I experienced the 'third design flaw' Max cites here whilst using Touring
canti's and found it very frustrating. It limited my pad choice to very
thin non-cartridge pads and choice of rims wider than 17mm inner width. I
nearly ground off the extra lip that creates the pad/brake arm interference
I'll also chime in to say that Paul brakes have some advantageous features
(e.g., continuous spring tension adjustability), but also some features
that I find infuriating in actual use, and a few instances of downright
poor mechanical design.
One design flaw is the fully threaded mounting bolt
Cost was a significant part of my argument, for sure. Also, Zestes will
work with the normal spring anchors on most posts. I am not a fan of
Paul's spring solution - it's tidy but I found it finicky to adjust (and
keep adjusted) on the one set of minimotos I owned. That said, the Zeste
those zeste cantilever brakes have a Meccano set vibe that I rather like
I have experience with the grand cru road. it wouldn't surprise me that
these work well too.
I think velo orange is a great company
On Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 1:21:38 PM UTC-5 wboe...@gmail.com wrote:
> It's not
And!!! Zests are half the price of Pauls!
On Sat, Oct 14, 2023 at 2:05 PM Patrick Moore wrote:
> IME the problem with the Tektros wasn't the stopping power but the sloppy
> pivots. They stopped about as well as the Pauls but they squealed and
> juddered. The Pauls are machined much more
IME the problem with the Tektros wasn't the stopping power but the sloppy
pivots. They stopped about as well as the Pauls but they squealed and
juddered. The Pauls are machined much more precisely and don't squeal at
all or judder as much.
On my bike, the Pauls are no worse than any other
It's not surprising to me that Pauls would be better than the 720s. I know
they (Tektro 720s) have a dedicated following; I can't understand why. In
my experience, they were mediocre stoppers, replaced quickly by Shimano
CX70s and then by mini-Vs.
I just replaced some budget Shimano cantis
I had the same issue and fixed it by going back to Deore V-brakes. Haven't
had a single issue with brake squeal since.
On Friday, October 6, 2023 at 7:54:00 PM UTC-5 Bill Fulford wrote:
> I bought Paul brakes for my Atlantis and initially loved them. Now,
> however, they squawk like a stuck
After some wear, brake pads need to be re-toed in, because they will wear
flat to the rim surface. I suspect that will solve your problems.
Will
On Sat, Oct 7, 2023 at 9:04 AM Kim H. wrote:
> I would enjoy hearing the feedback from those folks, who have used
> Yokozuna brake pads verses
I would enjoy hearing the feedback from those folks, who have used Yokozuna
brake pads verses Salmon Koolstop pads. Are they any better ? or ?
Kim Hetzel.
On Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 4:45:43 AM UTC-7 Julian Westerhout wrote:
> Bill,
>
> Salmon Koolstop pads stop well, but can be noisy,
Bill, double check to make sure the mounting bolts haven't loosened.
Bill S
San Diego
On Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 3:50:35 AM UTC-7 Bill Fulford wrote:
> The brakes are cantilever with salmon pads. I assume that the are properly
> mounted. The squawking began after about five months of
Bill,
Salmon Koolstop pads stop well, but can be noisy, especially if they hit
the rim flat or slightly toed out. It is possible/probable that after 5
months the pads have worn enough to change the way they hit the rim, and
need to be adjusted a bit to be slightly toe-in.
Julia Westerhout
The brakes are cantilever with salmon pads. I assume that the are properly
mounted. The squawking began after about five months of riding. In the
beginning there was no noise.
On Friday, October 6, 2023 at 10:50:09 PM UTC-4 ted.l...@gmail.com wrote:
> That noise is typical of a he salmon pads
That noise is typical of a he salmon pads that ship on Paul brakes. salmon
pads stop really well but I’ve had several pair on different bikes and
different brake styles and after a bit they all started to make noise no
matter how I adjusted them. I’ve also found that Paul Motolites in
particular
Bill,
Which brakes are they? Which pads are you using? Are they properly
slightly toed in?
Photos would help in making a diagnosis -- but I doubt the squawking is due
to the brakes themselves -- more likely to be pad type and/or setup.
Julian Westerhout
Bloomington, IL
On Friday,
I bought Paul brakes for my Atlantis and initially loved them. Now,
however, they squawk like a stuck goose. I’ve cleaned the rims, sanded the
pads but with no success. They were installed by a bike shop so I don’t
think that’s the problem. It’s embarrassing to ride at times. I’m looking
for
I have a set of cantilevers and a set of center pulls, both purchased used
off this list, I think. What I really like about both sets is how easy it
is to disconnect and re-connect the straddle cables making wheel removal
and installation so much easier. Even though I didn't pay full retail
Paul brakes are worth it.
If you buy, try and decide you don't like them you can sell them for close
to what you paid!
On Monday, January 9, 2023 at 12:22:34 PM UTC-5 Jay Riley wrote:
> PS: I'll always keep hydro brakes on the dual-suspension mtn bike.
