I’m in the process of building up my first CX bike and need some cantilever brakes. I’m not looking to spend much more than £50 but don’t really know where to start. I was looking at the planet x cantis but they don’t appear to have adjuster screws. Any recommendations?

get discs.

sorry.

Yeah, I realise it’s probably going to be the best of a bad lot but the frame I’ve got won’t take discs.

Tektro 720s are pretty good at around £35 to £40 a set (2 pairs) and have adjuster screws.
The pads they come with are pretty rubbish though (same with most cantis I think), I changed them to Kool Stop dual compound inserts for another £18 which improved the performance a lot.

get v brakes and travel agents

The Avid Shorty’s on my cross bike are mostly ok.

I’ve been looking at Mini v’s (no converter required). TRP do some rather nice looking ones for about £80-£90

it’s funny cus I set up my brakes that came with my ebay special and thought they were utter tosh (avid shorty 6) but after using them in anger last night at the swindon evening cross i thought they were fine.. it’s all about scrubbing speed off not absolute power

Try Tektro CR 520 or 720’s (or Avid shortys – although some people have issues with wheel removal with shortys- i didn’t though).

One thing – upgrading the pads from the stock one’s often improves the brakes immensely

rusty – do you know if the Koolstop inserts are suitable for Avid Shortys?

Depends which model I think.
The 4s have moulded pads that don’t take inserts. The ultimates take road pads which Kool Stop do and I think the 6s take standard v brake cartridge inserts.
You could always just buy whole new Koot Stop pads which take their replaceable inserts. They’re not much more expensive than the inserts alone.

As others have said Tektro 520s / 720s work fine

Mini v’s, i was happy with my Tektro canti’s right up until i fitted a set of mini v’s, now i wouldn’t dream of going back. Planet X did have Tektro mini v’s for £20 a set.

My TRP ones seem fine for me but never done any mega downhills just racing.

A set of old school shimano LX!

Thanks Rusty.

Fancy a set (front and rear) of unused Froggleg lookey-likeys for £15 excl. P+P? I have some 4ZA brakes, came with a Ridley I bought last year. Not quite the same shape as the Frogglegg arms but the same geometry, if you see what I mean. Includes the original pads, straddle wire and bolts. I know this probably should go in the classifieds section but you’d be less likely to notice it there now wouldn’t you?