Fitting "normal" brake calipers to a Brompton

[chriscross1966]

Hi folks, has anyone fitted "normal" brake calipers to a Brompton amongst us?.... I would really like to get Francesca fitted out with Campagnolo brakes (to match the rest of the groupset) and at the moment I can see the following issues:
1: Campys are pretty short reach.
2: Cable entry is from the top

I can solve number 1 by using 25-349 tyres and drop-nuts or brackets. I'm not going to worry about the second issue on the front fork, that's just a cable-routing problem.

On the back though I'm looking at it being an issue..... The drop-nut will buy me a little bit more space as will fitting the caliper to the other side of the triangle.... that should get me enough space for me to sleaze my way out of it with a cable noodle I think......

would welcome input from people who have attempted similar, the cable routing on Bromptons is a black art at the best of times and as I have discovered with Henrietta's 11-speed plus disc back end, once you get away from standard you will be fiddling a fair bit :-)

chrisc

 

[12boy]

For some reason years ago I fitted a brake noodle to the front brake and it eliminated the need for the little device on the fork. I could not get one to work on the rear but that was with the down pull standard brake. The only problem I see is keeping the cable housing in place since it won't be coming up from the bottom. My Xootr Swift addresses this problem with very small narrow zip ties, attached to chain stays, which work very well. I am thinking that using them you could actually reduce the length of the cable housing and cable which could make the brakes work better. Post some pics when you have prevailed with this, please.

 

[chriscross1966]

Well.. I have a pair of 10mm drop bolts to rebuild the Veloce calipers on to, offering up the calipers on forks without mudguards tells me that although you'd be a bit marginal for clearance on Brompton or Marathon tyres (both 37-349), you'd be OK with 32-349's like Kojaks and the Kuosac 25-349's will have miles to play with. The handlebar clip is very close to cable side of the caliper, but I think it all fits OK. Need to strip down the back end more to confirm I can make it work with a noodle, but looks OK. Cable routing the front might be easier if I rear mount the brake on the fork, but that might have implications for the fold. At the back it will be similar to the routing to the disc on my 11-speed conversion...