> They're cool! The braking
Are Paul’s worth it?? Yes. But, maybe not. Depends. As Pam Murray reminded me, our bikes should be a source of joy and satisfaction. So if spending incrementally more dollars is a stresser, then maybe don’t go there. By contrast, we’ve all seen basic set ups on Riv’s site. We all know that they
"the extra complication (bleeding) over the cable Pauls" has sent me back
to cables and calipers on 2 of my bikes. Especially if I'm in hilly and
mountainous terrain, especially especially when touring with moderate loads
(35lbs) in that terrain, disc-brake pads wear out way faster than ol'
PS: I'll always keep hydro brakes on the dual-suspension mtn bike. They're
cool! The braking assignment is short, severe braking loads, as opposed to
braking loads on a road or touring bike.
Jay
Jay Riley, mobile 603-498-5199
On Thu, Jan 5, 2023 at 8:44 PM Jay Riley wrote:
> "the extra
I've had the Racers, Mini-Motos, and the touring cantis. The Racers worked
well, but I prefer a canti or V brake. The Mini-Motos are fantastic and
provide excellent power and modulation, and the added bonus of working with
road levers without a problem.
Now for the touring cantis, I bought a
> On Jan 5, 2023, at 21:38, J G wrote:
>
> Setup is the most important thing with brakes and good compassionless housing.
This is true- the less sympathy your housing feels, the better it will be able
to do its job.
~Mark
Raleigh, NC
--
You received this message because you are
Paul brakes work as well as any others of similar style.
Are they worth the money? Depends on you I guess.
To me Paul brakes are works of art and absolutely worth the money.
Was having this exact convo at a group ride last week when someone pointed
out my Steamroller to someone else and was
I had Riv build my mixte with Racers with the post mounts brazed on to the
seat stays...but I cheaped out and used the very nice (and reasonably
priced) Dia-Compe SS6 levers, which are elegant, work well, and are an
outlier example of those things that look good and work well but aren't
The Paul Motolites do also have the best quick release mechanism of the
bunch.
The Paul brake that stands out the most to me is the Racer and Racer M.
Even better in post mount. That is the kind of brake you build a bike
around.
I run the gamut of Pauls and like them all just fine, but I
I would not agree that the only difference between most well-functioning
v-brakes and Paul Motolites is the name. On my Riv Custom that started with
Shimano DXR brakes the Pauls are notably nicer to modulate. Are they worth
the money? That's a different question I answered for myself, they do
For me, Paul brakes are not worth the retail price. Good V-brakes (the
level above department store) are universally well-functioning. Paul buys
you the name on the brake arm and probably some more freedom from
maintenance. Now, I think it's important to point out that I've owned one
set of
Patrick, can you use a Suntour power hanger ? I loved mine.
On Thu, Jan 5, 2023 at 5:24 PM Patrick Moore wrote:
> Thanks, good to know.
>
> On Thu, Jan 5, 2023 at 6:06 PM Joe Bernard wrote:
>
>> Klampers are great, the couple hydraulic systems I've tried (stock on new
>> bikes, I don't
Thanks, good to know.
On Thu, Jan 5, 2023 at 6:06 PM Joe Bernard wrote:
> Klampers are great, the couple hydraulic systems I've tried (stock on new
> bikes, I don't remember the brands) were marginally greater on the road but
> not worth the extra complication (bleeding) over the cable Pauls.
Klampers are great, the couple hydraulic systems I've tried (stock on new
bikes, I don't remember the brands) were marginally greater on the road but
not worth the extra complication (bleeding) over the cable Pauls. Your
results may vary on steep, rocky descents I don't ride.
Joe Bernard
On
Huston reminds me that while Paul sells replacement parts for all their
breaks the o-ring prices are criminal. Criminal I say! They're $2/each from
Paul. At my local hardware store, Earl's Tru Value, they're 10¢ each.
A box of 100 #012 o-rings from McMaster-Carr is $3.26. That's 3¢ per ring
Philip: Can you (or can anyone else for that matter) say how the Klampers
perform compared to TRP Hy Rds or to full hydraulics? I was just talking to
my brother about the Hy Rds and wondering if the Kampers would be as
powerful and modulate as well without the hydraulic complication.
The Klampers
I use Paul cantis. I don't know if they're worth the premium over every
other cantilever brake -- the IRDs on my 2010 Sam set up by Riv staff
worked better than the Paul's on my 2020 Matthews and IMO looked as good;
but I certainly didn't mind paying the premium to get decent braking, good
looks,
It really DID just stop raining, right after I used my trusty Motolites
with Paul Levers on wet rims a few times. You're going to love those
Klampers, I'm not much of a disc guy but they're amazing. Better that
Motos? Nah, but just as good if you're building a disc bike.
On Thursday, January
I just read through the thread with interest - I didn't realize it was from
Sept 2022 until the last post!
I've used Paul cantis, a Neo-retro /Touring setup, and Minimotos. Minimotos
were the only brake that worked on two bikes to eliminate judder.
