That is one beautiful and awesome bicycle. Once you have settled on the final setup, I want one when I grow up or for Christmas, whichever comes first. I turned 65 in June, ha.
Great video and timely for me. I picked up a '86 Miyata Olympic that's slated for 650B conversion and I plan on using the 559's for the first time. You answered a lot of nagging questions. Thank God you trimmed that steerer! I was having horror visions of you taking a core sample of your chest in the event of a crash, lol.
Thanks! exactly answered the question I had about whether the r559 would work well with a 700c 44mm tyre -👍👋 I want to try these as alternative to the original v brakes on a 2nd hand Specialised Tricross I bought
Decent stopping power with kool pads indeed. The only problem I’ve encountered with the 559 is running a tire wider than 38 (depending on brand and rim width). If youre constantly removing front tire for transport (packing in a car) it’s a tight squeeze. I find myself either having to release air or backing off barrel adjuster to open the caliper arms wider to let the tire thru
The largest tyre I've (safely) fit under these 559s are Soma Cazaderos 700x50. These are a fantastic brake if you don't want centrepulls and need to clear big gaps. My biggest recommendation would be to never use the tektro pads and replace them ASAP with koolstops (as you have). I managed to convert an '89 Holdsworth from 27inch to 650b with these brakes which was a massive stretch but it worked great in the end. I enjoy watching the experiments, thankyou!
Cant wait for the frame specs. I have say that tire size issues and ease were main factors in my decision to build a disc brake bike. I really like the bike Fitz built for himself in your vid on paint options with him.
It’s interesting to see which parameters ultimately decide what brake caliper to use. If I were planning to be able to run a set 700x48 I wouldn’t choose the 559 either. I’d probably go to disc myself in this case as it would be moving into monstercross territory and such tires offer me all the comfort I need. But, as always, love your attention to detail and sharing of the whole decision process. I see the worlds smoothest rolling bike resulting from your trials.
I highly agree with your decision on the center pull breaks,because of the tire clearance. I did have e that feeling from the beginning of your experiment. Love all the technical expects of the video. Love to see the outcomes of the final build. Thanks
I am surprised , Ms. Cools, allowed such a dangerous setup. No padding on the exposed tube. Anyway, great discussion. I have a those same brakes on my backpacking bike with kool stop pads. When I converted from 27 in. wheels to 700c, I needed extra reach. Also wanted good stopping power , carrying 35 lbs. of camp gear. I'm using 700 x 28 tires, though. Be safe.
Yes, at least put a cut up tennis ball on there! In a crash, it could fatally injure the vessels in the neck, not to mention break through the ribs and face.
1) Do you think that another model, eg Velo Orange Gran Cru, might make a long reach that might be stiffer? That is how much does the caliper construction v system determine performance? 2) Could you explain why you were debating this to begin with (I seemed to have missed that explanation of the potential benefits of why you would want this with a more all road bike. Why not put center pull on a road bike?), 2) Is this basically an exploration on the advantages of direct mount (are there direct mount long pull?) and 3) How coukd I send you some bar tape? Lol. ;-)
Love your content! I've had these brakes with the same brake pads. They're definitely squishier than shorter caliper brakes, but I found that they were good enough for me at 150-160lbs without any additional weight on the bike. I thought they were a bit better than some cantilever brakes I have on another bike with koolstop pads as well. Excited to see your next frame get built up.
@@Henrywildeberry Yes, rim brakes in general have been good enough for me, even though I have 3 disc bikes now... Debating a rim brake road bike. I was thinking of using Velo-Orange's Grand Cru Long Reach Calipers, which can clear 35-40mm ish depending on the frame(height of the brake mount). I know you already decided on centerpulls, but might be another test you could have John do for his future customers.
Very interesting and very thorough stuff. I will never understand how you get some of those shots around the bike when you're riding and not go cartwheeling into the bushes - I know I would!
I'm not as you as you are. Just got back from a 25 mile ride after switching one of my bikes from drop bars to V/O Tourist bars. I love it and I could use your extra long fork stem to keep me upright with drop bars. Hahahaha 😉 Maybe you could mount a coffee cup and saucer up there. Seriously I'm enjoying the trial your doing. I'm considering switching from 700c to 650b on this same bike so this really is of interest. Thanks
I've run into the same issue of getting the stem & handlebar assembly onto the steerer tube. Found the easiest way out is to remove the handlebars from the stem, install stem, then re-install handlebars. No worries about damaging cables or taking things loose. Also, on calipers with that small opening lever, just squeeze the pads together when you want to flip the lever. It's pretty easy with no load on it.
