Originally Posted by
gearbasher
....
Campagnolo NR/SR brakes. After using modern brake calipers, I've come to realize you need the forearms of a 14 y.o. boy who found his father's Playboy stash just to slow down a bike with the old side pulls..
first of all, great metaphor regarding forearm strength (and maybe endurance?)
second, I haven't really figured out the variation I see in the Campy Record sidepull brakes on my bikes. My Olmo requires a fair bit of oomph when braking, but I haven't decided if it is the old cable housing or not (I need to get some new bright yellow cable housing for it).
My Raleigh Team has the later version, with the script Campagnolo text on the caliper arm and a somewhat triangular cross section to the caliper arms. These seem to have weaker springs, and are easier to actuate. Maybe they were developed after the introduction of teflon lined cable housing?? Perhaps someone with better knowledge of the evolution of these brakes can comment.
Still, the 1989-ish Shimano SLR sidepulls on one of my newer bikes are much much easier to use. Shimano was really doing some good engineering when they came up with all of the little improvements in that era of brakes.
Steve in Peoria