Spa touring frame with cantis?

[Amanda P]

This may be a silly question*, but:

Some of you may remember me complaining that my Galaxy frame had cracked after only 26 years of use. So, looking around for a replacement, I naturally looked at Spa Cycles' Touring frame.

Here's my question. My Galaxy has cantilever brakes - proper, old-fashioned ones with long arms. They work well and I have no desire to replace them when/if I rebuild the bike on a new frame.

But the Spa frame has no hanger for canti brakes at the back. Neither does the Galaxy, but the Galaxy has an old-style seat pin binder bolt, level with the top tube to which a hanger is attached. Given that the Spa has a seat tube that extends above the top tube, can I elegantly use cantilever brakes on it? Is there some widget or thingummy which I can use to as a stop for the cable outer on this frame?

And in a similar vein, can one get cable hangers to go on 1 1/8" threadless headsets?

*The only silly question is the one you didn't ask, and so don't know the answer to.

 

[raleighnut]

It may still be possible to get a stem that has the canti brake holes in it or Deore V-brakes may work with your levers. I'd ask them which brakes they would fit.

 

[mcshroom]

Should be able to do both, though a seatpost-collar one is a little pricy - http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brake-spares-cable-hangers-dept683/

The 1 1/8" hangers for the front tend to lock onto the steerer tube and act like one of the spacers. They have done on my Dawes Vantage and Dawes Horizon at any rate

 

[John the Monkey]

The 1 1/8" hangers for the front tend to lock onto the steerer tube and act like one of the spacers. They have done on my Dawes Vantage and Dawes Horizon at any rate

My personal preference is for a crown mounted hanger;

Eg; http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/tektro-fork-mount-cable-hanger or http://spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s101p1809

makes the front brake less prone to judder and squeal.

I've seen a lot of people mention Surly's rear hanger;
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/surly-long-rear-cable-hanger/ but I've not used one myself. Spa might have a recommendation.

 

[Amanda P]

Cracking answers, chaps. SJS's Paul hangers look like the tool for the job; hadn't seen those before and for some reason I didn't find them when I searched the site.

I don't want V-brakes. Spa build their tourers with them, but neither I nor Mr Juden are wild about the arrangement; it's a bit of a bodge.

I think this clinches the decsion. I had been considering a Hewitt frame, but Spa's rides well, looks nice, I'm coming round to the idea of black, and it's considerably cheaper - and their shop is handier for York-ish.

Supplementary question: Hewitt's £425 tourer frame is 525 and 631 tubing. Spa's is 725 and comes in at £315. For a 725 Hewitt, you're looking at £625. I know they're all built in the far east somewhere, so why the price gulf? Any thoughts?