What are the best rim brakes for a touring bike?

[Veloscot]

Hi all

Looking for some advice. Which kind of rim brakes are best for fitting to a touring bike? I have a tourer which I use for winter training and longer distance rides. It's essentially a cyclocross frame with clearance for wider tyres and mudguards and I had it fitted out with SRAM Rival gears and brake levers which I like because it's identical to my regular road racing bike.

The only thing I hate is the Shimano Deore V brakes. God knows why I specced them. They are next to useless and I don't feel safe riding with them. Has anyone any recommendations for the best kind of brakes to use for this kind of bike? I'm not too worried about weight here, just reliable stopping power. Are cantilever brakes better?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mickle]

Which levers you are using please?

 

[Moodyman]

V brakes are pretty strong - especially ones of Deore standard.

I'd try changing the pads before you go to the expense of changing the brake type.

I'm assuming you got the brake set up right - i.e. distance from the rim and movement in both calipers.

 

[Wobblers]

By the sounds of it, you're using Sram Double tap brake levers. Your problem is that the cable pull of these levers, in fact of almost all drop bar brake levers, is not sufficient to operate V brakes. The majority of tourer bikes use cantilever brakes for this reason.

You need cantilever brakes. The Shimano Deore LX cantilever brakes on my Galaxy are not fantastic, but the Tektro CR520 or CR720 cantilevers have a good reputation. The pads supplied apparently aren't great, but they can always be replace with KoolStop pads (using KoolStop salmons on my Galaxy made a huge improvement!).

 

[HLaB]

You can improve the drops lever and v brake integration with problem solver travel agents; its not ideal however. I'm running them on my relatively light converted sirrus but I wouldn't like to run them on anything heavier.

 

[Veloscot]

@mickle > SRAM Rival ergo levers

@Moodyman > Fairly new pads. Got them set up and toed in correctly. Problem I find is that the caliper on one side doesn't return to it's relaxed position so, it leaves one pad rubbing the rim when you've finished using the brakes. I slackened off the cable to allow a bit more room but now I need to use the full leverage to apply the brakes.

Because SRAM Rival levers have a large paddle shifter, when I apply the brakes fully, the paddle gets trapped against the handlebar drops which is rather annoying especially when you need to downshift a gear quickly!

 

[Veloscot]

By the sounds of it, you're using Sram Double tap brake levers. Your problem is that the cable pull of these levers, in fact of almost all drop bar brake levers, is not sufficient to operate V brakes. The majority of tourer bikes use cantilever brakes for this reason.

You need cantilever brakes. The Shimano Deore LX cantilever brakes on my Galaxy are not fantastic, but the Tektro CR520 or CR720 cantilevers have a good reputation. The pads supplied apparently aren't great, but they can always be replace with KoolStop pads (using KoolStop salmons on my Galaxy made a huge improvement!).

Thanks! I think cantis are probably the route I need to go down. Have used KoolStops before on an MTB and they are very good.

 

[HLaB]

Problem I find is that the caliper on one side doesn't return to it's relaxed position so, it leaves one pad rubbing the rim when you've finished using the brakes. I slackened off the cable to allow a bit more room but now I need to use the full leverage to apply the brakes.

Rather than slackening of the cable it may be better to rebalance the brakes. I also like to increase the brake tension on my bikes.

 

[Howard]

What everyone else said - V brakes need linear pull leavers... and STIs are not linear pull. No wonder you don't feel safe. Surprised the shop built it up that way.

There are also long reach calipers like Shimano R600s that provide clearance for mudguards.

 

[Veloscot]

Rather than slackening of the cable it may be better to rebalance the brakes. I also like to increase the brake tension on my bikes.

Thanks for that helpful link. I think that might just be the answer I'm looking for!

 

[mickle]

Exqueeze me???? A shop fitted them???? That's sheer bloody incompetence.

Linear pull ('V') brakes are not compatible with your levers.

I'd be knocking on their door sharpish. Honestly - that's shockingly bad.

The first thing you really need to not **** up is a customer's brakes.

 

[Veloscot]

Exqueeze me???? A shop fitted them???? That's sheer bloody incompetence.

Linear pull ('V') brakes are not compatible with your levers.

I'd be knocking on their door sharpish. Honestly - that's shockingly bad.

The first thing you really need to not **** up is a customer's brakes.

It was bought a year ago to my spec so I blame my own ignorance above anything else. It was a stupid mistake that I won't be making again! That said, it was my intention to eventually upgrade things like the brakes anyway. Just wondering what the best solution is but I think from everyone's repsonses so far, that cantilevers are the right direction to go.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Canti brakes are more than adequate for road riding. And they'll work with your brake levers, as others have said.

 

[mickle]

Don't forget you'll need 'hangers' too - they certainly don't come with the brakes and probably didn't come with your bike. Check out a touring or cross bike similar to yours to establish which bits you'll need. A headset mounted front hanger which replaces a washer/spacer is straight forward for the front brake. The rear might be more tricky depending on the shape of your bike. Then again you might be lucky and have them on your bike already, dormant and waiting for the correct brakes to come along.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Good point ^^. If it's a tourer or 'cross frame it might well have a hanger already brazed on, between the seat stays a few inches below the top of the seat tube.