Hi John, I have a Rambouillet with Tektro Silvers and a 1988 Trek 520 Reynolds 531 with Shimano cantis. The cantis have better stopping power than the Silvers, however the Silvers are not bad.
Overall I prefer cantis for a few reasons. Stopping power is better. I also think they look better on non racing steel frames in general. Also, not having a sidepull brake going through the fork crown hole allows you to use what I believe are better, stronger and more elegant looking front racks. And lastly, cantis will virtually never interfere with fenders. I wish my Rambouillet had cantilevers. I would switch in a heartbeat. Jeff I own Paul Neo Retros which are installed on a Surly Cross Check and love them. Once you adjust and tension the arms, they are virtually trouble free. On Thursday, April 4, 2013 12:25:22 PM UTC-6, john wrote: > > I've been searching the archives for a specific topic which I have not > found. Excuse me if I missed it. > > Due to the fact that an auto struck me while riding, ruining the original > the fork of my Sam Hillborne (with cantilever studs), I got a replacement > fork (Thanks Rivendell!) which didn't have the studs for canti's. > > Thus, I'm now using Tektro 559 sidepulls, rather than Tektro 720 canti's, > which was spec'd on the bike. > > I've read much about types of brakes, their various attributes, and etc. > Some argue cantilevers have more stopping power (greater mechanical > advantage) than sidepulls. Some argue side pulls are simple, elegant, and > easier to adjust. Some say, racers have been using sidepulls for years, why > not me? Others say neither option is the best; centerpull brakes are the > way to go. Then, there is the linear pull brake (V brake), which is another > type of cantilever, I believe. Not to mention disc brakes, both mechanical > and hydraulic.... > > Although I value statistical analysis (Bike Quarterly), I prefer to hear > from people who actually ride certain brakes, and what the like, and > dislike. I'm not enough of a tech-minded person to stay with all the detail > of mechanics. > > The question is this: Those of you who have used both cantilevers and > sidepulls on a Rivendell frame (especially on a Sam Hill, but any will do, > I think), which do you prefer for stopping power (not aesthetics), and why? > > That is to say, if you were to spec a new bike, and it were a "road" bike, > not intended for touring with massive loads but for day rides, multiday > tours, even touring any distance with less than 50 pounds, which brakes > would you choose, and why? > > I'm interested in knowing why Rivendell changed their choice of brakes on > the stock Sam Hill. from a cantilevered bike to a side pull spec'd bike. > Perhaps they save cost in frame production? Perhaps they prefer sidepulls? > Perhaps they needed to purchase many of their designed Tektro 559's in > order for Tektro to make them? > > In any case, I'd be curious to hear what folks have to say on the topic. > As for myself...I'm still on the fence. I like the sidepull's looks much > better. I like the ease of adjustment. I think their stopping power is not > as great as the cantilevers - at least compared to my Tektro 720 > cantilevers with yokozuma pads. But they're close. Close enough? Depends on > how steep the hill, how much weight is on the bike, and etc., of course. In > the end, I know it's a very personal choice. > > Thanks. > > John > > -- 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 [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en-US. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
