Cantilever brakes with V brake levers?

[john28july]

Hello,
Has anyone experience useing V brake levers with Cantilever brakes? I am about to build a bike as described as the brakes I want to use are Cantilever but the shifters are combined XT units with V brake levers.
Any information should be deemed helpful.
John.

[stutho]

Hi John,
I am probably not going to tell you anything you don't already know but...

V brakes require a lot more cable to be pulled.  Therefore V brake lever pull more cable BUT WITH LESS FORCE than cantilever.  If you pull a cantilever caliper with a V brake lever it will feel 'solid' but you wont actually be slowing down much.

XT levers can be adjusted by removing small inserts at the cable pivot point.  Adjusting the XT lever for maximum leverage and minimum cable pull 'may' give you enough mechanical advantages but I doubt it - proceed with care!  There may be another solution I read somewhere (on C+ list I think) that a  travel agent can be used in reverse (i.e it can increase the leverage rather than decrease it.) I would check this info closely as again I have no direct knowledge.

Is there a reason that you don't want to switch to V brake calipers?

[john28july]

Hello Stutho,
You have given me some ptentially useful information! I see the little inserts in the brake lever pivots. I will move them when I fit the bike out and hopefully this will help. As to the use of cantilevers, I really like the Suntour Self Energising SE s and would like to use a set on the bike I am about to build. I will report back with my findings at a later date. If I do have to use V brakes then so shall it be, but I just do not like to leave a fitment brazed to the frame not in use (the cable stop at rear of rear triangle).
John.

quote:Originally posted by stutho

Hi John,
I am probably not going to tell you anything you don't already know but...

V brakes require a lot more cable to be pulled.  Therefore V brake lever pull more cable BUT WITH LESS FORCE than cantilever.  If you pull a cantilever caliper with a V brake lever it will feel 'solid' but you wont actually be slowing down much.

XT levers can be adjusted by removing small inserts at the cable pivot point.  Adjusting the XT lever for maximum leverage and minimum cable pull 'may' give you enough mechanical advantages but I doubt it - proceed with care!  There may be another solution I read somewhere (on C+ list I think) that a  travel agent can be used in reverse (i.e it can increase the leverage rather than decrease it.) I would check this info closely as again I have no direct knowledge.

Is there a reason that you don't want to switch to V brake calipers?

[stutho]

quote:I just do not like to leave a fitment brazed to the frame not in use (the cable stop at rear of rear triangle).

Could it be made into the mounting point for a rear reflector?  

[john28july]

quote:Originally posted by stutho

quote:I just do not like to leave a fitment brazed to the frame not in use (the cable stop at rear of rear triangle).

Could it be made into the mounting point for a rear reflector?  

Its all accademic now anyhow! Why? I am fitting drops instead as I never really get on with 'conventional' straight type bars. I will be flogging some nice XT bits shortly -on Ebay.
John.
PS The bike build is, by the way, a Thorn Sherpa.