My 12 yr old son has V brakes on his mtb and last time we rode he was complaining that he couldn't get them to slow him down and his forearms were hurting, bearing in mind he wasn't going that fast and the conditions were not that detrimental to rim brake functionality, how can I help improve his braking performance? Are there any aftermarket pads that would work better in varying conditions? Discs are an option as his bike has disc ready hubs, forks and frame but that is a last resort due to cost.
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V brakes, improving power?
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Posted 2 years ago #
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New cables and outers would be my first thought. Even when I thought i was running decent clean cables, new ones always made a noticeable difference. If you run the rear one full length with as few bends as possible it will run smoother for longer also.
You might want to check how 'square' the brakes are when they're applied. When the pads are on the rim you want the arms to be as close to vertical as possible to give the best leverage. You can adjust this (very roughly) using the fat/thin washers on the brake pad.
My favourite pads were the Clarkes VRC ones. £25 for a front and rear set, stupidly overpackaged but worked great and lasted ages.
A common adjustment we had to make to kid's bikes when we sold them was to wind in the levers closer to the handlebar. This didn't necessarily help the power, but it made them easier to reach which could help stop his arms hurting.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Longer brake lever blades perhaps? Dial them to bite closer to the bar so he can get his smaller hands round them a bit better? Thinner grips for the same reason?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Cartridge pads with a good compound pad make a big difference, as do good cables (XTR, Nokon, Yokozuna etc)
Posted 2 years ago # -
If you're going to spend £25 on pads and another £10-£15 on cables you might be best asking for a pair of £40 hydraulic disks on the classifieds? You can be sure that'll solve the problem.
My boy always used to get arm pump with v's but he's fine with disks.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Cartridge koolstops are pretty good - but like all rim brakes they need to be set up properly (tho' it's not difficult).
Could try cleaning the existing pads/rims as well as checking the alignment.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Used to see these sorts of things on most v-braked bikes 'back in the day'; actually, might try one myself on me v-braked old ratter...
Posted 2 years ago # -
Clean the rims with our best kitchen scrubber makes a huge difference.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Set up and clean/renew cables makes a much bigger difference than pad brand. Take each canti off and clean the boss and re-grease. Oil the lever pivot. Clean the rims thoroughly.
Using the reach adjustment is a good idea, as is moving level inboard a bit so he is using the end of the lever.
It would surprise me if you couldn't get them easily good enough.
Cheap cable disks can be far worse than regular Vs, so I wouldn't do that.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Move the lever blades so there closer to the bars.
Put some roofing tar on the rims aswell
Posted 2 years ago # -
Clean rims, decent pads and well adjusted brakes so they aren't yards from the rim and the reach is OK. Most Vees are alright, but some do have plastic arms (and plastic levers), particularly on kids bikes, which are useless.
In my experience the unbranded metal Vees can be a bit naff in their ability to return to the same position every time, but they will stop you.
If you can lay your hands on a pair of parallel push brakes, they are immense. Major improvement over standard Vees.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Mark,I'm ditching my old M4's/ mini off the commuter. So if he wants a 185mm M4 front, no probs.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Replace the V brake noodle with QBP Travel agents
I use them on cross bike to run Vee's with Shimano STI levers but they can also be used to increase power
Got mine from Mark Anthony cycles in Buxton (via thier ebay shop -activesportskit, about £19 each I think
Google QBP Travel agents for more infoPosted 2 years ago # -
I have fitted Gorrilla brake boosters on both my 15 year old GT's and on decent V brakes LX or XT etc i find they make a difference... as they stop the frame from flexing thus all the power goes to the V brakes. But if the V brakes are not of decent quality they will flex and power will be lost.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Mark,
Similar to Mick but i have a front Avid Arch Rival Vbrake and lever in the spares bin if you want to try that. Think i also have a pair of XT brake arms as well if i recall. Drop me a text if you want to try either.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Try some of the avid brake levers. I found them much better than Shimano, both on my old V brakes setups amd on my Avid BB7s I have on my bikes now.
Posted 2 years ago # -
3 things.... clean rims, sand down pads a bit, new cables with lube in the outers.
endo-tastic
Posted 2 years ago # -
ok 5.... make sure sring tension not to high and grease brake bosses...
Posted 2 years ago # -
+1 for cartridge pads. Make a massive difference if set up properly. I wouldn't bother with cheap cable disks - you'll have similar problems and be continually faffing with them.
Obviously disks are a good thing, but people tend to forget that we managed for years without them. Well set up Vs can be great.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I've fitted a couple of Acor-branded brake boosters to my GF's little Specialized hardrock frame, but TBH the frame & forks (Marz. Bombers) do still flex. Which is a bit naff.
