tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post1949959553424761326..comments2024-03-18T08:41:35.438-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: Can Stop, Will Stop: Paul Racer BrakesVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-64778634547586466012012-12-13T08:33:34.170-05:002012-12-13T08:33:34.170-05:00Pardon me for a long post. I just came across this...Pardon me for a long post. I just came across this and thought I'd add my two-bob's worth. <br /><br />I've used many different sorts of cantilevers, centre-pulls, and v-brakes (AND sidepulls) over nearly 40 years. They can all be set up to stop you. <br /><br />I most liked some Zeus 2000 c/pulls with groovy dullish silver, drilled levers, black gum hoods, a great adjusting bolt and quick release mechanism on the levers, curved wire wheel guides on the brake blocks, and elegant cable stops for head tube and seat bolt. There are photos of some of these things on velobase.com. If I remember rightly they were flexy, but stopped well.<br /><br />Dia-Compe, Universal & Weinmann c/pulls have all worked for me. I liked Universal ’cos they seemed more rigid; nowadays they look agricultural, but they worked. The only MAFAC c/pulls I’ve used were on someone else's bike and were pretty useless, but I suspect they weren't set up well. Sometime in the mid-70s, I met two Japanese pro-riders for SunTour riding down the east coast of Australia – Cairns to Adelaide – and then to Uluru. They had racing bikes with braze-on everything, used singles (tubulars) even for touring (In Australia in the ’70s! On rough gravel roads! For 000’s of kms! Most clinchers & clincher rims were pretty hopeless then.), and what I think were Dia Compe c/pull brakes on braze-on pivots. I rode one of these bikes and the brakes were fantastic.<br /><br />The best stopping cantilevers I've used were MAFAC Tandem or Criterium brakes with Scott-Mathauser pads & SunTour Superbe levers; but they were a bit brutal. Tektro 720 are great with old style free cable levers; in *my* experience, not as good with modern ones but plenty useful. I've had a few sets of Shimanos that did the job but to my eyes were ugly; some short-arm Dia Compes that were useless, and long-arm ones that were great. Avid Ultimate Shorty are beautifully made and easy to set up, but I found their stopping power with Ultegra 6700 levers no much better than many other cheaper brakes; for me, they aren’t worth the extra money. <br /><br />Tektro R6.0 mini-V brakes work well, but can be a bit chancey in quality. Avid 3 - 7 v-brakes all work well with long pull levers, but can give too much brake too suddenly on a road(ish) bike. Shimano XTR, with the parallelogram linkages, are great on my tandem but expensive and over-complicated. The top of the line Cane Creek v-brake works well on a tandem and was ok on a touring bike. It's also very adjustable (you can turn the arms around), but I’ve had quality issues with them.<br /><br />I use Paul mini-motos on my current main bike. They work exceptionally well with Ultegra 6700 levers, and stop wet or dry as good or better than anything I've used. I was thinking of getting a front disc brake, but don’t think I’ll bother now. After many years adjusting cantilever brakes, I must say the Paul's are much easier to set up than just about any cantilever brake, and that counts for something. I've even adjusted them on tour with an Allen key while using just my fingers to hold the 15mm adjusting bolt where I wanted it. <br /><br />With good and correct length cables and housing, the right levers and brake blocks, just about any brake can be set up to stop you acceptably. Some are easier to do this with. Some will remain effective for longer. Some are easier to look at. Whatever floats your boat.<br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />MMCW83noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-77502218464390480362012-11-03T21:48:14.486-04:002012-11-03T21:48:14.486-04:00There are two types of v-brakes. Many are intended...There are two types of v-brakes. Many are intended to be used with long pull brake levers i.e. upright or mountain bars. Other v-brakes are designed to be used on short pull levers i.e. bmx levers and drop bar levers.<br /><br />In most situations drop bar levers will not pull enough cable to properly use long pull V-Brakes. The long pull v-brakes can be adapted for use with short pull brakes by using a Problem Solver Travel Agent. Tektro also makes some long pull drop bar levers.<br /><br />TRP CX8.4, Tektro BX25 and the Paul Mini Moto are v-brakes brakes are intended to be used with short pull levers. I'm sure there are many other short pull v-brakes. They are common for boxers and come in and out of fashion in cyclocross.<br /><br />A potential problem with v-brakes is that the cable may interfere with fenders, but this is not supposed to be the case with the newer Paul Mini Moto brakes.<br /><br />Anyone who has been disappointed with cantilever brakes should try v-brakes.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-56122597668982949322012-11-03T18:32:41.073-04:002012-11-03T18:32:41.073-04:00If you want to be certain of access to service par...If you want to be certain of access to service parts and to own bikes that can be serviced you look for components that had long and large production runs. That describes Mafac quite well.