Which V-?

DB4 said:

Hi
Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16. Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes seem so
fashionably expensive.

So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them to XT
levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?
Many thanks
Dennis

i'll vouch for them - they work great. xt brakes, with all those extra
joints and looseness, squeal like crazy - the avids don't. same pull
ratios so no mechanical problems with that combination.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hi

Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16. Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes seem so
fashionably expensive.<<

I've used them on two bikes and have had zero problems with either one.
Easy to use and they stop me just fine.

Jeff Jackson

DB4 said:

Hi
Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16. Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes seem so
fashionably expensive.

So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them to XT
levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?
Many thanks
Dennis

I choose any Avids V brakes over Shimano's. Of all the brakes I used/use
(XTR-XT V-brakes, mechanical disc brakes, hydraulic rimbrakes and
hydraulic disc brakes) they were the only brakes that never squeeled.
Great brakes.

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu (http://www.nb.nu)

In article <[email hidden]>,

Lou Holtman said:

DB4 said:

Hi
Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16. Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes seem so
fashionably expensive.

So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them to XT
levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?
Many thanks
Dennis

I choose any Avids V brakes over Shimano's. Of all the brakes I used/use
(XTR-XT V-brakes, mechanical disc brakes, hydraulic rimbrakes and
hydraulic disc brakes) they were the only brakes that never squeeled.
Great brakes.

For what it's worth: I couldn't stop XT front V-brakes from squealing
(It was actually a combination of a high squeal and a much lower tone
reminiscent of a baroque organ. I worried about scaring the cows on
alpine trails). The back brake was never a problem. I considered Avid,
but my LBS suggested that Deore brakes (no complicated linkage) would do
just as well for much less money. They have worked fine. If I were
buying now I would buy Deore LX instead of Deore because I prefer the
"pad" insert system.

Ned in Zurich

--
Ned Mantei
Zurich, Switzerland

DB4 said:

Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16. Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes seem so
fashionably expensive.

So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them to XT
levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?

I'd clean up the XT cantis, add new pads & cables.
YMMV.

p.s. normal levers won't pull linear brakes without an adapter. Which
costs more than a pair of linear levers in flat bar models.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Quoted message said:

DB4 said:

Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16. Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes
seem so
fashionably expensive.

So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them
to XT
levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?

jim beam said:

i'll vouch for them - they work great. xt brakes, with all those extra
joints and looseness, squeal like crazy - the avids don't. same pull
ratios so no mechanical problems with that combination.

I heartily agree about the overly complex, failure-prone XT-V.
But the OP has XT cantis.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

A Muzi said:

Quoted message said:

DB4 said:

Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more
commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16.
Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes
seem so
fashionably expensive.

So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them
to XT
levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?

jim beam said:

i'll vouch for them - they work great. xt brakes, with all those
extra joints and looseness, squeal like crazy - the avids don't. same
pull ratios so no mechanical problems with that combination.

I heartily agree about the overly complex, failure-prone XT-V.
But the OP has XT cantis.

maybe - but based on a quick google search for the original equipment
these bikes were sold with, i think he's got the wrong terminology - i
think he's looking at xt-v's. doubtless the op will clarify!

DB4 said:

Hi
Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16. Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes seem so
fashionably expensive.

So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them to XT
levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?
Many thanks
Dennis

Go Avid and use Avid or Kool Stop pads.

Thanks for the sound opinions guys. To clarify - the original setup is all
shimano alivio (cantis and combined brake lever/shifter). I got myself the
XT V-brake levers off e-bay to couple to my V-brakes. The 'expense' is in
having to change everything to get to do the upgrade - levers, shifters and
the brake itself. My thoughts on the XT brake itself seem confirmed though.
Interesting concept on paper but overly complex in reality. I'll go with
the Avids!!

Now - any thoughts on cables..... Thanks again.

