Drop Bars and V-Brakes with 287 V Levers

[SPARSONS]

Anyone got any experience of how these work together? Some people have said they're difficult to set up and don't work that well, others say how good they are. Another option is regular Shimano levers and Mini- V's, but again there are varying reports on them aswell. I'm confused?

[Chris Land]

I asked a similar question recently on C+ and recieved a number of positive responses.  I was asking as I am fed-up with the squeal from my avid shorty6 cantilevers. Seems that they are much easier to set up than regular levers and 'travel-agents' with v-brakes.  No idea about mini-vs.  Some suggested that the hoods are less comfortable than shimano levers.

All of this is based on what other people have said to me though, but I haven't yet tried them myself.

[SPARSONS]

Chris,
Thanks for your reply, I've been there aswell. I'm probably going to give the 287 levers a try as I already have the V Brakes. C+ reviewed them twice and they scored an 8 and a 7 saying performance was as good as well set up cantis, but not as good as V-Brakes with straight bar levers. I'm currently running 35 mm tyres and dont know if they'd fit with mini-V's. Canti's are out as I don't have a rear brake hanger.
I've recently changed the brakes and bar set up on my XTC from Comfort bars and LX V-Brakes and levers to Drop Bars and Shimano Ultegra brake levers with Suntour XC Pro Cantis and the performance is Equal if not better now.
Steve

[Chris Land]

Thanks Steve.  I might give the Suntour XC Pro Cantis a go then.  Are those the self-energising ones as I had heard that they could be a bit tricky to set up...

[SPARSONS]

Chris,
There are 2 models of Suntour cantilevers, the XC Pro and the SE, self energising ones. I have the standard XC Pros and would thoroughly recommend them. Performance of the SE models was too powerful for my XTC frame though would probably be ok on your Nomad.
I don't know about setting them up as SJSC fitted them for me.
Steve

[Chris Land]

Cheers Steve.  Sounds like one of these on the front and an SE on the back might work. I will think this option over and make a decision soon...  What about you?  Have you decided to try the 287s?  Is there something specific about the XCs you want to improve on?

[Dude]

I think C+ said in their test that SunTour 287 leavers combined w. V-brakes did not hold any advantage over ordinary aeroleaver w. cantis. But they are good if you whant to run Vīs.
Cant see the disadvantage of running Travelagentīs. I think one of the worst thing on Vīs are that damn noodle. Impossible to get the damn wire through if it is used and ever so slightly crocked. The plastic inside colect dirt and then wears out to quickly.
I am building up my own "hack-bike" with old XT-cantis and a new set of Shimano Tiagra aeroleavers, rather than 287 and Vīs.

[tynevalleycommuter]

Re:- getting re-used brake wires through small holes, for years now I have been soldering the ends of new brake & gear cables as soon as I first cut them to length. Flux & resin core solder and a light soldering iron does the trick. The strands are bound together without noticeably increasing the diameter of the cable, and cables can be unthreaded for cleaning, lubricating etc and used time after time.[]

[SPARSONS]

Chris,
I have the XC Pro's with Ultegra levers on my XTC and they are great. I've just built a single speed IL Pompino and I have fitted the 287 V brake with some old promax V Brakes I had left over from a MTB upgrade. The brakes stop fine but both are set to the highest return spring tension on the arms and even at that I struggle to get the rear to return fully. I also have fitted the Bar Top levers which obviously adds extra resistance to the cable run. I fitted the Promax V brakes as an interim measure until I can get something better,(Deore XT or Avids). I will then fine tune the cable routings as I do have a bit of slack left to allow me to cut back the cables on the final system.
I think your idea of a XC Pro front and a SE rear would work really well, I think this is what SJSC fit to the EXP as standard.[]