<br /><br />Modern parts seem to change every time I look around. That says to me the designer was not that sure what he was doing. In the fullness of time I suppose some 2012 parts will start to look better than they do right now. Which ones I've no ideaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-28194616562168215252012-11-01T23:14:31.274-04:002012-11-01T23:14:31.274-04:00Try Castrol GT LMA in place of mineral oil. Ignore...Try Castrol GT LMA in place of mineral oil. Ignore the new "synthetic" labeling.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-65019445528405435452012-11-01T13:40:19.906-04:002012-11-01T13:40:19.906-04:00Bah, not the Shiftmate. Should have written Trave...Bah, not the Shiftmate. Should have written Travel Agent. Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-48502493034347954622012-11-01T11:26:05.403-04:002012-11-01T11:26:05.403-04:00"anti-Vbrake in the past, on aesthetic ground...<i>"anti-Vbrake in the past, on aesthetic grounds"</i><br /><br />Sir, I protest. You guys attributed this to me, because that's the issue others apparently have, but I never disliked the look of v-brakes. In fact just for the fun of it, I would like to instill a fetish for them here. V-brake p0rn on Lovely Bicycle, stay tuned.<br /><br />Regarding functionality: The brakes too hard/ doesn't modulate well comment was specific to one test bike bike. And I still enjoyed riding that bike if you recall. My heart is open to v-brakes. You can quote me on that.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-49611863189307991332012-11-01T11:19:50.147-04:002012-11-01T11:19:50.147-04:00Some thoughts:
Velouria, you have been resolutely ...Some thoughts:<br />Velouria, you have been resolutely anti-Vbrake in the past, on aesthetic grounds, as well as claiming they don't modulate well. GRJ gives some good advice in regards to modulating a stop with V-brakes. I think it's awesome that you're opening up to other component possibilities. V-brakes are the best rim brakes ever made. Cannot be beaten by anything, when comparing brakes at similar pricepoints. <br /><br />Drums- too heavy and too prone to fade from overheating for anything but a townish bike. But these are by far the best brakes for ultra-low maintenance, all-weather. round-town or to-work brakes.<br /><br />Discs. Discs have come a looooong way. I like the mechanical ones for fun on trails. Hydros are a different critter; some take mineral oil which is relatively safe/environmentally friendly, but they do not perform well in extreme cold. Others take DOT fluid, which works well in the cold, but it is caustic and an environmentalist's nightmare. And, while hydro brakes have great feel and are very tunable, they are a headache to bleed. Can it be done? Absolutely, but it is a headache. <br /><br />Discs work well, if sometimes noisily, in wet conditions. And you cannot beat them for all-out braking power. But, disc-brakes are still heavy, still high-maintenance, and still overkill for most any application beyond mountainbikes, cargo bikes, or heavily loaded touring bikes. <br />Screechhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15397676711365438175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-77657219370341035992012-10-31T20:46:19.354-04:002012-10-31T20:46:19.354-04:00Paul is the best centerpull period and for someone...Paul is the best centerpull period and for someone who has genuine hand strength issues it's the choice.Thought I had that clear enough the first time.<br /><br />For the other 95% of the population who don't have a good reason to drop $300 on a pair of calipers the modern choices for a longreach 650B conversion are kinda poor. Vintage Mafac is near free. You gotta buy new pads and cables and small bits but you had to do that anyway. If you are lucky or determined or connected the r.a.i.d. possibility is close to the Pauls. The omnipresent Racer caliper beats Bigmouth hands down.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-26773293380561262242012-10-31T16:36:19.903-04:002012-10-31T16:36:19.903-04:00I touched on it a bit above.
You certainly are co...I touched on it a bit above.<br /><br />You certainly are correct. Braze on is yards better than center bolt - which is already pretty good.Matthew Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10408057524387021992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-64749564855610170302012-10-31T16:34:29.822-04:002012-10-31T16:34:29.822-04:00All subjective.
I've built two bikes with bra...All subjective.<br /><br />I've built two bikes with braze on Raids and two with Paul Racers, one with Paul Motolites and now one with Paul Racer Ms.<br /><br />The Raids looked better than the Racers and Motolites. I think the Racer Ms look better than the Raids though. I really like the MiniMotos and think they could be the best looking of the bunch.<br /><br />RAIDs are easier (for me anyway) to set up, provided I use Koolstop solid post pads. I could never get the original Raid pads right. Adjusting and maintaining RAIDs takes about the same amount of effort as setting them up.<br /><br />Once the Pauls are set up, adjustments and maintenance gets easier. Matthew Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10408057524387021992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-38166244910961444812012-10-31T16:28:07.517-04:002012-10-31T16:28:07.517-04:00Anon - very good point.
