Mountain Bike Brakes - Have questions

[exitwound]

I have a 1995 Cannondale M200. I don't use it to 'mountain' bike, but rather use it to bike to and from school (3 miles or so) on the roads. It's the only bike I have and I have little money to do anything with it. I can't afford a new one or anything different but I have to fix the brakes.

Both the rear and front brake pads are shot. They're both centre cantilever brakes but the rears have a broken piece, the spring adjuster apparently. They've never really been serviced in the 10 years I've had the bike.

You can see that the spring is visible on the foreground, but the other side has a covered plastic spring adjuster. It cracked off last year.


Ignore the road salt. It's been a rough winter. Also, the brake is not connected in this pic, hence its misalignment.

I'm having a hard time finding any resources online that describe brake type and compatibility with this bike, and which type of brakes (cantilever, v-brake, disc brakes) would be best for me.

I'd like to replace the entire brake system on the bike (both calipers, and cables) but I don't know where to start to look. Anyone have any ideas? Taking it to a local shop would cost me hundreds of dollars, something I'm looking to avoid.

[James Brown]

Try coolstop brake pads for a quick fix. Disk brakes require a change of the hubs and that gets pricey.

[herr_oberst]

If you're trying to save a few bucks, then take it to your local bike shop. Tell them that you're broke. Most good shops are going to work with you.

Thing is, unless you know how to set up brakes, buying a bunch of new components and trying to install them without the right tools will probably send you off to the bike shop anyway, so you might as well see them first. You might be surprised. Pads are pretty cheap, bike shops have lots of spares to fix the mechanics, and as long as the braze-ons are in good shape, you should be able to walk away with some binders that do the job and aren't going to cause problems for a while. For a reasonable cost.

Heck, the frame is a C'dale, so you have a good starting point.

My 2 cents.

[exitwound]

Here are the prices of brake maintenance at one of the local shops:

Adjustments $5.95/ea
Install Brake Levers $9.95–24.95/pr
Install Brake Pads $7.95/pr
Install Brake Cable $7.95/ea
Adjust/Bleed Hydraulic $14.95/ea
Other Disc Brakes Service $39.95/hr

I'd have to buy the new brake pads and cables, then have them installed. I'm easily looking at $40-$50 in labor alone before parts. If I can install a 944 engine by myself, I'm thinking that brakes on a bike won't be as difficult. Is this a wrong assumption?

[924slover]

If your still using cantilevers then you really need to upgrade those died long ago a quick and slightly easier fix is to switch to v brakes they provide the same power as disk brakes but disk brakes don't fade over long periods of use. most people think disks grab better but they don't. plus i used to work in a shop and v brakes are alot easier to maintain and work on then disks.

[Dave L]

Originally Posted by exitwound

Here are the prices of brake maintenance at one of the local shops:

Adjustments $5.95/ea
Install Brake Levers $9.95–24.95/pr
Install Brake Pads $7.95/pr
Install Brake Cable $7.95/ea
Adjust/Bleed Hydraulic $14.95/ea
Other Disc Brakes Service $39.95/hr

I'd have to buy the new brake pads and cables, then have them installed. I'm easily looking at $40-$50 in labor alone before parts. If I can install a 944 engine by myself, I'm thinking that brakes on a bike won't be as difficult. Is this a wrong assumption?

Not difficult, some fiddling with it but not a big deal at all.





here are the brakes on my Klein which are Shimano from 1997. There is a small black set screw that will adjust the spring pressure. You use this adjustment to set the brakes so they both contact the rim at the same time. Other than that you have a couple of allen bolts to hold the brake to the actual frame, One for the cable and one for the pad. For the pad there will be some washers (sic?) so you can adjust how the brake pad hits the rim. You will want the toe to hit first so you dont get squeel. In all I would put aside 1 hour per wheel. Look on youtube for instructions if you need them.

I cant recall who I used last but Nashbar has some basic brakes(V or cantilever), $19 each + pads and cables puts you around $70 for all new brakes.


If anything, get the brakes on the bike and if you arent happy get the $6 adjustment

UGH, we it looks like you have Cantileveer brakes, not really any more difficult but my basic instructions wont exactly be exact

[jim72911t]

Originally Posted by 924slover

If your still using cantilevers then you really need to upgrade those died long ago a quick and slightly easier fix is to switch to v brakes they provide the same power as disk brakes but disk brakes don't fade over long periods of use. most people think disks grab better but they don't. plus i used to work in a shop and v brakes are alot easier to maintain and work on then disks.