I use an older version of these brakes on my road bike. I converted from a 700x23 stock tire to 650x38. They work great! No quite the same feel as the short reach calipers but enough stopping power. There is not enough room on the frame and fork for a 650x42 which is similar diameter as stock. So a 4mm drop in BB or 8mm diameter. With this set up the road bike rides nicer than my gravel/touring bike with 46mm tires and disc brakes. I just finished reading the Jan Hein book on all road bikes and realized that is what I am aiming for.
I love these last two videos in this series. I have own a pair of these long reach Tektro brakes as well as a NOS set of MaFac Raid centre pull brakes. Because I'm also using 51mm wide Honjo fenders I chose the MaFac's because they surround the fender in a much more elegant and unobtrusive way. My concern though is braking power. The MaFac's are mounted with original back plates which means the bolt on through the centre bolt and not braze-ons. This has me a tad concerned about the braking power I will get from centre pulls. We'll see I guess. Either way, I was happy to hear how your experiment went.
excellent video as always! As others have surely already ask, i am wondering why you don't try cantilever brakes ? if that's tire clearance you're looking for, doesnt it work well enough ? Can't wait to see more of this new frame !
To add to this question, I think a neat video would be to have you and John talk about the pros and cons of all the different Paul, Velo Orange, or Rene Herse rim break options in the context of all road or gravel bikes.
I have these brake callipers on a single speed / fixed gear bike that I got built some time back. I have mudguards on and there is adequate clearance for them. Braking is reliable and never have I had a scary situation. But I agree, for wider tires, I would also prefer cantilever/ centre pulls.
For me moments they fail are usually in city winter riding when there is a lot of muddy snow around. On my build i cant lock wheels with them so from some perspective thats fine but they miss the fun and snuppy feel to them. That is from fan of vbrakes. Also which is actaully biggest point - there are almost none alternatives.
Are you going to go with the same Paul brakes that Miss Cools used? Those seem like a great option. Or maybe the Rene Herse brakes since you are going custom and could have them.
@@Henrywildeberry We were mixed in between quite a few people but my group was just myself and my friend. Sandstone colored trek with rene herse tires and a green surly packrat. It was awesome to see you!
@@monkeyking847 I passed two cyclists on the coast both fully loaded riding towards Bodega. I didn't get a good look at the bikes, but they were riding some nice wide tires and what looked like Jones bars. Enjoy your tour!
This reminded me of the suggestion for improving road safety. Rather than an airbag there should be a spike in the centre of a car steering wheel, imagine how careful drivers would be.
I put some Tectro 559's on my '89 Bridgestone RB-2 so I can just reach the 26 inch rims with 1.5" to 1.75" wide rubber. I've done some steep gravel with no issues. I want to try the cool stop pads when the stock ones wear out.
@@Henrywildeberry I'm using TRP RRL brake levers. They have an extra built-in cable release, great ergonomic shape and feel excellent. I did notice some fade first time down my local 15% decent. I'm not sure if that was pads, cable stretch or brake flex. Probably a combination. They have improved since then. A nice bonus is the brakes are silent, nice change from my previous mechanical discs that squealed like banshees.
Good brakes 👍 I have them on an old steel frame as the crown to rim drop (even running 700C) is too far for standard length callipers. ⭐️ Top tip for anyone trying things before cutting their steerer (when it’s too long for a top cap), is to cover the bare end with a heavy duty rag or similar. Those uncut steerers can do serious damage to the abdomen and/or chest in a crash.
Seems like you're choosing a threadless steerer instead of a quill stem setup for the new bike. What are your main reasons for that? Also thanks for casually doing the best 559 caliper review on the internet!
They’re going to be a tight fit over a 2-inch tire. Depending on your frame and fork design they could work. Double check by measuring from the center of the brake mount (front and rear) to the center of the brake track on the rim. You might need to remove your tires to get a better measurement. If it’s somewhere between 55 and 73mm the pads will reach the rim. If your measurements run fall somewhere closer to 55mm there is a good chance the tire will rub on the top of the brake caliper. Ideally, you will be closer to the 73mm end for more clearance. Keep in mind these calipers are long and they do flex. Depending on how you ride your bike you might notice it. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
@@Henrywildeberry Thank you. I made the measurements you described using electronic calipers and its right around 73-75mm to rim center, so they might just make it. If I have to, will shave 1or2mm from the slots worst case. I can also go down to 1.75" wide tire. The rim width is 36mm. You think the calipers can work with that rim width?