As I do most of my riding...Anon - very good point.<br /><br />As I do most of my riding in the Midwest, I can assure you I did not approach steep inclines rationally. Most likely my form was compromised.<br /><br />I wish I could say there are similar challenges to you experienced mountain riders when you ride in the Midwest the first time. Other than the risk of getting bored nothing comes to mind though. Matthew Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10408057524387021992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-91315758435886691072012-10-31T16:06:52.511-04:002012-10-31T16:06:52.511-04:00If you have canti bosses, the new generation of &q...If you have canti bosses, the new generation of "mini-V" brakes might be what you want to consider, like the TRP CX-9 or the Paul minimotos.dolanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06876154317272720789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-25535240240175199232012-10-31T16:06:40.866-04:002012-10-31T16:06:40.866-04:00replacing a mechanical disk break pad is a 10 seco...replacing a mechanical disk break pad is a 10 second job. i personally prefer hydraulics and have no problem bleeding them once every 2-5 years. a syringe, a binder clamp, some aquarium tubing, a bit of branded mineral oil, and some dexterity is all that is needed. the fluid in hydraulic disc brakes is not caustic and in many cases is food grade low viscosity mineral oil!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-48333376203511946912012-10-31T14:10:52.091-04:002012-10-31T14:10:52.091-04:00Quite well once I got them set up correctly. My on...Quite well once I got them set up correctly. My only previous bike with cantis was a 93 Cannondale M800 which had their unique Force 40 setup instead of a regular straddle cable. Thus I had to take some time (both with the bike and a Lennard Zinn book) delving into the mysteries of the straddle cable. The Neo's seem to have a little more power for a given force at the lever than the touring and they are both VASTLY better than the stock brakes. Not as strong as V-brakes but pretty good. Kool-Stop Salmon pads are always used too.nowherehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12125582590094636085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-76982115184755523732012-10-31T13:41:53.139-04:002012-10-31T13:41:53.139-04:00i am confused. the LHT has canti posts on both for...i am confused. the LHT has canti posts on both fork and seatstays. these posts are used for either cantilever or linear pull (V) brakes. i should know, as i replaced the stock tektro oryx cantis with paul motolite linear pull brakes.<br /><br />in response to the original poster Liz, i would consider paul motolite brakes. SO POWERFUL they practically stop like disc brakes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-5021309356940056472012-10-31T12:05:48.446-04:002012-10-31T12:05:48.446-04:00"Disc brakes - I do plan to look into them&qu..."Disc brakes - I do plan to look into them" Good start. With that in mind, when you visit a bicycle trade show, you will "see" more big tire production bikes. Disc brake Cyclocross frames are good candidates. The need for mud clearance provides generous stay & fork leg width, the common 47mm fork offset gives lower trail closer to neutral, combine that with the drop when mounting smaller tires (650b, 26in), even closer to neutral trail, and higher bottom bracket location to facilitate bunny hops means reduced possibility of pedal strike when smaller diameter tires are mounted.<br /><br />With disc brakes, no longer is rim width constrained by narrow rim brake specific hoops. Wide clincher tires perform much better when the beads are not pinched toward each other. Werkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14912995610735127104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-71555691762614943212012-10-31T08:06:06.900-04:002012-10-31T08:06:06.900-04:00Camels may be adorable but they are not particular...Camels may be adorable but they are not particularly user-friendly unless you really <a href="http://tinyurl.com/c9vrcuk" rel="nofollow">know what you are doing.</a> And you thought drop bars and clipless would be a challenge...Lovely Bicycle... Adorable Camel?<br /><br />Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01285886035638697215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-5695204478649994162012-10-31T04:02:35.814-04:002012-10-31T04:02:35.814-04:00Yeah. Besides, camels are adorable.
