Brompton v-brakes

I have V-Brakes on my touring bike and I can assure you they were the very devil to get working properly. My touring frame is a Cannondale and I am not sure if there is anything technically different between these frames like cable routing, bosses, whatever. My answer also assumes a standard road handlebar rather than a ATB bar. I have also not worked with a mini V-brake but I don't think there is a huge material difference between them and the one I use. I could be wrong.

It is a pity that really good cantilever brakes are difficult to find these days because the V-brakes are not that much better than a cantilever brakes.

That said, here are the problems I had with the brakes I installed (Shimano XTR):

1) The springs on the brakes themselves are much weaker than a road bike requires. The ATB type brake levers compensate by having a much stronger spring to retract the cable. Road bike lever have a weak one or none at all. Even after bending the springs to increase the tension, the brake pads would not come off the rim. I had to mount a spring along the cable between the arms to get pads off the rim. I got the spring and some rubber washers that separate the spring from the arms at a hardware store. The length of the spring should exceed the distance between the ends of the V-brake arms by a quarter of an inch or so.

2) Cable retraction required for a road bike brake is much less than for V-brakes so a road lever optimized for V-Brakes is made by Dia-Compe. Fortunately, it is a good comfortable lever. Note, however, that you're probably not home yet. When I installed the lever, braking was OK but not good and the levers bottomed out easily. Unfortunately it was also necessary to install one of those devices that doubles the amount of cable retracted for a given amount of lever movement. They are called "cable-doublers" around here before installation and quite a few other names during and after installation.

The result of all my efforts is a brake that works pretty well but don't expect the elegant performance of a good road brake or even a good cantilever. The V-brakes were never designed for road bikes. I use mine only because a really good cantilever brake is just not available any longer so far as I am aware. The effort to activate the brakes is higher than normal but not, at least to me, objectionable.

In article <[email hidden]>, usenet- [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I have V-Brakes on my touring bike and I can assure you they were the very devil to get working
properly. My touring frame is a Cannondale and I am not sure if there is anything technically
different between these frames like cable routing, bosses, whatever. My answer also assumes a
standard road handlebar rather than a ATB bar. I have also not worked with a mini V-brake but I
don't think there is a huge material difference between them and the one I use. I could be wrong.

[detailed points snipped]

The mini-v brakes are technically different, they don't require as much cable pull as standard
v-brakes and thus are directly suited to STI levers without any adjustments or attachments.

Colin

In message <[email hidden]>, Houckster <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

My touring frame is a Cannondale and I am not sure if there is anything technically different
between these frames like cable routing, bosses, whatever. My answer also assumes a standard road
handlebar rather than a ATB bar.

The OP was talking a bout a Brompton, this is flat handle barred folding bike. I can't see that you
could fit V brakes to one with out first having mountings brazed on for them though.

Quoted message said:

It is a pity that really good cantilever brakes are difficult to find these days because the
V-brakes are not that much better than a cantilever brakes.

Apparently Shimano are going to start making a cantilever brake again (got this from either thee CTC
rag or Velovision).

I've heard good reports here about the Avid ones.

--
Chris French, Leeds

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

Quoted message said:

I have V-Brakes on my touring bike and I can assure you they were the very devil to get working
properly.

....

Quoted message said:

The V-brakes were never designed for road bikes.

V- brakes are not compatible with non-V levers. Thats the problem

If anyone made V-levers for drop bars they'd probably work well. With the right levers, they're
easier to set up than cantis and can deal with more abuse.

W K said:

If anyone made V-levers for drop bars they'd probably work well. With the right levers, they're
easier to set up than cantis and can deal with more abuse.

As Houckster said, Dia Compe /do/ make drop-bar V-brake levers. I have a set on my drop-bar touring
bike, which originally had cantilevers from the late Bronze Age (1985) fitted. The V-brakes - Avids
- are far from satisfactory as the lever seems to bottom too readily. I may be obliged to invest in
a couple of those Travel Agent doofers. The cheap and cheerful Shimano V's on the MTB are shedloads
better, though neither is anything like as good as discs...

Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.ukOpen ↗
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Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
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Colin Blackburn said:

I was looking at getting some of those outland mini-v brakes for my tourer and it set me wondering
what sort of v-brakes would be suitable for a Brompton. Does the Brompton caliper brake system pull
enough cable for a standard v-brake or would it need something like the mini-v brakes? Whatever is
required are there any with a suitable form-factor for the Brompton?

Cheers,

Colin

If you're bothered about the rather pathetic brakes on the Mk 2 Brompton, a viable option is to fit
the Mk 3 brakes. There's an upgrade kit available for about £30. Made a big difference to my bike.

I'd be a bit concerned that V brakes might be a bit too powerful for a Brompton - when braking hard
I sometimes get the feeling that I'm close to going over the handlebars. If I had V brakes I might
just pull a bit too hard in an emergency.

Mike

Remove socks before replying.

It's been done by Steve Parry of Weston Super Mare, try google cos he does lots of "B" bits, or via
"Velo Vision" or "A to B" Mag Or it may be:- SPbicycles E-mail Address(es):
[email hidden]

SW

. "Colin Blackburn" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:MPG.198859959fdd4b05989b38@localhost...

Quoted message said:

I was looking at getting some of those outland mini-v brakes for my tourer and it set me wondering
what sort of v-brakes would be suitable for a Brompton. Does the Brompton caliper brake system
pull enough cable for a standard v-brake or would it need something like the mini-v brakes?
Whatever is required are there any with a suitable form-factor for the Brompton?

Cheers,

Colin

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Colin Blackburn said:

I was looking at getting some of those outland mini-v brakes for my tourer and it set me
wondering what sort of v-brakes would be suitable for a Brompton. Does the Brompton caliper brake
system pull enough cable for a standard v-brake or would it need something like the mini-v
brakes? Whatever is required are there any with a suitable form-factor for the Brompton?

Cheers,

Colin

If you're bothered about the rather pathetic brakes on the Mk 2 Brompton, a viable option is to
fit the Mk 3 brakes. There's an upgrade kit available for about £30. Made a big difference to
my bike.

I have a Mk3, I'm just curious.

Colin

In article <[email hidden]>, Steve.Watkin1 @btinternet.com says...

Quoted message said:

It's been done by Steve Parry of Weston Super Mare, try google cos he does lots of "B" bits, or
via "Velo Vision" or "A to B" Mag

Cheers. I have looked, on the web, at a couple of SP Bromptons. He has used standard V-brakes and
then fitted new levers, often on new bars.

I was intrigued by his use of a suspension seatpost as a stem on one of the bikes, particularly as I
have a spare suspension seatpost knocking about, but it looks like I'd need a completely different
post above the hinge for that.

Colin

Colin Blackburn <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<MPG.198859959fdd4b05989b38@localhost>...

Quoted message said:

I was looking at getting some of those outland mini-v brakes for my tourer and it set me wondering
what sort of v-brakes would be suitable for a Brompton. Does the Brompton caliper brake system
pull enough cable for a standard v-brake or would it need something like the mini-v brakes?
Whatever is required are there any with a suitable form-factor for the Brompton?

Cheers,

Colin

You can get a V-brake conversion from their US distributor, C M Wasson, as well as a few other
conversion bits. Just use normal V's and use new brake levers.

bromptonbike.comvbrakeMain.htmlOpen ↗

Tony