Odd brakes - ID?

Dave Salovesh said:

In my spare parts tub I have a pair of interesting Dia-Compe calipers. They're unusual, and I
don't quite know what they're meant for.

Quoted message said:

In brief, they have a very short reach that can be adjusted from 35mm to 40mm (total reach -
really!), they have eccentric pad position adjusters, they're very compact and "aero", and the
pads are small and teardrop shaped.

Quoted message said:

They're not marked much, only "GRAN-COMPE" on the cable adjuster nuts and "DIA-COMPE" on the face
of the body bolts. The levers are marked "AGC" in paint on the levers themselves.

They're Dia Compe - Aero Gran Compe model, hence AGC.

geocities.combrakes.htmOpen ↗

I know nothing more about them, but I happened to surf to the above page a couple of days ago, and
recognised your description. A deja.com search suggests that they were intended for time-trial use,
hence the limited tyre clearance and lack of stopping power.

James Thomson

Dave Salovesh said:

Quoted message said:

In my spare parts tub I have a pair of interesting Dia-Compe calipers. They're unusual, and I
don't quite know what they're meant for.

Quoted message said:

In brief, they have a very short reach that can be adjusted from 35mm to 40mm (total reach -
really!), they have eccentric pad position adjusters, they're very compact and "aero", and the
pads are small and teardrop shaped.

Quoted message said:

They're not marked much, only "GRAN-COMPE" on the cable adjuster nuts and "DIA-COMPE" on the face
of the body bolts. The levers are marked "AGC" in paint on the levers themselves.

James Thomson said:

They're Dia Compe - Aero Gran Compe model, hence AGC.

geocities.combrakes.htmOpen ↗

I know nothing more about them, but I happened to surf to the above page a couple of days ago, and
recognised your description. A deja.com search suggests that they were intended for time-trial
use, hence the limited tyre clearance and lack of stopping power.

In the early '80s there was a big fad for "aero" parts. These were DiaCompe's top-of-the-line model.
Many of the parts were interchangeable with contemporary Campagnolo calipers. (This was part of
DiaCompe's strategy to gain acceptance on the racing circuit, by making parts that pro race
mechanics could fix with their existing spare parts kits.

They were not intended specifically as a time-trial item, and the were not deficient in stopping
power. I ran one of these on the front of one of my tandems for quite a while and never found it
inadequate in stopping power.

The big fly in the ointment is the special brake shoes, which are unobtainable at any reasonable
price. Indeed, the $70 asking price in the link above is actually a good price for the brake
shoes alone!

Fortunately, the pads are quite long-lasting, but there's no alternate pad that will fit the unusual
eccentric mount of the calper arms.

Sheldon "AGC" Brown +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| In our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: | freedom of speech, freedom of
| conscience, and the prudence | never to practice either of them. --Mark Twain |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

In <[email hidden]>, "James Thomson"
<[email hidden]> opined:

Quoted message said:

They're Dia Compe - Aero Gran Compe model, hence AGC.

Cool - I coulda guessed about the name but I've seen it used on much more common looking calipers as
well so I wasn't sure these carried it too.

There's probably a model number that clears things up...

Quoted message said:

geocities.combrakes.htmOpen ↗

Yep, that's them -- but the site just went over its transfer limit.

Thanks.

--
Dave Salovesh [email hidden]

I wrote, of the DiaCompe AGC calipers:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

They were not intended specifically as a time-trial item, and the were not deficient in stopping
power. I ran one of these on the front of one of my tandems for quite a while and never found it
inadequate in stopping power.

Dave Salovesh said:

The front pad -does- have a bit more rubber meat to it than the rear, so I can see how it would
have sufficient stoppyness - certainly not less than more conventional brakes at least.

The short arms also provide more mechanical advantage.

Quoted message said:

But how did you work around the super short reach? Real drop bolts?

This homebuilt tandem started out with a recycled fork from a Miyata 912, which was made for those
calipers. Also, I was using 630 mm (27 inch) wheels, so the reach was fine.