So how well d...Yeah. Besides, camels are adorable.<br /><br />So how well do the Neo-Retros work?..Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-47508489154159869932012-10-31T03:51:46.842-04:002012-10-31T03:51:46.842-04:00I put Paul Neo-Retro and Touring brakes on my cros...I put Paul Neo-Retro and Touring brakes on my cross bike because the stock Avids seemed to be best at producing vibration and noise with deceleration being a distant third to those effects. If the Minimotos had been available then I would have bought those instead. If discs had been available on the bike I bought I would have gone for that option in preference to any other. My ideal is to have brakes which I can bring to the verge of lockup with two fingers on the lever. The only bike I've ever achieved this on was my old mountain bike. As for aesthetics, so far as I'm concerned functionality and suitability for the purpose is intrinsically beautiful if you look at it the appropriate way. That's why I've always disliked the old "A camel is a horse designed by a committee" joke...nowherehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12125582590094636085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-61904183631390785042012-10-31T01:36:34.584-04:002012-10-31T01:36:34.584-04:00Velouria wrote: "I want to know that a modern...Velouria wrote: "I want to know that a modern brake exists that I can use; one that can be replaced in the event of a crash (knock on wood) or what have you. I have never been one to outfit my bikes with vintage components."<br /><br />I realize Paul Components is fairly successful, but it could be gone tomorrow. I rarely see brake calipers damaged in crashes, and parts that might wear (what have you) on NOS Mafac Raids are available (brake blocks) or could be pilfered from the ubiquitous and cheap Racers (bushings) or sourced/made elsewhere (springs). If they get more damage than that, chances are you need a new set of brakes or a new bike anyway. It seems a peculiar rationale for why you wouldn't use them if you found them attractive and understood them to have the kind of stopping power you needed. (They are also mechanically just as "modern" as Pauls, CNC 'stiffness' notwithstanding). That said, I get great stopping power on my Fuji with Dia Compe 610/750, but the nice thing about these is the modulation, ie, the progressive stopping power, so I could see someone with grip issues having difficulty with them. I'm not sure what makes the Paul's different in terms of the modulation, I've never used them.<br /><br />Disclaimer: I also fall in among those who find the Paul brakes unattractive, and much prefer the Mafacs, Dia Compes, Weimanns. <br /><br />I agree with anon 5:38 that the Raids are visually world's better than Pauls, but don't wait for someone to come up to you in an alley and offer them to you for $50. If you want them before handing your bike off to the grandkids, you will likely pay a nice price--if everyone fell into such deals there would be no need for ebay or cl. But still cheaper, prettier, and just as powerful as Pauls.Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01285886035638697215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-7951379918681617452012-10-31T00:40:44.227-04:002012-10-31T00:40:44.227-04:00Most notably me. With mtb levers you are able to ...Most notably me. With mtb levers you are able to get more leverage true. <br /><br />You modify your TECHNIQUE by using fewer fingers, weaker fingers in conjunction with stronger ones, fingers you have the most feel/control over, etc. and you PRACTICE using them CONSCIOUSLY. Mechanics are the same thing. Well they are mechanics. <br /><br />And you familiarize yourself with the bike over time, not just a quicky.<br /><br />The only reason I wrote this is so I can say I said it in the future. <br /><br />The nose wheelie comment above: despite what I just wrote, which applies to both wheels on the ground, I would never attempt a nose wheelie with a v brake. Stoppie yes. Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-83182523723732094112012-10-30T23:33:20.624-04:002012-10-30T23:33:20.624-04:00I'm a little surprised that no one has remarke...I'm a little surprised that no one has remarked(maybe they have and I missed it) about how much better ALL centerpulls stop and feel when mounted on braze-on posts instead of the inherently less rigid horizontal mount that they are shipped with. Any of the Dia-Comp/Weinman twins or Mafacs of whatever type are are dramatically better. I suppose a simple bolt on booster as used on 90s mountainbikes would make them better still. The booster would be very nearly strait instead of the great big springy horseshoe shaped ones for canti or V-Brakes.<br /><br />I suppose it might be time to find a suitable old soldier in the pile downstairs and do a little before and after testing. I've made enough bolt on canti-posts for people who didn't want to repaint their frames, maybe it would be fun to do some of these as well.<br /><br />SpindizzyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-65150759267223154012012-10-30T23:28:12.960-04:002012-10-30T23:28:12.960-04:00Matthew J
Ever watch a trick rider do a nose whee...Matthew J<br /><br />Ever watch a trick rider do a nose wheelie? It's very simple how they do that. First get rider weight forward. When enough weight is forward any little impetus lifts the back wheel.<br /><br />If you're lifting the back wheel even once in a while it's a guarantee there will be a steeper downhill sooner or later. Or a more dramatic and more unanticipated panic stop. Your hand will just suddenly get very strong when that oncoming truck has you rattled. If your weight is forward then over the bars you go. It really won't matter which calipers you're wearing today. Get the weight back and you can use any brake at all confidently.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-88507042335930156902012-10-30T22:43:32.620-04:002012-10-30T22:43:32.620-04:00No, the LHT frame has the bosses for V brakes as w...No, the LHT frame has the bosses for V brakes as well. The canti bosses are just sitting there empty. The lbs put v brakes on instead of the stock cantis without asking and in the end was a better choice because the stock tectro oryx v brakes have a bad rep.heathernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-20519318906631894382012-10-30T21:55:14.343-04:002012-10-30T21:55:14.343-04:00Not Rawland frames (though they can order one and ...Not Rawland frames (though they can order one and it will arrive in about a week). But the other stuff, yes they have it in stock. Not necessarily in the size/config you need mind you. But it can still be helpful to look at some of the things in person before you order the version you need. Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.com