Changed from Canti to V-Brakes...problems urrrrghhhhhhhh

[Mike Smith]

Hey guys and gals,

Being new to this site and cycling in general since I was a young 'un.
I decided to break out the old bike and tart her up a bit, changing the gear and brake cables, changing the brake levers and as the title says, I'm wanting to change the cantilever brakes to V-brakes but I have hit a problem......other than my lack of cycle maintenance and repair.........

The rear "noodle" sticks out on the left and therefore the brake cable is having to make a strange detour resulting in it arcing at a stupid angle, which will get caught up when I'm riding
Is there anything like a shorter "noodle" or one that can be reversed so instead of it sticking out of the left and getting caught up when I'm riding....?

I know this sounds like an easy fix, but don't really wanna have to take it into halfords or a bike shop if I don't have to.

I can post pics if I'm allowed to and if I can work out how to.....

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

Mike

 

[02GF74]

There are at least two different noodles, the ones I know are 90 degree and 135 ish degree. The one with more curvature fits on the back to keep cable closer to the frame. Fist thing I suggest is to check if you have the 135 noodle on the back., Photo below makes it clear what I am on about.

 

[Mike Smith]

There are at least two different noodles, the ones I know are 90 degree and 135 ish degree. The one with more curvature fits on the back to keep cable closer to the frame. Fist thing I suggest is to check if you have the 135 noodle on the back., Photo below makes it clear what I am on about.

Fantastic, thanks for that....I'll check tomorrow then I'll let you know how I get on.

Mike

 

[Globalti]

If you're careful you can bend those noodles.

 

[Cyclopathic]

There are also flexible noodles available.
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?sa=X...BwwBA&iact=rc&dur=1202&page=1&start=0&ndsp=26

 

[Mike Smith]

Ohhh flexible noodles mmmmmmm may be a game changer for me....

I can't currently upload photos so cannot show you my dilemma lol.

 

[02GF74]

the other problem with the change you are making is that the cable stop is different for canti and v-brakes - the canti must position the cable so it is vertical and centred whereas the v-brake would come in from the side.

depending on your frame, you may have to modify the frame or use a seat post clamp type of cable stop.

photo below shows white noodle for canti - you can see the cable would be centred and point down.

the black clamp around the seat tube is for v-brake cable; cable would come out horizontally.

 

[Mike Smith]

Yep exactly the problem I have, just been looking at the "flexible noodles" do you think that this will solve the problem or should I just stick with "cantis"

 

[PpPete]

The other problem is that the brake levers designed for canti brakes do not pull enough cable for effective operation of V-brakes.
Unless you change the levers as well you will get, at best, very mediocre performance out of V-brakes.

 

[Mike Smith]

Pete,
I brought a complete V-break set out of halfords (includes levers as well and cheap I know prob not the best) to get me started. If I go back to cantilever then I will get some other levers as the ones I had were a bit manky to say the least lol

 

[fossyant]

As said above, you may need to make some mods to the routing and or not use the canti cable stop. My rear cable runs from the brakes to a stop/braize on at the front of the top tube near the headset. The cable then runs without a cable outer to another stop at the seat tube where it then goes into an outer to another stop where the canti cable is. If I was to fit V brakes, I'd need to miss out the last canti 'stop/braize on', so the outer cable ran from the top tube straight to the noodle.