Why do CXers use cantis?

[kingLatency]

I've been wondering about this for a while. Just about all of the cyclocross bikes I've seen use non-V cantilever brakes, not calipers or Vs. Is there a reason for this? It's not just a tradition thing, is it?

[The Toninator]

well i do know they dont use road brakes (calipers) because they would clump with mud so they use the canti's for clearence. I'm not sure what the deal with V's is though.

[bomberz1qr20]

Most road levers are for cantis and road calipers. The only linear pull compatible lever (a Dia Comp I think) is kinda sucky.
You can add travel adjuster pulleys but it's not really all that neccesary to run V's on a CX bike, I don't think it's as demanding for brakes as mtn riding is.

[Serial Midget]

Stopping power and weight. Road calipers do not need to be that beefy. V-brakes also require more pull and are not compatible road style brake short pull levers - and they are overkill. Cantis are a good compromise for the task they do. You'll also notice cantis on touring and tandem bikes - both need the extra power to stop the heavy loads.

[recidivist]

At the risk of being redundant, V-brakes need more cable pull to be effective (lower leverage). Your average road brake (STI, Campy Ergo, or otherwise) can't even come close. Cantis, to a greater or lesser degree require less cable pull (higher leverage) and are more capable of being run with levers meant to operate calipers. Your average XT cantis off your old Trek will work marginally well. 'High leverage' cantis -- Mafacs, Pauls, Spookys, etc will work even better.

It's important to remember that this is less of a 'compatibility' problem (as opposed to, say, mixing Campy and Shimano equipment) and more an 'effectiveness' issue. I could, hypothetically hook my Ergo lever directly to a V-brake, and dial it in so that when I squeezed the lever, the V-brake would rub on the rim, but the overall operation would suck in terms of rim clearance, braking power, etc.


It should also be remembered that V-brakes are, to some degree a 'next big thing' fashion issue, not a drastic revolution in braking. They are generally more powerful, but that's largely because they are easier to set up.

[bomberz1qr20]

Originally posted by recidivist


It should also be remembered that V-brakes are, to some degree a 'next big thing' fashion issue, not a drastic revolution in braking. They are generally more powerful, but that's largely because they are easier to set up.

???:confused::confused:

I ...uh.


Oh forget it.

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by bomberz1qr20
???:confused::confused:

I ...uh.


Oh forget it.

I know exactly what you are saying - I rode canti's on for years before V-Brakes... V-Brakes are vastly superior, IMHO. :D

[recidivist]

Originally posted by Serial Midget
I know exactly what you are saying - I rode canti's on for years before V-Brakes... V-Brakes are vastly superior, IMHO. :D

I guess I haven't had the same experiences. V-brakes are hells easier to set up properly, but I've used canti setups with comparable stopping power.

My point is ... er. Hell, I forget, too.

Oh, right. Comparing STI levers + cantis vs. STI levers + Travel Agent + V-brakes is a fair comparison, braking wise. There's a lot of tradition with using cantis on CX frames, but it isn't just using outdated for the sake of tradition.

Whatever.

[indieboy]

lol or you could always go w/ a disc brake and burn your leg or another body part when you get off n dismount :D that's only for the hardcore cx riders who are truely worried about braking power :monkey:

[TN]

Originally posted by indieboy
lol or you could always go w/ a disc brake and burn your leg or another body part when you get off n dismount :D that's only for the hardcore cx riders who are truely worried about braking power :monkey:
Hey, that is one cool looking flesh wound though.

[peter6061]

When I first built up my Bontrager CX bike, I installed XT V-brakes on it with those stupid V-daptors. The bike had way too much braking power. I could just touch the levers and lock up the wheels if I wanted.

My thoughts were that because the wheels were so light, they didn't need that kind of stopping power and switched the brakes back over to my old XTR cantis. I can still lock the wheels up easily, but have more modulation now.

I've been running it like that for the past 5 years and loving it.

Stops on a dime.(or a small rock)

[oldfart]

V's are not compatible with road levers. Using that combo results in way too much power almost no modulation. Remeber cross races are run on essentially slightly modified road bikes. Those skinny tires offer little traction on slimy muddy trails and its faster to run up or down. Cantis allow mud clearance which road brakes don't.

There no such thing as high leverage cantis. They pretty much all use the same mechanical advantage otherwise they would not work with the various brake levers which are all designed for road brakes. Pauls, Mafac and other retro style cantis are a pure fashion statement. The distance from pivot to where the cable attaches to the brake is the same therefore the mechanical advantage is the same assuming the pulling cable is attached in the same degree, that is it pulls at 90 degrees to a line drawn through the cable attachment and brake pad at contact.

[Clark Kent]

I've always felt that cantis are fine on a crosser cus of the thin contact patch and the relatively loose terain that kind of bike is made for...The two together make for a tire that breaks loose real easy durring braking. Ya only need so much clamping power before the tire locks up anyway!:monkey:

[Motionboy2]

Canti's now work WAY better than canti's of old, however the v-brakes offer better performance. As I think everyone has said before the v-brakes don't have the same pull ratio as the canti's so they are not compatable without a "travel agent"
However what i don't think anyone said was that the travel agent is very effective at changing the pull of the lever, but it easily gets clogged with mud. This pretty much eliminates any advantage you get with the v-brakes
Now you are slowly starting to see disc brakes enter the picture. Avid make some (mechanical) with the right pull ratio to work with road levers.

[indieboy]

Originally posted by Motionboy2
Canti's now work WAY better than canti's of old, however the v-brakes offer better performance. As I think everyone has said before the v-brakes don't have the same pull ratio as the canti's so they are not compatable without a "travel agent"
However what i don't think anyone said was that the travel agent is very effective at changing the pull of the lever, but it easily gets clogged with mud. This pretty much eliminates any advantage you get with the v-brakes
Now you are slowly starting to see disc brakes enter the picture. Avid make some (mechanical) with the right pull ratio to work with road levers.

disc brakes do not belong on a cross bike, it is simply wrong....period, the end......:monkey: :D