Spoken like a true professional. Someone should write up a "Rivendell's Way To Canti/V/Centerpull/Single Pivot/Dual Pivot Happiness." The IRDs on the Sam that Riv set up were the best brakes I've used, bar none, and I've used most of them.
Speak more to us about housing: quality, lubrication (what about the plastic lined stuff?), even ends, ferrules, lengths, bends, and of cables themselves -- gauge, what have you. I will sit quietly and listen. I've never had much luck setting up cantis for drop bar levers, so I can stand to learn much there, having tried with a vast variety of makes and models -- so much so that I've avoided cantis on my bikes. Patrick Moore, who has been procrastinating in replacing the disk pads on his Fargo, which he means nonetheless to ride this afternoon in ABQ, NM. On Fri, Oct 11, 2013 at 11:43 AM, brian tester <brian.tes...@gmail.com>wrote: > Howdy folks. Speaking as a Rivendell Bicycle Works mechanic, I can offer a > couple of tidbits about brake stuff that may help out here: > > It's one thing to compare brakes to brakes -- Silver sidepulls to Paul > Racers, for an easy example -- but it's another thing to compare brake > *set-ups* from bike to bike. There are variables! The brake itself is part > of a *system* that consists of cables, housing, ferrules, possibly > straddle cable and yoke position, brake pads and their toe-in or lack > thereof, brake levers, hangers, frame braze-ons, and, finally, brakes. I > could mention tires, too, since these are essentially huge brake pads that > provide friction against the ground. Too easy, then, to look at the brake > as the only component of note in stopping a bike. > > So, it's worth it to look at housing quality, length, and curvature, and > to look at the finishing on the ends of the housing -- is it flat? > Flattened on a grinder or file, or is it all sharp and burr-covered? It > matters! Is the housing the jet-lubed variety? Is it dry as a desert gulch > in there? Is there a funny kink in the housing, or is it too short or too > long? These things will directly effect braking feel. Maybe way more than > the brakes themselves. > > It's worth noting that if a brake didn't work at all, we would all know > it, it would probably no longer be sold, or at least the maker would be a > disgrace. I have encountered bikes with Paul Racers that frankly frightened > me in their reluctance to slow down my forward momentum. Same with > cantilevers, which can be tricky to set up right even for mechanics. I also > have experienced, on my own bike, humble sidepulls that will safely and > reliably slow/stop on trails that I have no business riding on. > > If something is *the best*, then all the other things are some degree of > *worst*. What if, however, there is merely a range of acceptable/workable, > and it's our responsibility to make the most of the setup? > > Sometimes I think disc brakes are taking off merely because the successful > setup element is more or less simplified to the point of disappearing. Set > up any brake just right, and the bike *will* stop. Then, it's up to us to > learn how best to use the brakes. > > Anyway, just my two or three cents. Give a call in to RBW if you want to > discuss this some more. > > Best, > Brian > > On Wednesday, October 9, 2013 11:30:30 AM UTC-7, Bill Lindsay wrote: >> >> I'm going to start playing around a little bit with centerpull brakes on >> at least one of my caliper brake equipped bikes. I bought a pair of the >> snazzy Gran Compe 610s and the tiny optional front rack from Velo Orange. >> They will be replacing Tektro R539 on my "budget Roadeo". >> >> Riv Content: I am no longer capable of taking a bike seriously if it >> doesn't have a front rack on it, thanks to Riv. I'm obsessed with getting >> more clearance for fenders and chubby tires for safety, thanks to Riv. >> >> Anyway, can anyone share about changing straight from modern dual pivot >> caliper brakes to centerpulls and liking them better? I'm interested to >> hear about it. >> >> FYI, that little rack is TINY. Check it out next to the Nitto Mini Front: >> >> >> <https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_VLPdjewy14/UlWgn7eNviI/AAAAAAAABcE/qhC1EaaqaHk/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG> >> >> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > -- *RESUMES THAT GET YOU NOTICED!* Certified Resume Writer http://resumespecialties.com/index.html patrickmo...@resumespecialties.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmooreresumespec/ Albuquerque, NM -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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