@@georgedavid3815 I measured my set of Tektro 559 calipers with the pads at the bottom of the slots. Hmm...you could possibly make it work, but I think the calipers are better suited to a 23-25mm wide rim. If you go much wider the arms of the calipers will not contact the rims perfectly perpendicular. The pads will wear into the slight angle, but I wonder if you will get as good braking power? Have you considered going with a center-pull style brake? The old school Diacompe or a Mafac with round post style pad holders would allow you to get more rim clearance and possibly a better contact angle with such a wide rim. They're much more adjustable. Shoot, best of luck in your search.
I tried these with a 650b Soma road bike conversion many years ago and although they worked OK with the kool stops, they weren't what I was used to. Back then I had tubes and panaracer col de la vies. Used it for light touring and a fun 3 day rails to trails ride. Thanks for sharing.
Sorry to insist but as Therese said that the Paul Minimoto are the strongest rim brakes she had first hand experience, I am curious if they are a contender or you'll go centerpull again ?
death tube??!! hahaha. yes. it is. i tried those calipers: theyre ok, but theyre a little more flexy than other brakes ive tried. ms. cools in cutoffs? wow. she sure does wear them well...
It made me nervous watching you ride with that steerer tube sticking out like that. If you had crashed you would have cored yourself like a pineapple! 😂
Henry, I am sorry....I was so caught up with Ms Cools' total mastery of her no-hands riding that I didn't hear a word that you said after that...hahaha. No seriously, pal, it makes me laugh seeing you struggle with pushing that headset cup down the steerer. Tight tolerance. Been there, done that. We just reinforced the caricature of us cyclists having chopstick arms. Eat mor Chikin I guess. Now back to the main point of your video. Your conclusion about using centerpull for greater tire clearance. Interestingly enough, I just swapped out the fork on my Paul Taylor all-road bike this season from one that uses sidepull to another that allows for V brakes. And the reason, is to allow me to use a bigger tire. The braking is about the same. But installing and removal of the front wheel is much easier with the quick release built into the V brakes. I dunno why but it seems like with V-brakes, the braking especially in the front feels more "jerky", and tends to squeak a bit more. Maybe it's my brake pads. Also, it takes a bit of adjustment to get them to work nicely with my shimano road STI shifters and having to get the pads close enough to the rim so the lever don't depress too much, something about the pull ratio. Just want to mention that but perhaps you won't have to deal the issue because you are not using STI levers. Anyway, at the end of the day, either one of the brake systems work just fine and have their pros and cons, depending on what you are aiming for. I think it's helpful to let John or whoever is going to build your next custom bike know what size tires you are going to be using for most of the riding so that they can "optimize" their design towards that, and then cater for a workable range as you size up or size down with your tires. And if you are planning to use both 650b and 700cc wheel size, let them know in advance too so they can make provisions for that. All these stuff you already know, I am just being repetitive. Can't wait to see more video updates of your next custom bike morphological journey.
That is one beautiful and awesome bicycle. Once you have settled on the final setup, I want one when I grow up or for Christmas, whichever comes first. I turned 65 in June, ha.
Great video and timely for me. I picked up a '86 Miyata Olympic that's slated for 650B conversion and I plan on using the 559's for the first time. You answered a lot of nagging questions.
Thank God you trimmed that steerer! I was having horror visions of you taking a core sample of your chest in the event of a crash, lol.
Thanks! exactly answered the question I had about whether the r559 would work well with a 700c 44mm tyre -👍👋 I want to try these as alternative to the original v brakes on a 2nd hand Specialised Tricross I bought
So fun to watch your very deliberate process in designing your next bike. Can’t wait to see the final results!
Decent stopping power with kool pads indeed. The only problem I’ve encountered with the 559 is running a tire wider than 38 (depending on brand and rim width). If youre constantly removing front tire for transport (packing in a car) it’s a tight squeeze. I find myself either having to release air or backing off barrel adjuster to open the caliper arms wider to let the tire thru
The largest tyre I've (safely) fit under these 559s are Soma Cazaderos 700x50. These are a fantastic brake if you don't want centrepulls and need to clear big gaps. My biggest recommendation would be to never use the tektro pads and replace them ASAP with koolstops (as you have). I managed to convert an '89 Holdsworth from 27inch to 650b with these brakes which was a massive stretch but it worked great in the end.
I enjoy watching the experiments, thankyou!
