Hello all,

I’m having real issues getting the rear canti brake (tektro CR720’s) on my cross check to actually work. The front Canti is fine. I’m running new pads, clean rims, smooth cables, pad contact good – with STi’s.

Little experience with canto brakes, what are my options / your experiences:

1. Do the v-brake specific drop levers, direct to mtb v-brakes work well – (as well as mtb v’s on flat bar levers?)
2. Do i need the above with short arm / mini v-brakes?
3. Can i use my sti’s direct to mini v-brakes?
4. Can i use my sti’s to mini (or regular) v-brakes with those cable pull adaptors – do they work well?
5. Is there a great working set of canti brakes out there?
6. Do i need to give in and take it to a bike shop?

Or are all cantis just rubbish?

I would like to be able to lock out the wheels and get decent braking power, ideally from the hoods.

❓

Cantis are quite sensitive to set-up. I find the lower to the tyre you run the straddle wire, the spongier they feel, but the more powerful they are. Mini Vs will work with STIs without needing a travel agent, but you should be able to get CR720s to lock the wheel OK.

The seatpost canti hanger on the Crosscheck is neat but I think it introduces a bit of squidge, which probably doesn’t help.

Do the v-brake specific drop levers, direct to mtb v-brakes work well

Yes, I’ve got nice powerful brakes up on my Cross Check using this sort of set up. I can pretty much stand the the bike on its front wheel so the brakes are plenty powerful enough.

Can i use my sti’s direct to mini v-brakes?

I believe so although I run down tube shifters on mine so it has never been an issue.

As for whether cantis are rubbish I think you either love them or hate them. Last set of cantis I had were on my old touring bike. Once I upgraded to V brakes I was actually able to stop it.

If you’re used to disks or Vs then cantis will always feel a bit weak – try riding a road bike with side pulls for a while, after which cantis will feel amazingly powerful 😀

I use CR720s with Ultegra levers and can lock the rear wheel

3 things to try :
If you’re using standard pads, change them to something like koolstop salmons.
Check the pads are correctly aligned so that the whole of the pad surface is hitting the rim (in both planes), and slightly toed-in.
Experiment with the length of the straddle wire – I have mine so that the cantis are just about horizontal when the levers are off (i.e. straight line from centre of pad to centre of straddle wire clamp)

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/cantilever-brake-service

Have you tried toeing them in rather than setting them up parallel to the rim?

I’m waiting for a Cross Check disc – I wish they’d just get on with it and build one.

Might just get a Disc Trucker instead.

I’m waiting for a Cross Check disc

i badgered the Ison guy about this; he said it wasn’t on the radar at all.

i whether they are making surly & salsa distinct brands (like VW / Seat), meaning that something in salsa range covers it. Except that would be the la cruz which is defunct leaving the vaya which to quote salsa “is not a cross bike”

tuned into a ramble!!

Proper shame, tbh.
I’ve spoken to 3 people in the last month who’d buy one.

Mate has just bought a LHT and now wishes he’d gone for the disc version. Having had a go I can see why.
Apply brakes hard – listen to lovely ‘fssshhhhh’ sound whilst coasting gently to a halt a few hundred yards down the road. 😀

OK so far, to recap:

1. V-brake drop levers and mtb v-brakes work well
2. Sti’s might work direct with mini v-brakes – anyone with experience of this as it’s the cheapest option?
3. My canti’s should work ok?

The spring tension is not even between the 2 arms, pulling more on the right. If i offset the spring tension it’s too much of a difference and the tension screws don’t help either. So far I’ve offset the straddle cable with the pinch bolts on the straddle hanger, so i guess that means I’m not getting an even / optimum pull.

Any confirmation on the mini v route would be welcome.

Sti’s might work direct with mini v-brakes

No might about it, they do.

The straddle cable should be central, not offset.

Have you got end of the tension springs in the same hole on each of the seatstays?

That said, the tension won’t matter too much if they are correctly set up in the first place, as long as the brake pads clear the rims.

yep, center hole. I’m hands down a good bike mechanic, just very little experience with cantis. The front works great BTW.

I’m running fat tyres, so need to see it the mini v’s will clear the rubber.

I’ve found mini-Vs to work well and got some cheap genetic ones from charliethebikemonger (£10 an end), swapping the pads for the ones on my cantilevers. Although I’m not running big tyres, the arms are 85mm long, so there is quite a lot of room, but they will collect mud if you are riding cross.

I also found that having some way of adjusting the cables is very useful and got adjustable noodles from SJS cycles.

If the front works fine is it an issue with cable routing to the rear?

+1 for looking at the rear cable for poor root

try a new cable loosely zip tied just to see if it better?