Do any of you actually use DELTA brakes??
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09-07-23, 08:21 AM
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Maybe people are drawn to, and like things, that are so far outside the norm, that it's almost like they're seeing "The Emperor's New Clothes." Deltas offered nothing beneficial in terms of performance, ease of use/maintenance, weight or aerodynamics, and yet there is a cadre to this day who are mesmerized by them.
09-07-23, 08:39 AM
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Like most rim brakes they are considerably different if you are caught in a cloud burst. If it's wet from the get go you adjust from the start. On a sunny day I reached a downhill when I suffered a cloudburst over the previous mile leading to s short sharp downhill.. I went to brake on my Delta braked Holdsworth and not much happened. At the T-junction I sailed thru a busy dual carriage-way and ended in a ditch. It was startling how poorer they were if wet. Usually brake pads begin to bite as you frantically squeeze harder to get the grime/water off the rim but this happened very slowly indeed with the Delta's.
Last edited by Johno59; 09-07-23 at 08:53 AM.
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09-07-23, 10:03 AM
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I just had a thought. When it rains does some of that lubricant that keeps smooth all the pivots/bushes/springs/bells/whistles behind the front cover, dribble down the housing, run along the caliper arm and onto the face of the pad wherein it deservedly kills you for taking it out in the rain!
Last edited by Johno59; 09-07-23 at 10:07 AM.
09-07-23, 12:21 PM
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So you have no experience in how they brake.
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09-07-23, 12:23 PM
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Maybe people are drawn to, and like things, that are so far outside the norm, that it's almost like they're seeing "The Emperor's New Clothes." Deltas offered nothing beneficial in terms of performance, ease of use/maintenance, weight or aerodynamics, and yet there is a cadre to this day who are mesmerized by them.
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09-07-23, 12:25 PM
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Why do you think there were so many versions, and why, if they were superior, were they discontinued in 1992?
Next question?
Last edited by smd4; 09-07-23 at 12:29 PM.
09-07-23, 12:28 PM
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I just had a thought. When it rains does some of that lubricant that keeps smooth all the pivots/bushes/springs/bells/whistles behind the front cover, dribble down the housing, run along the caliper arm and onto the face of the pad wherein it deservedly kills you for taking it out in the rain!
I could not believe how much grit I had to flush out of the calipers, the first time I cleaned them.
Last edited by Chombi1; 09-07-23 at 02:28 PM.
09-07-23, 12:35 PM
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I jever really tore down my Deltas but f4om what I coupd see, I think pretty much all of the pivots run on "plain" bearings, (I think they have bronze bushings on the main pivots.) IIRC. So I assume they can be badly affected by contamination from road grit. The big problem with the Deltas is, the caliper casing tends to accumulate/retain a lot of road grit.
I could not believe how much grit I had to flush out of the calipers, the first time I cleaned them.
I could not believe how much grit I had to flush out of the calipers, the first time I cleaned them.
found similar way back but in SoCal it was road dust - it never rains, well it never used to
09-07-23, 12:46 PM
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A quick blast of WD-40 before you replace the cover to keep everything sweet, will cause no end of problems. Folks do all sort of unhelpful things if they have paid too much for something. Grease on chains, inside SA hubs, powder coating etc etc. If it can happen it will.
09-07-23, 12:57 PM
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Well you could at least give them a chance by painting them and riding backwards. I have a horse for sale.
09-07-23, 01:23 PM
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09-07-23, 04:05 PM
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I was wondering if the fully flared up derailleurs and other flamboyance thruout the groupset in the 1985 Groupo cataloge went with the Deltas calipers or was all that excess discontinued when the 'Delta' brakes were discontinued.
09-07-23, 05:13 PM
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09-07-23, 05:21 PM
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Comparing Delta brakes with dual pivots was not a comparison that was possible when Deltas were released. I was and would still be quite happy with Deltas but I’d hope dual pivots would be an improvement, as I would monoplanars for that matter, which both followed Deltas.
I find it a little weird how Delta brakes seem so polarising. It’s not like C&V riders don’t accommodate numerous other safety and performance shortcomings in their parts choices with little or no concern from anyone…!
I find it a little weird how Delta brakes seem so polarising. It’s not like C&V riders don’t accommodate numerous other safety and performance shortcomings in their parts choices with little or no concern from anyone…!
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09-07-23, 05:25 PM
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Yes, tire clearance is minimal at best, I use 23mm tires on my Montello and it's really close, specially up front. It is so close that the tire tends to sandblast etch the bottom of the caliper cover with road grit that gets flinged off by the tire treads after some time.
Last edited by Chombi1; 09-07-23 at 06:04 PM.
09-07-23, 05:53 PM
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Say what one will, Campagnolo Deltas are firmly in the category of Classic Italian.
Regarding clearance for tires. I run Conti Sprinter 22mm, so not an issue for me. And best for an '86 DeRosa Pro.
Butt, for shats and giggles - I pulled a front wheel with Schwalbe S One's measuring 29.3mm (listed as 30mm) and they fit, so there are different versions to suit one's needs.
¿Who runs fatties on classic race bikes?
Ohhh, classic is pretty
Regarding clearance for tires. I run Conti Sprinter 22mm, so not an issue for me. And best for an '86 DeRosa Pro.
Butt, for shats and giggles - I pulled a front wheel with Schwalbe S One's measuring 29.3mm (listed as 30mm) and they fit, so there are different versions to suit one's needs.
¿Who runs fatties on classic race bikes?
Ohhh, classic is pretty
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Last edited by Wildwood; 09-07-23 at 06:03 PM.
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09-07-23, 07:19 PM
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09-07-23, 07:25 PM
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Last edited by smd4; 09-07-23 at 07:34 PM.
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09-07-23, 09:26 PM
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Had a pair on a Bottecchia Team Record several years ago.
They worked OK, about the same as a half decent set of late 80’s single pivot brakes.
The dual pivots that eventually replaced them had more braking power and better modulation.
Oh, and I made my own 3.5mm allen wrench with a larger key and a Dremel cutoff wheel. Worked fine.
They worked OK, about the same as a half decent set of late 80’s single pivot brakes.
The dual pivots that eventually replaced them had more braking power and better modulation.
Oh, and I made my own 3.5mm allen wrench with a larger key and a Dremel cutoff wheel. Worked fine.
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