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Were these cantilever brakes assembled wrong?

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Were these cantilever brakes assembled wrong?

Old 07-20-21, 03:57 AM
  #1  
robertj298 
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Were these cantilever brakes assembled wrong?

Just noticed this on my Super Strada. Seems to me the cables on the rear brakes should run inside
the rear racks frame instead of to the outside where they rub the rack?
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Old 07-20-21, 04:16 AM
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Yep, their done backward. The cable should run inside the rack, not outside.
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Old 07-20-21, 04:16 AM
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Inside is more usual. Note that one often has to balance straddle cable length and position. Would moving the cable inside eliminate rubbing, or just move the rub to the inside?
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Old 07-20-21, 04:41 AM
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Yes...

...try to readjust the cable hanger to where the bottom of it is basically where the cross bar is and then the single brake cable wire goes between the two rack supports.
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Old 07-20-21, 05:19 AM
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Straddle cable is too long.
Straddle Cables Done Right – Rene Herse Cycles
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Old 07-20-21, 05:26 AM
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The original owner only rode this bike a few times so I'm fairly certain the bike
was set up by the shop where it was purchased.
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Old 07-20-21, 06:19 AM
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@robertj298 - send the link to the shop! The length of the straddle cable negates the purpose of having a brake that works correctly, much more important than it rubbing on the rack.
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Old 07-20-21, 06:39 AM
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Optimal straddle length will create a 90 degree bend from the line that connects pivot-to-binder bolt and the binder bolt-to-straddle yoke. Normal angle pull gives the most leverage to the pivot. Set it up as close 90 degrees that you can achieve without rubbing on the rack.
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Old 07-20-21, 08:47 AM
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Perhaps they were trying to avoid the scenario where the brake cable snaps and allows the straddle cable to fall and catch on the tire?
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Old 07-20-21, 10:32 AM
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That would be cutting one's nose off...
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Old 07-20-21, 10:38 AM
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Originally Posted by ThermionicScott
Perhaps they were trying to avoid the scenario where the brake cable snaps and allows the straddle cable to fall and catch on the tire?
So thats why they put that rack on the back?
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Old 07-20-21, 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by robertj298
So thats why they put that rack on the back?
I mean, that was my best guess. I'd do it differently.
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Old 07-20-21, 11:14 AM
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I had an 85 Viva Touring, which was a level down from your bike, that was very low mileage and still had the original set up. You can see in this pic that the cable hanger was lower and the straddle cable inside the rack struts.


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Old 07-20-21, 01:29 PM
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As suggested I changed the cables to this which I think is much better
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Old 07-20-21, 09:45 PM
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Yeah, my first thought was "Were they trying to rig up a straddle cable catch?"

My Univega was missing the front and rear stalks that served the dual purpose of holding reflectors and as straddle cable catchers. I thought about replacing those. But after recabling the bike I realized the odds of those massively thick brake cables snapping were nil. Those cables are much thicker than road bike brake cables, and I've never had one of those snap. I've had a few shifter cable fray, usually around the shifters themselves. But never a brake cable.
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Old 07-21-21, 04:11 PM
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These appear to be cantilevers with horizontal (90*) arms. If that is the case, straddle cable length does not matter ( see canti-geometry.pdf (circleacycles.com) ). Set the length to whatever length is needed to clear the rack on the inside.

You might be able to simply unhook the straddle cable from the arms and feed the cable to the inside.
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Old 07-21-21, 04:44 PM
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If those are the bike's OEM radial tires(?), you will experience a massive improvement in steering feel and overall handling if you install non-radial tires.

90-degrees to the line of action between the transverse cable anchor point and caliper pivot is not the optimum when greatest leverage is needed. Generally the power/leverage increases as the transverse straddle cable is made shorter, because the tension in the straddle cable increases for any given pull/tension at the lever.

Last edited by dddd; 07-21-21 at 04:48 PM.
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Old 07-21-21, 06:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Sluggo
These appear to be cantilevers with horizontal (90*) arms. If that is the case, straddle cable length does not matter ( see canti-geometry.pdf (circleacycles.com) ). Set the length to whatever length is needed to clear the rack on the inside.
The cantilever angle in that paper refers to the angle between the plumb line (ZP) and the line from the attachment point through the pivot point (AP). As cantilever's get wider, that angle approaches 90 degrees, but on these brakes it's not there.
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