I've adjusted to within an inch of their life & they pull on squarely, but I can nearly pull the rear brake lever to the bar.
Will continue watching this thread for thoughts...Posted 2 years ago # -
Mick, Steve,
thanks for the offer of the disks, prob is Harry's hubs are shimano centre lock so not a goer with your brakes. I have a set of Avid single digit or something V brakes that were fitted to Jue's Inbred so could try them. Another option is to swap everything off the Inbred on to Harry's although I fear 180 M4's F&R might be excessive for his 40kg's
Being a fashion victim, my son is badgering me down the disc route, anyone any experience of these Shimano M495
Posted 2 years ago # -
If you shop around you can get M525 hydraulics for a similar price.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=7884
If you do go down the cable route, would recommend Avid BBs, for a few quid more.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31350
Posted 2 years ago # -
Aye, cheap Shimano disk brakes come with pretty horrible pressed and shiny rotors which never seem to grab very well and squeal like a pig, so if those 525 come with proper rotors then they'd be a good buy. For long and tedious reasons I'm not a fan of BB5 brakes but BB7 are good.
Posted 2 years ago # -
If I go down the hydraulic disc route it also means new shifters as currently he has brake and shifter units combined, also need to buy rotors on top for both shimano and avids as he has centrelock hubs, the M495 are £32 each end complete with centrelock rotors and have a pretty good write up when reviewed on Bikeradar.
The advice above re setting the V's up properly, I have them set as close to the rim as is possible while still allowing you to unclip the noodle for puncture repair, can't see any flex when I apply the brakes, levers are as close to the bars as feasible and as far inboard as poss to allow max leverage, pads hit the rim nice and square, cables nice and clean, only 6 months old, rims spotless, pivots nice and clean and lubricated, no sticking arms or anything.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Maybe just naff pads then, as well set up V brakes perform as well as most disc brakes in the dry.
Posted 2 years ago # -
it might be worth looking at how he's riding.
I noticed seceral things when out with my son who's roughly the same age;
1) he gripped the bars tight all the time
2) he braked far longer than I did starting a lot further before obstacles (albeit fairly gently).
3) he braked almost continuously on downhills to moderate his speed to a comfortable level.I told him to
a) just rest his hands on the bars most of the time - not hold on tight
b) brake harder but for less distance
c) let off the brakes and if he feels he's going too fast brake fairly hard until he's going slightly slower than he'd like and then release.he does seem to be getting stronger and this is becomign less of an issue for him as well.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Just wanted to say that I agree with the above. If the brakes are working well they will be easily powerful enough, so the fault must lie elsewhere. Presumably you have ridden the bike and felt the brakes for yourself?
If he is braking constantly it might be causing the problem. Also, if he is just pulling the brakes and not doing the other things that you should do to brake then he will be rolling all the deceleration force onto his arms, rather than catching the bike with the feet. If that is the case then adding disks will only mask the (easily remedied) problem.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I've got to give a big thumbs up for brake boosters. Easy to get on, made a massive difference in the power of some LX Vs I had on an old Zaskar. I found that it wasn't far into squeezing the Vs before any extra effort went in to flexing the frame. Give them a try, they are by far and away the easiest solution.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Which ones have you used acorlett? I've struggled to find decent ones that don't cost £20+
Posted 2 years ago # -
Looking to boost my V-brakes a bit too.
Anyone know if these would fit on a set of shimano XT V's?
Posted 2 years ago # -
I have a brake booster with a XT vbrake on the back of my old commute bike and it made a big difference and fitted fine but a tad more fiddly to open the levers to take the wheel out.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Have just spent a couple of hours in the garage, new cable for rear, stripped them down, cleaned, regreased pivots, fitted new pads, cleaned wheel rims and ... they stop my 100kgs just fine, infact I accidentally endoed on the wet tarmac, levers adjusted as close to bars as poss and moved as far inboard as poss. Quite pleased with myself. He's just got home from school and said 'thanks, but I still want discs' - ungrateful little sh1t
Posted 2 years ago # -
dave - usefully, CRC don't sell them anymore. They were Tiogas, I think. Probably not for the weight conscious, but solid. Couldn't seem to find them anywhere on the net either - sorry!
Posted 2 years ago # -
If he only weighs 40kg's replace brake cable inners with gear cable inners, I used to do it and I weigh significantly more than 40kg's.
Removes friction on the cable so easier for smaller hands.
EDIT - I still use gear inners on my BB7's and I have never snapped one yet.
Posted 2 years ago #
Topic Closed
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