Joined: 23 Jan 2006Posts: 311Location: Capitol Hill
I've always thought the brakes on my bike were a bit weak, its a Kona Jake the Snake w/ Avid shorty 4 cantilevers. The rear brake's got newer koolstop salmon pads, but the front still has the original avid pads. I noticed a little better performance in the rear, but not anything drastic. I just sort of assumed that this was how most brakes performed. However, riding the GT ricochet I bought off Derrick last night I realized what real brakes can do. Now I understand why people are afraid to use the front brake alone on a bike.
The ricochet's brakes are linear pull v-brakes, is the different brake mechanism enough to account for the increased stopping power? Or have I just got something so poorly adjusted that my brakes are working half assed?
At the very least I'll pick up new pads for the front this afternoon and give my rims a good scrubing tonight.
lantius
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:35 am
1337Joined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 6705Location: right over
v-brakes are alot more stoppy than cantis in my experience, particularly if you are lazier about getting them fully dialed in.
dennyt
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:38 am
rocket mechanicJoined: 02 Aug 2005Posts: 2708
You can change the leverage of cantilevers by raising or lowering the straddle / saddle cable. Lower cable = higher leverage, mushier lever. Higher cable = less leverage, firmer lever. Certain types of straddle cables are not adjustable for this, others are.
Linear pull brakes work better because they have a higher leverage ratio and stiffer pads, so less of your precious finger travel is spent compressing the brake pads. With 'normal' pads, linear pull brakes would feel too squishy and the lever would come to the bar.
lantius
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:52 am
1337Joined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 6705Location: right over
i love the phrase "precious finger travel". i don't know why but it appeals to me.
another note is that if your wheels are true it's easier to get the brakes set as tight as possible without rubbing, since that helps you get maximum braking power.
derrickito
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:53 am
now with 50 percent more EVILJoined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 10566
im always fine tuning the brakes on my kona jake, it seems to eat through pads with a quickness so im always repulling the cables a little tighter and adjusting the left/right balance on them.
did you play with that rear brake on the GT rlotz? it needed to be centered just a hair to be perfect.. those brakes do have great stopping power, i could pull that bike into a skid super easy on anything.
Aaron
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 12:17 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
We replaced the straddle cable/yoke on Derrick's bike at a wrench party and he said the brakes were much better.
Cantilevers stay adjusted better than V-brakes and the pads are thicker so you don't have to replace them as often. With proper adjustment you should have plenty of stopping power.
.83, after we fix your brakes, you'll be way out in front!
derrickito
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 12:29 pm
now with 50 percent more EVILJoined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 10566
yeah what aaron said. we took off the stock avid cables on the bike, and put some proper yoke cables on and it made a world of difference in how good the brakes performed. you might want to look into doing that on your jake the snake.
berserk
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:02 pm
Joined: 17 Feb 2006Posts: 120Location: Seattle/Bothell
derrickito wrote:
yeah what aaron said. we took off the stock avid cables on the bike, and put some proper yoke cables on and it made a world of difference in how good the brakes performed. you might want to look into doing that on your jake the snake.
I'd be totally interested in finding out what the "proper" cable is. That is my biggest complaint with my Jake (the mushy braking)
derrickito
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:36 pm
now with 50 percent more EVILJoined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 10566
on item number 5 (straddle wire).. thats what we changed. on a kona jake from the factory, it's got this weird little wire extender that doesnt do a very good job (it's the item that has the "30 degree recommended" text right below it)
aaron got me some proper cabling to replace those with (look on my bike out on a ride sometime, ill show you).. it's been rather solid ever since then
Aaron
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:03 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
You probably have something like this:
But this is more adjustable:
Ignore the U-brake, the same yoke and straddle cable fit most cantilevers too.
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Joined: 23 Jan 2006
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Location: Capitol Hill
1337
Joined: 22 Jul 2005
Posts: 6705
Location: right over
rocket mechanic
Joined: 02 Aug 2005
Posts: 2708
now with 50 percent more EVIL
Joined: 22 Jul 2005
Posts: 10566
