Old 09-17-18, 08:59 PM
  #1  
bonsai171
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Canti brakes

I have a Specialized Hardrock Spot with Canti brakes, and the rear brake isn't stopping well. Here is what I've tried so far;
1. Cleaning rim with rubbing alcohol
2. Cleaning brake pads
3. Adjusting pad angles to hit the rim directly
4. New cables and housing
5. Brand new brake pads

The rear brake will stop, but won't grip the rim very well. What else can I try?

Dave

Last edited by bonsai171; 09-18-18 at 03:41 AM.
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Old 09-18-18, 01:06 PM
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HTupolev
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Originally Posted by bonsai171
I have a Specialized Hardrock Spot with Canti brakes, and the rear brake isn't stopping well. Here is what I've tried so far;
1. Cleaning rim with rubbing alcohol
2. Cleaning brake pads
3. Adjusting pad angles to hit the rim directly
4. New cables and housing
5. Brand new brake pads

The rear brake will stop, but won't grip the rim very well. What else can I try?

Dave
Make sure that your housing has ferrules at any spot which is designed to take ferrules.

Make sure that your housing doesn't have very sharp bends in its routing.

What brand new brake pads did you get? Some pads work very poorly even when new. Kool Stop Salmons are a safe bet.

Are your brake pads adjusted for good toe-in?

Is the issue that the brake lever bottoms out against the handlebar before you get good brake engagement, or that too much hand force is required in order to achieve strong braking? If the former, try using a longer straddle cable; if the latter, try using a shorter straddle cable.

You could try getting one of those old-school "brake booster" horseshoe-shaped things to stiffen the brake mounting; torsional flex of a bike's seat stays can degrade the performance of direct-mount brakes.

You could switch to v-brakes (may require newer brake levers with longer cable pull). They don't fundamentally work much different from centerpull cantilevers, but eliminate a lot of the setup complexities and are easier to get good results out of.
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Old 09-18-18, 01:39 PM
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Clem von Jones
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It isn't worth your time trying to get low-angle cantilever brakes to work. They never will be adequate if you ride in the mountains. High angle cantis work well but they stick out far enough to be a safety hazard and general nuance, for example you're likely to hit your heel on the back if you have big feet. If you intend to run a rack with panniers they're a nightmare. Just get some cheap full-sized linear V-brakes and buy Problem Solver Travel Agents if you use short-pull levers or brifters. Don't listen to people who tell you low-angle cantis can be made to work. I used to be that guy :-(

V-brakes actually work well enough on steep long hills.

Last edited by Clem von Jones; 09-18-18 at 01:45 PM.
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Old 09-18-18, 08:24 PM
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bonsai171
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Originally Posted by Clem von Jones
It isn't worth your time trying to get low-angle cantilever brakes to work. They never will be adequate if you ride in the mountains. High angle cantis work well but they stick out far enough to be a safety hazard and general nuance, for example you're likely to hit your heel on the back if you have big feet. If you intend to run a rack with panniers they're a nightmare. Just get some cheap full-sized linear V-brakes and buy Problem Solver Travel Agents if you use short-pull levers or brifters. Don't listen to people who tell you low-angle cantis can be made to work. I used to be that guy :-(

V-brakes actually work well enough on steep long hills.
Lots of good stuff in these posts. The cable bends are neutral, and I used as many ferrules as possible. The pads are Jagwires in the front and back (and are amazing in the front!) The only difference between front and rear is that the front has a newish Altus Canti caliper, and the rear is an unknown caliper. The straddle cable might be the ticket. I can squeeze the brake lever but it doesn't seem to have much power, and it takes a lot to squeeze it. Maybe my LBS can make one. Whatever I do will probably be something inexpensive-want to upgrade to a bike with a nice air suspension eventually.

Dave
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