singlespeedfold

Currently using Tektro R539 with 57mm reach. Googled but couldn't find any lighter replacement, even high end carbon ones, with a similar reach. Only some lighter brakes are found for Brompton but their wire routing is reversed and cannot be used on my bike. Any advice?

Andrew R Stewart 

I always felt that brakes were one of the components that weight concerns were miss directed. To me the feel, modulation and reliability is VASTLY more important.

Back in the day we had really light calipers, what with only a single pivot the caliper didn't need as much material. For the cost challenged riders Weinmann 500s were the cool ticket. These were the shortest reach of their otherwise common calipers. But once a rider tried the Campy calipers few thought their 500s were better. The solid feel, caliper mounted QR and easy centering, of the Campys, were just so much better.

Just as the greater leverage (power) of modern dual pivots is worth every added gram of their weight (compared to Campys).

To be somewhat cynical... did your current calipers weight keep you from getting over the big hill near you? Andy (who rode 500s for a few years, then Campy for a few decades and now dual pivots are on every bike that uses a caliper design)

GhostRider62

Buy the TRP RG957. Far, far better performance and only 9 grams heavier. Yes, I have both.

THM carbon brakes are about 40% the weight but the 57mm drop would take some pad droppers. Not a $1500 experiment that I would run

frogman

What is your motivation to reduce the weight of your brakes all about ? How about the rest of the bike ?

singlespeedfold

I see your point but I do not intend to trade off much reliability for weight

singlespeedfold

Thanks for your advice. just found that THM has 43 reach only

singlespeedfold

The rest of the bike are already very light.

thook

160g per caliper is pretty light, dude. Try drillium maybe?

shelbyfv

What's the bike? Unusual to have a weight weenie frame designed for mid reach.

Koyote

Beat me to it.

As long as they work well, brakes are about the last thing I would bother upgrading on a bike. I'm still running the no-name calipers that came on my '03 LeMond -- a bike that performed perfectly well through many, many road races back in the day.

GhostRider62

Here is a light brake that with a dropper to the rim pad would work. There are no really light mid-reach caliper brakes. 160-170 grams each is about as good as you get. The M5 brakes might be hard to procure. A buddy has them. I think he said they were 135 grams......per pair.

M5 Recumbents » m5 Lightweight bike parts » M5 side pull brake

HillRider

The real problem is that "long reach" (typically 47 to 57 mm) caliper brakes have been out of fashion for a long time so very few models are available and none in boutique very light form. Those Tektros are about the only readily available ones. Shimano currently lists long reach dual pivots in their 105 series (BR-R650) but I don't know if these are any lighter than the Tektros.

Andrew R Stewart 

And the proof of this is that what we call "long reach" was called "standard reach" only a few decades years ago. Terms shift with the popular and current needs. Another example of this is the "gravel" bike term. They are pretty much what we called non racing road bikes back in the 1970s. Slightly longer wheelbases, greater tire/brake/frame clearances and lower ranged gearing then the intended for road racing bikes that took over the non MtB market since. Terms are just what we agree to call stuff and often reject the past to sound "newer and bester". Andy

thook

TRP and Shimano both have the "long" reach. But, both are heavier than the R539. I had to look it up myself because, like you, I thought of the 105's. To my surprise, the R539 seem to be the lightest availabe of that range in reach. And, certainly the best price

veganbikes

I really like the performance and weight of the Cane Creek eeBrakes but they are not long reach if they were they might need to be a bit heavier I suspect (and not just to make them long reach but to keep the stiffness and modulation they have). As others have said long reach can be a bit tougher to find and performance of the brakes is more important than weight.

singlespeedfold

I would never do drillium. I found there is an optional part to replace the short reach arms of crane creek ee brake.

singlespeedfold

I found there is an optional part to replace the short reach arms of crane creek ee brake with long reach ones. I am studying that.

singlespeedfold

I just found some nice pad droppers which can extend 6.5 -9 mm.

singlespeedfold

Hummingbird folding bike

singlespeedfold

Folding bikes with 16“ rim are still hot

veganbikes

Curious to see how you would do that? Keep in mind any brake pad extenders are likely to hit tires and such and may not quite work.

singlespeedfold

Not pad extenders but replacement arms that need to disassemble the brake calipers to reassemble it.

veganbikes

Who makes replacement arms that are longer? I want to see these?

squirtdad

If this is the OP's bike https://hummingbirdbike.com/products...HorizontalTab1

it is pretty light at 15 lbs, and pretty tech with carbon and such

not sure what a few hundred more grams will do, practically. But not all we do is practical. if this were a 25lb cheapo I would say forget about it.

My only reservation on swappiing out for lighter is the it appears the manufacturer did a really careful job of specking the bike (at $4000 I would hope so) and there could be a very good reason the 539 were used

singlespeedfold

this