I wound up replacing the fork with one from a Fuji touring bike, mainly because the front bottom
bracket was too low with the Miyata fork.

Quoted message said:

A tandem doesn't seem like a good place for your nifty aluminum bolt droppers...

I have full confidence in those (he's talking about sheldonbrown.comhome drop.htmlOpen ↗)

Sheldon "sheldonbrown.comtandem build.htmlOpen ↗" Brown
+------------------------------------------+
| To invent, you need a good imagination | and a pile of junk. --Thomas Edison |
+------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

"Dave Salovesh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In my spare parts tub I have a pair of interesting Dia-Compe calipers. They're unusual, and I
don't quite know what they're meant for.

In brief, they have a very short reach that can be adjusted from 35mm to 40mm (total reach -
really!), they have eccentric pad position adjusters, they're very compact and "aero", and the
pads are small and teardrop shaped.

They're not marked much, only "GRAN-COMPE" on the cable adjuster nuts and "DIA-COMPE" on the face
of the body bolts. The levers are marked "AGC" in paint on the levers themselves.

I got these new from a tiny specialty shop that was closing in the late 80's or early 90's.
I thought they'd look kewl on my main racing bike (back when I had one) but I didn't notice
the short reach until later. I kept 'em for the spare levers, but I don't remember if I ever
used them.

My SWAG is that these were designed for a very specific application, something like a time trial
"funny bike" or crit specific frame, but I can't find any frame specs that would confirm this.

Anyone know more better? I'll gladly email pictures to anyone who asks...

--
[email hidden] | depending, of course, | moc.gnirpsdnim@lasrad Dave Salovesh | on your
perspective | hsevolaS evaD

Dia Compe Aero Gran Compe

I have these on my mid-80's Univega. I think the look really cool. In fact, when I bought the bike
back in '84, the look of these brakes was the first thing that caught my eye. The bike spent the
90's in the garage but I have started riding again. My brake pads are almost 20 years old and are as
hard as rock. However, I have looked everywhere and can not find replacement pads.

STP

"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dave Salovesh said:

Quoted message said:

In my spare parts tub I have a pair of interesting Dia-Compe calipers. They're unusual, and I
don't quite know what they're meant for.

Quoted message said:

In brief, they have a very short reach that can be adjusted from 35mm to 40mm (total reach -
really!), they have eccentric pad position adjusters, they're very compact and "aero", and the
pads are small and teardrop shaped.

Quoted message said:

They're not marked much, only "GRAN-COMPE" on the cable adjuster nuts and "DIA-COMPE" on the
face of the body bolts. The levers are marked "AGC" in paint on the levers themselves.

James Thomson said:

They're Dia Compe - Aero Gran Compe model, hence AGC.

geocities.combrakes.htmOpen ↗

I know nothing more about them, but I happened to surf to the above page

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

couple of days ago, and recognised your description. A deja.com search suggests that they were
intended for time-trial use, hence the limited

tyre

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

clearance and lack of stopping power.

In the early '80s there was a big fad for "aero" parts. These were DiaCompe's top-of-the-line
model. Many of the parts were interchangeable with contemporary Campagnolo calipers. (This was
part of DiaCompe's strategy to gain acceptance on the racing circuit, by making parts that pro
race mechanics could fix with their existing spare parts kits.

They were not intended specifically as a time-trial item, and the were not deficient in stopping
power. I ran one of these on the front of one of my tandems for quite a while and never found it
inadequate in stopping power.

The big fly in the ointment is the special brake shoes, which are unobtainable at any reasonable
price. Indeed, the $70 asking price in the link above is actually a good price for the brake
shoes alone!

Fortunately, the pads are quite long-lasting, but there's no alternate pad that will fit the
unusual eccentric mount of the calper arms.

Sheldon "AGC" Brown +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| In our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: | freedom of speech, freedom of
| conscience, and the prudence | never to practice either of them. --Mark Twain |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Are pads available for these brakes?

What hoods fit the Aero Gran Compe brake levers?

Thanks.

STP