Thx again
Dennis

On 7/5/07 05:13, in article [email hidden],

jim beam said:

A Muzi said:

Quoted message said:

DB4 wrote:
> Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more
> commonly
> available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
> cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16.
> Can't
> bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes
> seem so
> fashionably expensive.
>
> So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them
> to XT
> levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?

jim beam said:

i'll vouch for them - they work great. xt brakes, with all those
extra joints and looseness, squeal like crazy - the avids don't. same
pull ratios so no mechanical problems with that combination.

I heartily agree about the overly complex, failure-prone XT-V.
But the OP has XT cantis.

maybe - but based on a quick google search for the original equipment
these bikes were sold with, i think he's got the wrong terminology - i
think he's looking at xt-v's. doubtless the op will clarify!

DB4 said:

Thanks for the sound opinions guys. To clarify - the original setup is all
shimano alivio (cantis and combined brake lever/shifter). I got myself the
XT V-brake levers off e-bay to couple to my V-brakes. The 'expense' is in
having to change everything to get to do the upgrade - levers, shifters and
the brake itself. My thoughts on the XT brake itself seem confirmed though.
Interesting concept on paper but overly complex in reality. I'll go with
the Avids!!

Now - any thoughts on cables..... Thanks again.

Yep, the extra monkey-motion does not make for better braking. The LX brake is a
far better price/utility item.

The Avids are good too.

Ron

Quoted message said:

Thx again
Dennis

On 7/5/07 05:13, in article [email hidden],

jim beam said:

A Muzi said:

> DB4 wrote:
>> Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more
>> commonly
>> available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
>> cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16.
>> Can't
>> bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes
>> seem so
>> fashionably expensive.
>>
>> So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them
>> to XT
>> levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?

jim beam wrote:
> i'll vouch for them - they work great. xt brakes, with all those
> extra joints and looseness, squeal like crazy - the avids don't. same
> pull ratios so no mechanical problems with that combination.

I heartily agree about the overly complex, failure-prone XT-V.
But the OP has XT cantis.

maybe - but based on a quick google search for the original equipment
these bikes were sold with, i think he's got the wrong terminology - i
think he's looking at xt-v's. doubtless the op will clarify!

Ned Mantei said:

For what it's worth: I couldn't stop XT front V-brakes from squealing
(It was actually a combination of a high squeal and a much lower tone
reminiscent of a baroque organ. I worried about scaring the cows on
alpine trails). The back brake was never a problem. I considered Avid,
but my LBS suggested that Deore brakes (no complicated linkage) would do
just as well for much less money.

This is pretty much my experience as well. I had 1999 LX V-brakes which
had the then new parallelogram linkage design, and no matter what I did
the front brake squealed like crazy. Again no problems with the back
brake, probably because the frame triangle is stiffer than the front
fork and/or because of less braking available in the rear.

When I replaced them with 1998 LX brakes which still had the
conventional design all problems went away.

I guess the top-end XTR brakes might be fine now, but they are
definitely not worth the price. From the current Shimano range I'd get
the best V-brakes with conventional design (LX M580) or then something
by Avid. And whatever you buy, replace the stock pads with KoolStop
salmon pads, because they almost certainly work better and don't destroy
your rims.

Antti

DB4 said:

Hi
Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16. Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes seem so
fashionably expensive.

So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them to XT
levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?
Many thanks
Dennis

Wow, it's interesting to read all the posts that contradict my
experience. I have tried Avids and XTs and XTRs and my experience is
that the shimano brakes perform better with the same levers and pads. I
like the parallel push design, have never had any squeel or squeek on
numerous bikes. I am obviously in the minority so YMMV.
Andy

"DB4" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi
Seeking opinions on Avid V-brakes (Single Digit-7) over the more commonly
available Shimano brakes my local bike shop promote! I'm upgrading the
cantilevers (at significant expense) on my trusty old Orange C-16. Can't
bring myself to part with it yet, largely because all the new bikes seem
so
fashionably expensive.

So folks - anyone able to vouch for the Avids? I'll be coupling them to XT
levers. Or do the Shimano's win out with their XT brake?
Many thanks
Dennis

V-brakes = Avid.

Also have good experience with Koski Engineering v-brakes that I paid $15 a
piece which are just as strong as discs.