Stupid Question. A _really_ stupid question

Mark Thompson said:

Trying to fit some Kool Stops but they're too long and the forks get
in the way. As I was shaving bits off them to get them to fit a
passing housemate asked if they were meant to go the other way
around! Should the pointy arrow on the blocks point to the front of
the bike or to the back?

Arrows point to front of bike, "plow tips" at the back.

If it's the Mountain v-brake versions you're having trouble with,
"Thinline" might suit better.

Quoted message said:

(I've guessed front. Hopefully that's right and I'll just sound
paranoid instead of brain dead)

It's not all that stupid... Or if it is I'm stupid too because I fitted
some canti Kool Stops the wrong way round. The squealing was incredible.

~PB

Quoted message said:

Arrows point to front of bike, "plow tips" at the back.

Phew! It's taken me enough time to get the damn things set up correctly -
didn't want to have to do it all over again!

Quoted message said:

If it's the Mountain v-brake versions you're having trouble with,
"Thinline" might suit better.

It's ones for caliper brakes. Well, they should be 'cos I asked for kool
stops wot fit the bike I wheeled into the shop.

Am now trying to fit the front rack. I've managed to find a home for most
of the bolts, but there're still some important looking ones in the packet.
Must insist on having written instructions next time :-)

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

Quoted message said:

Arrows point to front of bike, "plow tips" at the back.

snip

Quoted message said:

It's not all that stupid... Or if it is I'm stupid too because I fitted
some canti Kool Stops the wrong way round. The squealing was incredible.

Now you have me worried.

On the canti Kool Stops there is a long arm (this has the beak type thing at
the end -- the 'eagle's claw) and a short arm.

I have these mounted short arm forward with the 'eagle's claw at the
trailing end of the brake.

Do I also qualify for a stupidity award? The back brakes work a dram like
this while the fronts do squeal a bit.

T

Tony W said:

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

Quoted message said:

Arrows point to front of bike, "plow tips" at the back.

snip

Quoted message said:

It's not all that stupid... Or if it is I'm stupid too because I fitted
some canti Kool Stops the wrong way round. The squealing was incredible.

Now you have me worried.

On the canti Kool Stops there is a long arm (this has the beak type thing at
the end -- the 'eagle's claw) and a short arm.

I have these mounted short arm forward with the 'eagle's claw at the
trailing end of the brake.

Do I also qualify for a stupidity award? The back brakes work a dram like
this while the fronts do squeal a bit.

T

You probably need to adjust the "toe in". If the blocks are parallel to
the rim they will squeal. Here comes the obligatory link to Sheldons web
page 🙂
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ta-o.html#toe
This site will answer 99% of your setup questions. Sheldon also pops in
here every now & then. HTH

Stan Cox

Tony W said:

Now you have me worried.

On the canti Kool Stops there is a long arm (this has the beak type thing at
the end -- the 'eagle's claw) and a short arm.

I have these mounted short arm forward with the 'eagle's claw at the
trailing end of the brake.

The "claw" should be at the front. There's an arrow on these brake pads that
shows the rim direction.

I had them the wrong way around too, and the squealing was rather terrible 🙂

Cheers,
Arnaud.

Reply to Stan Cox

Quoted message said:

This site will answer 99% of your setup questions. Sheldon also pops in
here every now & then. HTH

I think he has an automatic search on his name, so if you perform the
magic incantation "Sheldon Brown, Sheldon Brown, Sheldon Bro-o-own",
he may just appear, like a sort-of cycling-related genie in the
pantomime.

OT: Sheldon, if you're now reading this, sorry you didn't come to
Buxton, there've been some *excellent* productions.

--
Mark, UK.
"This helmet, I suppose..."

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

Quoted message said:

I think he has an automatic search on his name, so if you perform the
magic incantation "Sheldon Brown, Sheldon Brown, Sheldon Bro-o-own",
he may just appear, like a sort-of cycling-related genie in the
pantomime.

OT: Sheldon, if you're now reading this, sorry you didn't come to
Buxton, there've been some *excellent* productions.

A while back SB explained how he got to read some threads. Placing the
above incantation in the Subject line is more likely to be successful in
conjuring up a helpful yank.

T

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

Quoted message said:

The "claw" should be at the front. There's an arrow on these brake pads

that

Quoted message said:

shows the rim direction.

I had them the wrong way around too, and the squealing was rather terrible

🙂

Thanks. Oh well, something to do while its raining.

T

Tony W said:

On the canti Kool Stops there is a long arm (this has the beak type
thing at the end -- the 'eagle's claw) and a short arm.

I have these mounted short arm forward with the 'eagle's claw at the
trailing end of the brake.

Do I also qualify for a stupidity award? The back brakes work a dram
like this while the fronts do squeal a bit.

No, you have them the correct way round. Correctly fitted Kool Stops can
still squeal, but it's nothing compared to how they are when upside down.

~PB

Arnaud said:

The "claw" should be at the front.

I'm not sure what the "claw" is now but the blocks are mounted correctly
when the short arm is to the front. Kool Stop call the protruding wedge a
"plow tip" (ie. plough tip) -- that goes to the back, definitely.

~PB

Mark Mcn

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

This site will answer 99% of your setup questions. Sheldon also pops in
here every now & then. HTH

I think he has an automatic search on his name, so if you perform the
magic incantation "Sheldon Brown, Sheldon Brown, Sheldon Bro-o-own",
he may just appear, like a sort-of cycling-related genie in the
pantomime.

Hhu? Mmmfff...Whazzat?...sorry, not really awake before the second
litre of espresso today...

Quoted message said:

OT: Sheldon, if you're now reading this, sorry you didn't come to
Buxton, there've been some *excellent* productions.

Love to make it some year, dunno when. I was over on your side of The
Pond in June, visiting my son in Bristol, and various old friends in
France, London and Leamington Spa...

Sheldon "Shazam!" Brown
Newtonville, Massachusetts where we're all going to vote for John
Kerry.
+-------------------------------------------+
| Good judgment comes from experience, |
| and experience comes from bad judgment. |
| --Fred Brook |
+-------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

As my grandmother used to say, looking at me pointedly, there are no
stupid questions, only stupid people.

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

On the canti Kool Stops there is a long arm (this has the beak type
thing at the end -- the 'eagle's claw) and a short arm.

I have these mounted short arm forward with the 'eagle's claw at the
trailing end of the brake.

Do I also qualify for a stupidity award? The back brakes work a dream
like this while the fronts do squeal a bit.

No, you have them the correct way round. Correctly fitted Kool Stops can
still squeal, but it's nothing compared to how they are when upside down.

Thanks. I fitted them that way because it 'looked right'. This way the
arrow on the wear line points forward and does not show the direction of the
wheel.

The backs work so well that I am convinced you are right. The fronts
probably need some adjustment and a bit more bedding in.

T