Cant wait for the frame specs. I have say that tire size issues and ease were main factors in my decision to build a disc brake bike. I really like the bike Fitz built for himself in your vid on paint options with him.
It’s interesting to see which parameters ultimately decide what brake caliper to use. If I were planning to be able to run a set 700x48 I wouldn’t choose the 559 either. I’d probably go to disc myself in this case as it would be moving into monstercross territory and such tires offer me all the comfort I need. But, as always, love your attention to detail and sharing of the whole decision process. I see the worlds smoothest rolling bike resulting from your trials.
I highly agree with your decision on the center pull breaks,because of the tire clearance. I did have e that feeling from the beginning of your experiment. Love all the technical expects of the video. Love to see the outcomes of the final build. Thanks
I am surprised , Ms. Cools, allowed such a dangerous setup. No padding on the exposed tube. Anyway, great discussion. I have a those same brakes on my backpacking bike with kool stop pads. When I converted from 27 in. wheels to 700c, I needed extra reach. Also wanted good stopping power , carrying 35 lbs. of camp gear. I'm using 700 x 28 tires, though. Be safe.
Yes, at least put a cut up tennis ball on there! In a crash, it could fatally injure the vessels in the neck, not to mention break through the ribs and face.
Yes, it was very dangerous! DON'T try this at home. How do you like the Tektro brakes with your bike packing set-up?
@@Henrywildeberry Great a few test runs, I was able to lock up the wheels , with 35lbs of gear.
@@Henrywildeberry The bike came with 1.25 in. Tires, so no problem fitting 32mm wide. The 28mm is what I had around at the time of the bike.
Could of ended up the Headless wildeberry show if you'd hit any potholes...
1) Do you think that another model, eg Velo Orange Gran Cru, might make a long reach that might be stiffer? That is how much does the caliper construction v system determine performance? 2) Could you explain why you were debating this to begin with (I seemed to have missed that explanation of the potential benefits of why you would want this with a more all road bike. Why not put center pull on a road bike?), 2) Is this basically an exploration on the advantages of direct mount (are there direct mount long pull?) and 3) How coukd I send you some bar tape? Lol. ;-)
Love your content!
I've had these brakes with the same brake pads. They're definitely squishier than shorter caliper brakes, but I found that they were good enough for me at 150-160lbs without any additional weight on the bike. I thought they were a bit better than some cantilever brakes I have on another bike with koolstop pads as well.
Excited to see your next frame get built up.
Good to hear you've had a similar experience with these brakes and pads. They work surprisingly well.
@@Henrywildeberry Yes, rim brakes in general have been good enough for me, even though I have 3 disc bikes now...
Debating a rim brake road bike. I was thinking of using Velo-Orange's Grand Cru Long Reach Calipers, which can clear 35-40mm ish depending on the frame(height of the brake mount). I know you already decided on centerpulls, but might be another test you could have John do for his future customers.
Very interesting and very thorough stuff. I will never understand how you get some of those shots around the bike when you're riding and not go cartwheeling into the bushes - I know I would!
I'm not as you as you are. Just got back from a 25 mile ride after switching one of my bikes from drop bars to V/O Tourist bars. I love it and I could use your extra long fork stem to keep me upright with drop bars. Hahahaha 😉 Maybe you could mount a coffee cup and saucer up there.
Seriously I'm enjoying the trial your doing. I'm considering switching from 700c to 650b on this same bike so this really is of interest. Thanks
I've run into the same issue of getting the stem & handlebar assembly onto the steerer tube. Found the easiest way out is to remove the handlebars from the stem, install stem, then re-install handlebars. No worries about damaging cables or taking things loose. Also, on calipers with that small opening lever, just squeeze the pads together when you want to flip the lever. It's pretty easy with no load on it.
I use an older version of these brakes on my road bike. I converted from a 700x23 stock tire to 650x38. They work great! No quite the same feel as the short reach calipers but enough stopping power. There is not enough room on the frame and fork for a 650x42 which is similar diameter as stock. So a 4mm drop in BB or 8mm diameter. With this set up the road bike rides nicer than my gravel/touring bike with 46mm tires and disc brakes. I just finished reading the Jan Hein book on all road bikes and realized that is what I am aiming for.
