Sorry more annoying questions:

Getting a Kaff frame and forks soon and swapping most of the bits over from my Superlight hopefully – I gather I can’t use the brakes, and my choices are cantis or mini v brakes. Which are best? I read that the wheels have to be perfectly true not to rub on mini Vs. The Kaffenback builds normally come with tektro mini Vs though.

Just after something cheap and reliable, doesn’t have to be amazing performance as I doubt I’ll be doing any proper CX type stuff.

Mini-Vs pull work best with long-pull levers – eg DiaCompe 287Vs (or whatever they are called these days) . They will work with short-pull levers but the setup is more critical – cue lots of whinging from people who don’t set them up right.

Cheers for the response – would be using them with Ultegra STIs, they are short pull aren’t they?

I would probably be one of those people whinging. 😉

Just want the easiest, cheapest thing that will work really.

would be using them with Ultegra STIs, they are short pull aren’t they?

Yep.

I’m a happy user of mini-Vs, but on other threads about this there seem to be a majority saying go for cantis.

As I understand it, mini-v’s require less pull than standard v’s, but more pull than a canti, so sit somewhere inbetween… they will work with road levers, but, as stated above, might require some careful setup.

Oh, and if it makes any difference, I’ve decided to go for mini-v’s on my Pompino…

Until I start whinging about the setup and go back to canti’s… 😉

What Mini Vs did you go for funkynick?

If the cantis are set up correctly, they will work fine Grumm.

Only problem I have with Cantis on my Kaff is if you turn sharply, the brake cable can catch the gear cables which cause the front brake to lock

STW kaff brake question

Mini v’s work great with road levers, the’re easy to set up too. You need to run them very close to the rim though, which means you won’t be able to unhook the noodle. I got two in line adjusters from sjs cycles which allow you to wind the tension off to unhook the noodle

grumm… just some Tektro ones I picked up in the classifieds, not got them yet, so we’ll see how they go, but to be honest they can’t be any worse than the normal v brake I have on the back of my Pompino at the moment, which is there due to the lack of any canti bosses…

Thanks folks. Hmm – can someone offer me a strongly opinionated, convincing-sounding argument for either one so I can stop dithering. 😉

OH yes

Mini V’s I have a set on my pompino and Kaff and they are brilliant at speed braking I can lift the back wheel with full control.

They are easy to set up (unless you are a bit spanner inept)

BTW I use dura ace levers on the pompino and campag ergo’s on the Kaff so your sti levers will be okay

Hmm – still can’t decide. Anyone got a set of one or the other for sale cheap? 😛

paulsoxo – any chance of a link to what you are talking about from sjs cycles? Not exactly sure what you mean. Ta.

http://www.bikeparts.com/search_results.asp?ID=BPC317651

Look like that. They can be put in line, or straight onto the noodle, which I think looks better and works easier. Then just adjust the brakes dead close to the rim and use those to fine tune/slacken off to allow you to unhook the noodles.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Tektro-Tektro-917.12-V-Brake-Lead-Pipe-with-Adjuster-90-Deg-18060.htm

Possibly a better solution

Ah ok, nice one.

have mini v brakes on my tricross with road STi levers and while they work, I’m not overly happy with them. I’m looking to try canti brakes instead, or swap to a disc compatible frame. The rims are within 0.2mm true but if I get out of the saddle, I can hear the brakes rub. There’s as little toe in as I can get away with, any less and they squeal like a stuck pig. By the time I’m getting the bike to stop from full lick, the lever is almost back to the bar and squeezing it a bit more to get it there wouldn’t be a problem. I’ve fitted Dia-compe flexi noodles from billy’s. As said above, without such, you’ll always be nipping the cable up as the pads wear and you’ll need to be able to create some slack to get the wheel out.

Mini V brakes do feel like a bit of a compromise. Maybe with the growth in the cross market, Shimano might consider a V brake STi lever!

To be fair, the standard pads in the Tektro ones are (were) gash. I put some clarks v pads in, and they made a huge difference.

Anyone know what these LX Cantis are like? http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Canti_And_V_336.html

Think I might give them a go for the sake of a tenner.

Mt Tricross single came with mini V’s and supposedly matching levers. Brakes were fairly lousey compared with flat bar brakes or even the 1983 vintage Campag calipers on my road bike. Went to LX cantis and things are no better. Maybe the V compatable levers are the problem here. To be honest if you have the same set up as mine as stamdard I would change the levers as well. Things like Froglegs cantis get good reviews as do the Tekro version.

Are you using them for normal road/commuter type use or for cyclocross stuff? Don’t really want to have to change levers.

Could go flat-barred I spose and get normal Vs but that’s more messing about and I think I prefer having the different hand positions.