V-Brake Boosters – Which One?

Being a luddite, and having had a nightmare with discs, I’m running V-brakes on my MTB. My forks flex more than I’d like under heavy braking so I’m thinking an old-skool booster might be a way to go. I’d like to minimise weight so wondered how the ‘thermoplastic’ version at CRC might perform? The reviews on the site look ok but at the end of the day it’s plastic – http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8215

CRC also do one designed for Magura brakes – anyone know if it would fit with my XTR v-brake? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9447

You can pick up a proper old skool shimano carbon one on ebay.

You can pick up a proper old skool shimano carbon one on ebay.

The only one I can see at the mo is in the US and is currently £28 without delivery. I think not.

I’ve got a metal one labelled both discobrakes.com & carboncycles.cc – 70gms including bolts etc – yours for a £5 posted 😀

CRC also do one designed for Magura brakes – anyone know if it would fit with my XTR v-brake?

definitely not.

I’ve got a metal one labelled both discobrakes.com & carboncycles.c

Thanks for the offer but I am a bit weight-obsessed so would prefer to go for the 34g Magura if it’s going to be compatible.

definitely not.

Shame – thanks thomthumb. Why is that? What’s so different about the Maguras?

If its the one I’m thinking of the Magura one doesn’t mount to the bosses but links the two calipers together instead.

Hi Dickyboy – looks like my 34g dream is over so maybe yours is a good option. I’ll send you a grovelling email.

Oh my god it’s 1994 again!

Does these things actually improve the braking performance?

It’s going to be a while before I will be able to buy anything with disc brakes, but I am quite happy to tinker with what I have at the moment.

No.

Nickjb – your BB axle is too long.

Does these things actually improve the braking performance?

Possibly not but mine sure as hell counteracted the amount of flex on the stupidly light weight reverse arch forks I’ve got 😳

Does these things actually improve the braking performance?

A very good question, there’s plenty of conflicting advice around. I’ve ordered a couple (including a Shimano Carbon version!) so we’ll see..

N.

I did have an AC Components V-Brake booster at home. Not sure if it’s still in my box of random bits or whether I threw it out. Seem to remember it was pretty light. If I still have it you can have it in exchange for a donation to stw.

.. for the record, I don’t think it made much difference at all. I took them off in the end as the front one looked a bit daft..

(not a scientific test by any means)

Some older frames would flex a lot when used with V brakes as the forces were acting in a different way and they were more powerful than the old canti’s. My Wicked Fat was very bad. The brace does it’s job and stops this. The brake doesn’t really feel any different or better but I have piece of mind as it was so bad I was worried I would eventually break a boss off.

Avid Arch Rivals v brakes anyone?!

Could go for the old skool look:

i’ve got one of these in my cellar that I don’t want. pm me if interested.

Brake boosters did improve braking performance quite a bit on the rear of flexy frames. In the good ol’ days you had to really pull on the v brake levers especially in the wet and mud and you could visibly see the stays moving. Thats partly why frame builders introduced inwardly curving seatstays to stiffen them up. I have the old shimano carbon thingy too…it worked quite well but i remember it as another thing for mud to collect on. Disk brakes were such a big step forward!!

Yup, on the rear boosters used to work – I had one on my ’98 Spesh Rockhopper because you could actually see the seatstays flexing as you pulled on the v-brakes.

Never tried one on the front; it was around the time of Z1 BAMs, and I figured the bracing on that was probably sufficient…