I love these last two videos in this series. I have own a pair of these long reach Tektro brakes as well as a NOS set of MaFac Raid centre pull brakes. Because I'm also using 51mm wide Honjo fenders I chose the MaFac's because they surround the fender in a much more elegant and unobtrusive way. My concern though is braking power. The MaFac's are mounted with original back plates which means the bolt on through the centre bolt and not braze-ons. This has me a tad concerned about the braking power I will get from centre pulls. We'll see I guess. Either way, I was happy to hear how your experiment went.
excellent video as always! As others have surely already ask, i am wondering why you don't try cantilever brakes ? if that's tire clearance you're looking for, doesnt it work well enough ?
Can't wait to see more of this new frame !
To add to this question, I think a neat video would be to have you and John talk about the pros and cons of all the different Paul, Velo Orange, or Rene Herse rim break options in the context of all road or gravel bikes.
I have these brake callipers on a single speed / fixed gear bike that I got built some time back. I have mudguards on and there is adequate clearance for them. Braking is reliable and never have I had a scary situation. But I agree, for wider tires, I would also prefer cantilever/ centre pulls.
For me moments they fail are usually in city winter riding when there is a lot of muddy snow around. On my build i cant lock wheels with them so from some perspective thats fine but they miss the fun and snuppy feel to them. That is from fan of vbrakes. Also which is actaully biggest point - there are almost none alternatives.
That's a cool setup. Looks comfortable for rough roads. Hope you trimmed down that head tube eventually though. Kudos 👏
Are you going to go with the same Paul brakes that Miss Cools used? Those seem like a great option. Or maybe the Rene Herse brakes since you are going custom and could have them.
Hi Henry, were you riding just north today of Bodega bay? I am touring the coast and saw someone who looked like you pass us by, but wasn't sure.
Yes, I was! Were you with a larger touring group?
@@Henrywildeberry We were mixed in between quite a few people but my group was just myself and my friend. Sandstone colored trek with rene herse tires and a green surly packrat. It was awesome to see you!
@@monkeyking847 I passed two cyclists on the coast both fully loaded riding towards Bodega. I didn't get a good look at the bikes, but they were riding some nice wide tires and what looked like Jones bars. Enjoy your tour!
This reminded me of the suggestion for improving road safety. Rather than an airbag there should be a spike in the centre of a car steering wheel, imagine how careful drivers would be.
Was there any play in the headset given that you assembled the front end without a compression cap?
I am glad you did not puched your heart out or the stomach. Did not see a lot of things on a bike looking more dangerous :-) .
Ein Taucher, der nicht taucht, taugt nichts!
@@simonorr594 Ein Radfahrer, der mit einem Audi-zeichen auf der Brust nach Hause kommt taugt auch nichts. :-)
Luckily the helmet is a thing
Bicycling's premier Renaissance man.
I put some Tectro 559's on my '89 Bridgestone RB-2 so I can just reach the 26 inch rims with 1.5" to 1.75" wide rubber. I've done some steep gravel with no issues. I want to try the cool stop pads when the stock ones wear out.
Good to hear! What brake levers did you use and do you notice any flex in the calipers under hard braking?
@@Henrywildeberry I'm using TRP RRL brake levers. They have an extra built-in cable release, great ergonomic shape and feel excellent. I did notice some fade first time down my local 15% decent. I'm not sure if that was pads, cable stretch or brake flex. Probably a combination. They have improved since then. A nice bonus is the brakes are silent, nice change from my previous mechanical discs that squealed like banshees.
Good brakes 👍 I have them on an old steel frame as the crown to rim drop (even running 700C) is too far for standard length callipers.
⭐️ Top tip for anyone trying things before cutting their steerer (when it’s too long for a top cap), is to cover the bare end with a heavy duty rag or similar. Those uncut steerers can do serious damage to the abdomen and/or chest in a crash.
I wouldn't recommend leaving the uncut steerer without a cap. This was just a test ride to see how the brakes work.
I think I saw Mafac center pulls on your bike. Is that what will go on your next custom bike? I’m really liking this content!
A potential bong setup?
Seems like you're choosing a threadless steerer instead of a quill stem setup for the new bike.
What are your main reasons for that?
Also thanks for casually doing the best 559 caliper review on the internet!
you think these calipers may fit a new/ old school bmx with 20x2" tires? I see it fit your MTB.
They’re going to be a tight fit over a 2-inch tire. Depending on your frame and fork design they could work. Double check by measuring from the center of the brake mount (front and rear) to the center of the brake track on the rim. You might need to remove your tires to get a better measurement. If it’s somewhere between 55 and 73mm the pads will reach the rim. If your measurements run fall somewhere closer to 55mm there is a good chance the tire will rub on the top of the brake caliper. Ideally, you will be closer to the 73mm end for more clearance. Keep in mind these calipers are long and they do flex. Depending on how you ride your bike you might notice it. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
@@Henrywildeberry Thank you. I made the measurements you described using electronic calipers and its right around 73-75mm to rim center, so they might just make it. If I have to, will shave 1or2mm from the slots worst case. I can also go down to 1.75" wide tire. The rim width is 36mm. You think the calipers can work with that rim width?
