Originally Posted by
sjanzeir
So, the
Litepro V-brakes that I swapped in are starting to show their quality (or lack thereof) with sticky sealed bearings and broken springs. Time to look elsewhere.
So I've been looking at some erstwhile Shimano V-brakes and have a few questions.
Which of Shimano's premium V-brakes (LX, XT, XTR, DXR...) would you say has the stiffest arms?
Shimano say that the DXR is to be used as a rear brake only. How gory would my demise be if I were to install one out front?
Why are some Deore V-brakes marked "front" and "rear"?
What say you of Shimano's entry-level V-brakes, such as Acera (BR-M330) and Alivio?
Are Shimano's "parallelogram" types really riddled with too many issues to be worth the trouble? (A lot of talk here and elsewhere about pivots wearing out too quickly...)
From your other thread, roll up a piece of fine garnet paper and gently reem out the brass bushing if they are too tight to fit the post on your frame. lube the post as well.
I run a set of Deore XT V's on the front of my bike, they will launch you into tomorrow. Great stopping power, I run them with Avid-5 levers.
Front and rear brake pads are different on the Shimano's (others too) and they designate so there is no confusion.
The Alivio's should be as good as about anything else, but considering there is very little difference in price, go LX, XT or higher.
Shimano brakes normally come with a cable, but verify that with the one you pick before depending on it.