clubman 

I'm trying desperately to get some 90's cantis to work with different aero drop bar levers and it ain't happening. Looking to buy levers that will work with circa 90 Shimano cantis (I have a few sets) or any other suggestions would be welcome. I seem to remember Dian-Comp 287's (?) on the old C-dale tourers and even then, they weren't great.

Spaghetti Legs 

I’ve found using cantilevers with road brake levers require in line adjusters. My experience has been with brifters, Campy 10 speed and Shimano 9 speed. Jagwire makes a good one but there are several examples around.

https://jagwire.com/products/small-p...line-adjusters

79pmooney

I have perhaps older Shimano cantis that came on a Miyata 610. They are near identical geometry to the old Mafac cantis (and the current Paul Mafac inspired cantis). I've been using road levers with them and they have always been excellent brakes. I do always see to it I have a threaded adjust, either on the cable hanger or in-line adjusters.

Do you have a straddle cable with the balls on both ends or just one end and a clamp on the brake arm for the other? I far prefer the latter. If my brakes were slotted for the balls on both sides, I'd figure out a way to set-screw a ball onto a derailleur cable - specifically so I could play with straddle length to get good braking.

I've never used the more modern cantis with arms that became more vertical. I love the old horizontal arms and never figured out why they dissappeared. (Well, the cyclocross guys didn't like snagging their leg on the arms. I never did cyclocross.)

Ben

clubman 

Thanks, I've never used these but I think I will try them.

Also good advice. Yes I have the clamp end and I agree with the sentiment about the older cantis, they were great.

rhm

I recently got a pair of Tektro 520 levers, the ones that are specifically meant for direct pull brakes (V-brakes). I installed those because I wanted to use them with classic Deore V-brakes from the early 90's. But I just couldn't get the brakes to work right. So I switched the V-brakes out again, went back to cantilevers. But I didn't change the levers again, So far, I've been liking these levers with cantilevers. The levers pull more cable, which is fine, makes adjusting the brakes so much easier. As for braking power, I haven't noticed any difference.

79pmooney

I"
I've been running V-brake levers and both dual pivots and cantis on my fix gears for the wonderful long hoods my hands like. (A comfortable handle to pull on is FAR more important on long climbs on fix gears!) Quickly learned they had a nice side benefit. If I came into a blind downhill corner too fast and saw I was going to scrape a pedal, well the adrenaline for a powerful brake squeeze wasn't an issue! Keeping the rear wheel on the road and front wheel doing nothing exciting, even if the road surface wasn't smooth, now that has always been a fix gear issue. De-powering wit V-brake levers helps there incredibly. I eventually went that route on all my bikes that are likely to see mountain descents.

Now that did mean my hands got seriously tired coming out of the Cascades on 10 miles of unimproved logging roads.

rhm, I've been using Tektro V-brake levers also, Never paid attention to the model number but probably what you are using. I like 'em. Big, comfortable and my fingers don't get chafed on those climbs.

Ben