Cantelever brake block recomendations.

[xerxes]

I have cantelever brakes on my "shopping" bike and after riding my other bikes with V-brakes and disc brakes I really notice the lack of "bite" and stopping power.

I considered fitting some better V-brakes, but I really don't want to spend much on this bike. The whole idea being to keep it fairly cheap both to limit its theif appeal and to minimise the loss should someone decide to steal it despite it's ugliness and obvious low value.

Any recommendations for brake blocks that may improve the stopping power?

They are this type, with plain rods on the back of the brake blocks:

 

[REKIBorter]

Coolstops are highly regarded around these parts.

 

[Skeelsie]

Change the straddles wires and look at cantilever set up, you can achieve great breaking power with turd parts and loads of set up time.

 

[DeoreDX]

Lowering your yoke height should increase the mechanical advantage of your braking system. There is almost an art form to adjusting the canti's to get a good combination of good mechanical advantage, clearance, and lever feel. Too much mechanical advantage and you get a really mushy level feel and you end up pulling too much cable to get the arm to travel. I always tossed those Shimano straddle cables for a yoke that is more adjustable, like these. IMHO of course.

 

[xerxes]

Thanks chaps.

I'll try some Kool Stops, if they don't do the trick I'll try converting them to a straddle wire, though to some extent I'm loathe to do that; I remember what a faff they are to set-up.

 

[We_are_Stevo]

Setting your blocks up with the correct amount of toe-in will make a world of difference to the performance too...

...nothing worse than blocks that clamp squarely (and woodenly!) onto the rim :?

 

[xerxes]

The toe-in is fine; I had to fiddle with this quite a bit just to stop the brakes squeeling.

Just found some shorter versions of the straddle doohickeys on Ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330740329202?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Worth a try for £2.60; I can stretch to that, even for the budgetmobile.