Technical > General Technical
Front V-brake on an Audax Mk3?
Donerol:
Advancing age, some carpal tunnel syndrome and maybe also arthritis means that I am starting to lose my grip in my right thumb, and hard braking can be painful. Some of my favourite roads are narrow, twisty and very steep, and are beginning to give me some problems on the Audax. On the Raven Tour I have no difficulty, but then it is rather harder work going up these same roads.
I've replaced the original calipers with R650s which helps a bit, and have some SwissStop blocks which I've yet to fit. I was thinking that the next step up would be a centre pull brake but a mini V would be even better.
I think the Thorn ST 700 fork fit the Mercury so presumably it can be used with the Audax? It comes with 46mm offset, the same as the Audax forks. I'm using 28mm tyres and mudguards.
mickeg:
Without a photo of your situation, I can't say much.
But I can say that Koolstop Salmon pads are a common remedy to improving braking.
I have mini-V brakes on my foldup bike. I almost have to be careful to avoid pulling the lever too hard or I might go over the handlebars because the brakes are so sensitive. Mine are Tektro mini-V brakes, 926AL. If you have fenders, make sure first that you have clearance for these. This page says teh arm length is 80mm. On some bikes there is not enough clearance over fenders for these.
https://www.tektro.com/products.php?p=187
PH:
See if you can get some to try before you spend too much money. I've had mini vs and Shimano deep drop brakes, on the same campag levers and both with salmon pads though on different bikes, I can't say I've felt any difference in the effort required. They seem to have very similar mechanical advantage (X cable pull = Y pad travel) There is some difference, which is why mini Vs need to be set close to the rim, but without changing the cable pull I can't it being much. If you're not weded to STI shifting, then full size Vs with the appropriate levers will be a bigger difference.
horizon:
Might it be possible to swap left for right brake?
Donerol:
--- Quote from: mickeg on January 24, 2018, 03:59:44 pm ---But I can say that Koolstop Salmon pads are a common remedy to improving braking.
--- End quote ---
At the moment the pads are BBB Tristops which I find very good, but I have soem SwissStops which are supposed to be better. I haven't fitted them yet because the weather has been so bad lately that I haven't been using this bike
--- Quote ---I have mini-V brakes on my foldup bike. I almost have to be careful to avoid pulling the lever too hard or I might go over the handlebars because the brakes are so sensitive....https://www.tektro.com/products.php?p=187
--- End quote ---
They sound just what I need! But I should think braking will be better with flat bar levers anyway. (I find flat bars very uncomfortable so changing to flats isn't an option.)
--- Quote from: PH on January 24, 2018, 05:12:38 pm ---See if you can get some to try before you spend too much money .... If you're not weded to STI shifting, then full size Vs with the appropriate levers will be a bigger difference.
--- End quote ---
I'll try my daughter's bike when I next get the chance - she has mini Vs with the same Tiagra 9-speed levers as I have. I remember when I rode it that I thought the brakes less hand effort, but that was some years ago and before my thumb had become troublesome.
I'm ambivalent about STI shifting - it is very convenient, but for smallish hands like mine the levers are not such a good shape, and less comfortable than the old-style ones which I have on my Raven. I have considered more than once going back to down tube levers which is what I used for over thirty years. Can you even get friction DT shifters still?
--- Quote from: horizon on January 24, 2018, 08:11:44 pm ---Might it be possible to swap left for right brake?
--- End quote ---
I've thought of that and it would be easy enough to do, but I think I'd find it too confusing after all these years, and with two other bikes in the stable.
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