Absolutely worth it for that alone. I sold
I was recently reminded of this thread when completing an overhaul of my
Paul touring cantis. After years of four-season commuting, the arms and
spring adjuster nuts still look great; however, the springs (corrosion) and
one o-ring (split) needed to be replaced. Plus, it was time for some
I remember very clearly back in the 70's before the craze of wanting a
touring bicycle to travel across the United States, owning a racing bike
with full Campagnolo Nuevo Record componetry on it was a huge fade.
When I bought my 1973 Cilo Sprintx bicycle, it had very thing Campagnolo
Nuevo
I have used Paul Racers, Touring & Neo-Retro Cantilevers and Moto-lites. I
like them all. I found them to be easy to set up & easy to adjust, and
that's without much experience at all, just watched some Youtube videos and
read the information & advice given & shared here by much more
IMO Paul brake levers are 100% worth the cost. On a bike, the brake lever
is a high human touchpoint. For me the user experience with the PL is so
high, no matter the build, if I can afford it, I would always spec PL's.
Scott
On Monday, September 26, 2022 at 7:22:28 AM UTC-4 ascpgh wrote:
>
They are to me but that asks me to explore non-linear scalars to defend.
Spreadsheets might produce answers that differ from mine, I tend to value
the non-linear observations about things also.
I like bike things, I enjoy riding them, the interactions with and company
of others who do so as
As someone who likes to fiddle, I find the adjustability (read: fiddliness)
enjoyable. I like supporting small businesses, especially in this industry
and despite the bling factor, I do think Paul Components has some great
ideas. Designing all their brakes to run the same V-brake pads is nice,
I'm going on my ninth year of owning my Paul Racers. I have no doubts that
they'll last me my cycling lifetime. They are clever, overbuilt, beautiful
brakes. Using these in their long reach context, they offer many times over
more braking power and braking feel than anything else out there (r559,
I like Paul brakes for all the reasons stated above. “Worth” is hard to pin
down, but I like the Gene Berg quote from upthread. (OT: it’s been a while
since I’ve heard that name!) I’ve tried different types and prefer the
Motolites over the cantilever versions. Once the Racers are back in
Thanks for all of your thoughtful responses. I certainly believe that Paul
brakes are excellent and worth the price. I guess that I was surprised that
the price wasn’t for a full brake set. But that is me being out of touch
with high quality components. Most likely I’m going to cancel the order
Bill, Since you asked, no , they're not worth it. I could give you my
reasons, but they would be no less a rationalization of why I don't buy or
use them as those that do. So you're right back to where you are, with a
pending order for what you thought was for a complete set but only half.
The
Yes he should buy what he wants, my answer is my experience and how I feel
about it. It's also based on the budget I was working with a couple years
ago, I'm not currently operating with Paul money! 螺
On Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 4:20:51 PM UTC-7 Minh wrote:
> you're responses are going to
you're responses are going to be a little skewed by asking on this group,
as most of us have decided that 'worth it' are based on other things beside
$$ value. from a functional standpoint you can get other brakes that are
more affordable and function nearly the same. if you want to split
They are absolutely worth the money in terms of quality, function, and
supporting a great company. I own and use every type of brake Paul makes,
and lots of others and the Motolites combined with the Paul levers are
absolutely the best rim brakes I have ever used. And yes I disagree that
they
Tire clearance is a thing, too, if you're looking at v-brakes. My Motolites
are quite tall and clear a 650B x 47 "gravel" tire with room left for
fenders.
On Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 2:00:19 PM UTC-7 Ryan M. wrote:
> I really do think they are worth the money and when/if you ever decide
I really do think they are worth the money and when/if you ever decide to
sell them you can recoup a lot of the cost back.
I've had the fortunate experience of using most of the current Paul brakes
at one time or another and I do think they all work really well. They work
even better when you
Only speaking for myself, here: I love my Paul cantis and moto lites, have
them currently installed on two Rivs, had them on another bike and, as
Laing mentioned, pulled them off before I sold it.
I love that there is a small machine shop in Northern California making
weird bike parts and I
Echoing Bill and Joe, it depends on which criteria are important in your
value calculation for a particular set of circumstances.
I went to great lengths to find (out of production but soon to be back in
production) Paul brakes for one of our bikes. It felt appropriate and
justifiable, even
Years ago I used to buy what some people considered overpriced VW parts
from Gene Berg. His motto was "Buy the best and cry once". I basically
subscribe to that point of view, but I more or less have the money to do
it. That is why I buy so many Rivendells. Made in USA is a plus with me. I
"Worth it" is of course subjective but I have these brakes on my Rivendell
Custom and they're worth it to me. The feel and power is notably superior
to the Shimano v-brakes I started with, the qr function on the arms is
miles better, the adjusting springs are very easy to fiddle with, the very
There is no objective answer to that question. For lots of people, the
answer is unequivocally yes. For many others, the answer is no.
Many who love them love the adjust-ability. Many who dislike them call
them "fiddly", since they are so adjustable, one has to be a pretty good
wrench to
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