@@georgedavid3815 I'll measure my set here and see if the 36mm wide rim will fit.
@@georgedavid3815 I measured my set of Tektro 559 calipers with the pads at the bottom of the slots. Hmm...you could possibly make it work, but I think the calipers are better suited to a 23-25mm wide rim. If you go much wider the arms of the calipers will not contact the rims perfectly perpendicular. The pads will wear into the slight angle, but I wonder if you will get as good braking power?
Have you considered going with a center-pull style brake? The old school Diacompe or a Mafac with round post style pad holders would allow you to get more rim clearance and possibly a better contact angle with such a wide rim. They're much more adjustable. Shoot, best of luck in your search.
This was super helpful, thank you!
New Tee idea ... "Omar you were wrong!" hahaha
I tried these with a 650b Soma road bike conversion many years ago and although they worked OK with the kool stops, they weren't what I was used to. Back then I had tubes and panaracer col de la vies. Used it for light touring and a fun 3 day rails to trails ride. Thanks for sharing.
Would also be great to hear what the builder has to say about the difference in ride quality between rim brakes and disc brakes and fork tubes etc...
Have you considered the Paul Minimoto like Therese has ?
Sorry to insist but as Therese said that the Paul Minimoto are the strongest rim brakes she had first hand experience, I am curious if they are a contender or you'll go centerpull again ?
Any thoughts on brake power and feel of the long reach caliper vs the center pull?
Have a set on a Fuji Cambridge. Best brakes I have ever used on a bike.
If you cut the steering tube at just the right angle and length and maybe drill some holes, you might be able to make music on those long downhills…
R559 is the best of the best if you restore an old bike or if you need long reach. Yeah!
death tube??!! hahaha. yes. it is. i tried those calipers: theyre ok, but theyre a little more flexy than other brakes ive tried. ms. cools in cutoffs? wow. she sure does wear them well...
Ms. Cools went canti. Wouldn't that work for your build?
It made me nervous watching you ride with that steerer tube sticking out like that. If you had crashed you would have cored yourself like a pineapple! 😂
I was hoping he'd put a tennis ball over it before taking it out!
Henry, I am sorry....I was so caught up with Ms Cools' total mastery of her no-hands riding that I didn't hear a word that you said after that...hahaha. No seriously, pal, it makes me laugh seeing you struggle with pushing that headset cup down the steerer. Tight tolerance. Been there, done that. We just reinforced the caricature of us cyclists having chopstick arms. Eat mor Chikin I guess. Now back to the main point of your video. Your conclusion about using centerpull for greater tire clearance. Interestingly enough, I just swapped out the fork on my Paul Taylor all-road bike this season from one that uses sidepull to another that allows for V brakes. And the reason, is to allow me to use a bigger tire. The braking is about the same. But installing and removal of the front wheel is much easier with the quick release built into the V brakes. I dunno why but it seems like with V-brakes, the braking especially in the front feels more "jerky", and tends to squeak a bit more. Maybe it's my brake pads. Also, it takes a bit of adjustment to get them to work nicely with my shimano road STI shifters and having to get the pads close enough to the rim so the lever don't depress too much, something about the pull ratio. Just want to mention that but perhaps you won't have to deal the issue because you are not using STI levers. Anyway, at the end of the day, either one of the brake systems work just fine and have their pros and cons, depending on what you are aiming for. I think it's helpful to let John or whoever is going to build your next custom bike know what size tires you are going to be using for most of the riding so that they can "optimize" their design towards that, and then cater for a workable range as you size up or size down with your tires. And if you are planning to use both 650b and 700cc wheel size, let them know in advance too so they can make provisions for that. All these stuff you already know, I am just being repetitive. Can't wait to see more video updates of your next custom bike morphological journey.
@RollinRat you are absolutely right. I do use a travel agent in order to get the brakes to work OK with my STI shifters.
Say "no" to death tubes.
Viewing tip: Start video at 12:50 and set playback to 2X speed, and you have a SAFA experience.
Where is the girl? 🤔
#slamThatStem :)
Where's the doggie?
where's the mustache?