Brake Question

tlarwa said:

I am setting up my older Softride Solo for winter riding, and want to put
on wider tires (with a bit more aggressive tread - I live in WI) and maybe
fenders, at least in the rear (I remember seeing a fender that will work
well on a road bike frame - any suggestions?). There's an Ultegra
brakeset on it right now

Looking at pics of that bike--it seems pretty unsuited for conversion to a
winter bike--especially a WI (!!) winter bike. Wide tires ain't going to
fit, and forget about fenders, unless you use the clip on rather
ineffective mtb kind.

I'd honestly look for a different bike to start with, as WI winter
conditions beg for a less fragile beast.

Might be nice as a fall/spring/rain bike if you can fit some 35mm fenders
to it, but that would leave very little room for tires, so you'd still
have to go very skinny, if indeed the fenders fit at all.

If you do go the winter route with this one with the clip-on
fenders--grab a set of cyclocross tires that'll fit under those brakes.
Perhaps the 28mm Tufo tubular/clincher. I'd also mount some of those
in-line levers for the bar tops too, as you'll probably be spending some
quality time in that hand position. Some brake pads suited for slop would
also be in order.

Good luck! Sounds like an interesting project.

tlarwa said:

I am setting up my older Softride Solo for winter riding, and want to put on
wider tires (with a bit more aggressive tread - I live in WI) and maybe
fenders, at least in the rear (I remember seeing a fender that will work
well on a road bike frame - any suggestions?). There's an Ultegra brakeset
on it right now. What size tires will fit, or is there a road brakeset
available that will accept wider tires? The frame does not have bosses, so
I can't put canti's on it. I realize there will be a width limit due to the
fork as well (it has some generic carbon fork on it) ... I'll take that into
consideration. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated! Feel free to
respond to the post, I read this group every day.

Look at the clearance between your tire and your frame's brake bridge.
That's the sum total you have to increase the tire size and try to
squeeze in a fender.

Sort of unlikely.

I'd recommend finding an older frame - possibly even one that was
built for 27" tires, and converting it to winter duty. You'll have
room for fenders and fatter tires, and you won't lose sleep over it
rusting away.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

I've converted several bikes from 27 inch to 700c, and it works great.

Many of those old 27-inch-wheeled frames had gobs of room under the
brakes even with the original wheels.

tlarwa said:

I am setting up my older Softride Solo for winter riding, and want to put on
wider tires (with a bit more aggressive tread - I live in WI) and maybe
fenders, at least in the rear (I remember seeing a fender that will work
well on a road bike frame - any suggestions?).

There are SKS Race Blades, which clip on seatstays. Alternatively
you can use any MTB rear fender which clips on the seatpost.
They do not protect front derailer area, but save your back from
any mud quite well (if long enough -- some are not).

Quoted message said:

There's an Ultegra brakeset
on it right now. What size tires will fit, or is there a road brakeset
available that will accept wider tires?

There are two standards, see http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ra-e.html#reach.

The shorter one is limited by about 25mm. The longer one can take
about 37mm. If you have shorter brakes, you can not just replace them for
longer once, see the referenced page.

Konstantin Shemyak.

Most side-pull brakes now available have either 39-49 or 47-57mm of
reach.

And if the frame was not designed for the brakes, just putting on new
calipers won't work.

That's where going from 27-inch to 700c or from 700C to 650B might be
the solution.