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V-brakes versus cantis

Phil

Maximum Pace
Sep 1, 2007
1,816
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Anyone with experience with both cantis and V-brakes?

Converting the 'cross bike to a townie bike with flat handlebars, and was pondering brake choices. I have flat-bar levers for both cantis and linear-pull brakes, and cheapo cantis already mounted.

I really dislike the cantis, but was wondering if switching to V-brakes will make much of a difference in stopping power, ease of set-up etc?

Any other choices that mount on canti mounting pegs?
 
V-brake stopping power is a lot more than that of Cantis.

I use V's on my MTB and they are powerful enough to allow me to do rolling stoppies on..... something my cantis won't :D
 
Thanks guys. Right now I have cheap, very bad cantis that amount to "worse than rubbish" so "slightly less rubbish" sounds great. :)

With V-brakes, do price levels make a big difference, or can I get away with something cheap and used?
 
Cantis - rubbish
V's - slightly less rubbish
Discs - Ace!
:D

Hahahhaha only if you actually want to go slow on the down hills Alan!
 
Thanks guys. Right now I have cheap, very bad cantis that amount to "worse than rubbish" so "slightly less rubbish" sounds great. :)

With V-brakes, do price levels make a big difference, or can I get away with something cheap and used?
Cheap and used is good for a town commuter, set up and good pads are important. Just be aware that you need long pull levers or an adapter to make the Vs really bite.
 
Thanks Simon. I have both kinds of brake levers (I think!), so just trying to decide on the calipers... Looks like V-brakes from Cycly...
 
XT or Deore are very good value for money.
 
Just an update to conclude the thread:

In the end, I couldn't bring myself to put flat bars on the Uncle John, so I just replaced the front cantis with wide-profile Tektro 720s--big improvement. Much, much easier to set up and nicer modulation. Bike rides a lot better now.

So, cheap cantis = rubbish, decent cantis = not bad.
 
Decent cantis are great. The most powerful brakes I have ever felt were on my George French's BMX. DX cantis, with the cable drilled straight through the fork to eliminate the tight bend that saps the energy from the cable.

Not sure if you are willing to drill your fork though...
 
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