Regarding the discussion based on the topic I brought up and
subsequently abandoned, I want to thank everyone for their input. For a
review,
http://tinyurl.com/4vh3w
I think I found the problem though. I don't think so much that the
caliper or caliper/lever compatibility is the problem. It appears to be
a pad problem.
http://home.earthlink.net/~robinhubert/id3.html
Although these pads are the same brand and model pad as is on my other
bike with short reach calipers, they are apparently defective. The
pictures show rapid wear with curling of the material at the edges (not
overshoot on the rim), and a strange surface texture. The good pads
have several thousand miles on them in all conditions. The bad pads
have only several hundred miles on them.
I replaced them with new Shimano pads (single dot) and braking is much,
much better but not quite up to the short reach bike with Tektro pads.
The scraping sounds are gone now too. I just got some Koolstop salmon
inserts and will try them soon.
Since I never answered the questions you all so generously put forth to
help me understand ... my short reach Dura Ace brakes are 54mm
Cable-Pivot, and 48mm reach (these are front brake measurements) while
the Superbe's are 53mm and 55mm respectively. So, that's 1.125 for the
Dura Ace caliper and 0.964 for the Superbe's? Does that mean I'm
getting a reduction in mechanical advantage? Can this be right?
Thanks again everyone.
Robin Hubert