Ineffective front cantilever brake

[AdrianStone]

I've just received my bike back from LBS after a rebuild. They had called me to ask about the brakes as they admitted they had some trouble setting them up. The front brake mechanism has been changed, not sure how to describe it, but the photos show the difference between the front (new) and rear (previous) mechanisms. Both brakes had new blocks rear were Jagwire and front a Shimano set - I had both as new spares at home from when I bought the bike.

The front brake seems very ineffective, little braking effect, whilst the back wheel  can be locked with not too much effort.

Any thoughts... other that go back to LBS?

Thank you

New Front



New Front



Rear



Rear

[B cereus]

The Mechanical Advantage (MA) of low-profile cantilever brakes like those is at a maximum when the straddle wire is as low as possible; Your old set up used Shimano staddle links which to a certain degree help to achieve this. As a consequence, it also follows that the MA is regressive, in other words it falls as the levers are operated and the straddle rises. Lowering the new straddle wire by shortening it should improve performance, but you may have to fit a longer inner cable or shorten the outer cable to gain a little extra length.

Because of this regressive behaviour the MA at the point when the pads contact the rim will be decreasing as the pads wear.  Further shortening the staddle wire or moving the pads closer to the rim is the correct way to compensate for pad wear.

[PH]

What B cereus said. For low and mid profile brakes the lower the yoke the longer the virtual lever and the less pad movement for the same cable pull, less pad movement equals more force - If you imagine a horizontal line from the boss and a line from the yoke continuing through the attachment point, where they intercept is the leverage.
With wide arm canti's it makes no difference, the arms are already horizontal.

[martinf]

Any thoughts... other that go back to LBS?

Try different brake blocks, at least on the front? My own favourite is KoolStop Salmon.

[AdrianStone]

Thank you all for the advice, think I'll start with replacing the pads with Koolstop thin line salmon or dual and see how it goes before adjusting the straddle cable... lots to learn!

[mickeg]

I agree with what B Cerius said.

If there are any kinks in the outer housing, that could also cause extra friction.  If with one hand you move the brake lever in and out, the other hand you press on the bare cable to keep tension on the cable,  you should be able to feel it if there is any friction in the outer housing or perhaps a frayed cable.

You said nothing about the brake levers, so I assume they are the same as before.

[AdrianStone]

New cables were fitted during the rebuild

[Andyb1]

Or for a trial fit the rear pads in the front and front pads in the rear?

[GamblerGORD649]

Long time no post here.
What the hell are those things? Antiques?? My 1990 Raleigh had those can't brakes also, were never straight a pain to use.
Your front rim looks gouged and has like 20 miles left before it asplodes. LOL Your LBS said nothing??
Rim brakes on a tour bike?? My Rohloff had a POS rim caliper for too long. Useless for stopping, then the Dyad rim got gouged by frozen mud in China. I finally noticed and changed it last year after it was cracking and creaking for 300 miles. But still ZERO spoke holes had any cracks. Fantastic rims like NO other. Eyelets are totally STUPID.

SJS has LOVELY SA XL-FDD dyno DRUM brakes. My first one has 32,000 miles, now on it's 3rd bike. Rim shines as good as new. It did both my tours, 8,100 miles and the bike was 120 lbs. LOL. NO camping gear. Works 100% of the time, BETTER than an disc. It made the rear brake irrelevant till I finally got a DIY disc mount with cable TRP Spyre put on.
And yah, the lights have always on for 14 years. Neither brake has ever squealed. 100% safe to slam to a stop from 40 mph, anytime.

Last week I was watching videos of guys rebuilding POS Shimano and Sanyo dyno hubs with loose grease bearings and rusted guts. Hilariously POOR design.