While the V-brakes will provide more power, they will also require new brake levers. (V-brakes need more cable pull than canti brakes.) And, judging by the bike's 1995 vintage, it most likely has integrated brake levers/shifters, so it would need new shifter pods as well. That is gonna add up.

exitwound, I second the recommendation to take the bike to a local shop. Shops have bins of "take offs" and will likely have the pieces you need to fix your current setup. Just explain to them that you are limited on funds, and ask what they might be able to do.

Good luck

edit: does your town have a local bike co-op? Many college towns do, and there you will find the parts you need plus you'll be able to do the work yourself, under the guidance of someone who knows what they're doing.

[NutmegCarrera]

I assume you've been in to "The Bicycle Shop" on college ave?
I stopped in there while on a biz trip in your town, and was impressed with their selection of used parts and used frames. Had the impression that they did the "repurposed" thing for budget minded students. In any case, you should be able to pick up a pair of cantilevered calipers pretty cheap. I believe they buy up used (out of adjustment) bikes for parts and rebuilds.

On the other hand, they may want a princely sum for the service work - which is what it sounds like you describe.

To go it alone - the ideal setup would be to go with replacement cantilever brakes (new or used complete with pads). The levers are ideally set up for cantilever OR v-brakes. What works with one is not ideal with the other. Brand new cables and housings are really nice, and improve the situation a lot. Ebay gets you fairly good stuff on the cheap - if you know what you're looking for. Worst case (just did this on wifey's bike), a pair of deore v-brakes with pads (new) was about $40-$45 shipped. New levers (look for shimano - they're worth it) came with cables for similar money. If you don't want to spend so much, you need to scrounge - but there is stuff out there.

As for setup -
V's are really nice, as there is only one cable to adjust. Cantilvers have the "straddle wire" that shimano used to have a "special tool" used to get it right. PITA, in my opinion. The v-brakes are more powerful and easier to set.
Get the caliper installed, loosen the shoe fixation bolt - and it flops around wherever you need it to go. Line it up so there's a little "toe in" on each pad. Then get busy with the cable attachment. You want there to be a little slack (so you can unlatch the cable release for dropping a wheel out), but make the caliper travel as little as you can get away with. If your wheels aren't straight - that hurts your situation. Once you've got the amount of "stroke" desired for your caliper - then tighten the cable clamp bolt down. Now, you adjust the spring tension on one or the other side to open the individual "v" arms equally when you release the brake.

That's pretty much it.

If you'd like a pair of "Tektro" brand v-calipers, some low end levers, and some extra cables that I have lying around (cheap), PM me, and I'll work something out (very little cost, plus actual shipping cost).
They aren't top of the line, but they're really clean, complete and nearly new. Just a little spongy compared to what I'd like - and she pulls the kids on a trail-a-bike, so I wanted her to have bullet-proof brakes. hence my upgrade.

Regards.

[exitwound]

My quote *is* from The Bicycle Shop. I think their labor and maintenance costs are really high. But the other two shops in town don't differ all that much either.

As for installing V-brakes vs cantilevers, the cable lengths differ? Are the mounting points on the frame the same for both types?

Here's a picture of the levers, which look to be separate from the shifters.



I don't know if the local shops have any 'discount' bins or not, to be honest. I'm just looking for something that will work for the limited biking that I'll be doing.

[LeeH]

Great source for bike repair tutorials:
Bicycle Tutor - Bike Repair Video Tutorials

[VincentVega]

I have a set of old cantilevers I'll send you if you want them.

I also have a cheap set of no-name vbrakes, levers and cables I would part with for a 6 pack. The cables might work, but worst case you spend a few bucks for new ones to make 'em fit.

[911boost]

Patrick, send me a pm with your address. I have an older Cannondale "Beast of the East", that i recently installed a front disc brake onto. I have everything you need to install the V-brakes (even a little pully-type deal that they used when installing the V-brakes on my bike so I didn't have to get rid of my XTR integrated shifters). Or I can send you the cantilever brakes that are still attached to my front fork (I installed a fox shock onto the bike).

If you just want to get by, it might be easier for me just to send you the cantilever brakes I have.

You can just pay it forward sometime in the future to someone else. All of us were in school at some point and time.

Bill