Adding front disc brake

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groberts
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Joined: 27 Apr 2009, 4:15pm
Location: Surrey
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Re: Adding front disc brake

Post by groberts »

About to go ahead and then read this thread which now concerns me.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=123021

Does this mean I must change the brake levers if I change from cantis to v-brake or is there a work around? I have straight bars and thought I'd be able to use the same integrated brake lever-gear thumb shifter, how can they be so different?

Graham
Brucey
Posts: 44529
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Adding front disc brake

Post by Brucey »

groberts wrote:About to go ahead and then read this thread which now concerns me.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=123021

Does this mean I must change the brake levers if I change from cantis to v-brake.../


yes

or is there a work around?


you can buy travel agents but a) they are not a perfect solution for various reasons and b) they are expensive.

I have straight bars and thought I'd be able to use the same integrated brake lever-gear thumb shifter, how can they be so different?...


well they just are. The reason is the same one as you can't use SRAM X-series RDs with shimano shifters; the cable pull is different. Some levers (a few) allow the cable to be attached in two different ways, and will manage the correct cable pull for V brakes or cantis. Most are not like this.

As per the other thread, in many cases a canti brake can be made to be powerful enough if you are careful about setting it up; the new pads and cables that are required to do this don't cost a lot of money either.

If you were going to convert to disc brakes, you would have to choose between two types of caliper; 'MTB' ones (which work with V levers) and 'Road' ones which work with levers for caliper brakes or cantis. BB7 are made in both types and you can't just swap between them any more than you can swap between cantis and V brakes using the same levers.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
groberts
Posts: 588
Joined: 27 Apr 2009, 4:15pm
Location: Surrey
Contact:

Re: Adding front disc brake

Post by groberts »

OK thanks.

I now have a TRA which will be fitted as soon as it cools down a bit and will apply some TLC to the existing brakes and wheel setting for now.

I the longer run, probably over winter, I will take a closer look at new V-brakes and levers etc. Can anybody recommend suitable integrated brake and thumb operated gear levers for use with the Deore V610 brakes and Shimano Alvio 3x7 gears. The picture below shows the current set-up, with the gear levers slung under the handlebar. I see a lot of the modern integrated levers are quite bulky with the thumb lever on top, which I think will foul the other stuff on the handlebar, notably the throttle situated immediately next to the hand grip.

Thanks, Graham

IMG_20180702_123801349 (Small).jpg
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