[Boatsie]

Happy cyclist.

I want more purchase, I don’t want to spend much, I get enough purchase to commute with because route is flat (1 metre height variant across 7+ km) yet summer will return and I like hill runs.

Current set is drop bars pulling a mini v set.
I keep thinking to modify cable with a 2-1 box.. Or look into disc fork upgrade and do both, front disc, rear mini v.

Any suggestions appreciated.
Kind regards, Boatsie

Loving 38mm front, 32mm rear.. Cruisy, fast enough and easy on the rims.
Can’t remember last puncture.

Topic

[Boatsie]

Thanks guys.. Just pissed
Thanks guys.. Just pissed because the bottom bracket grinds and such is my laziness towards the stopping issue. There’s some play there.. Should be ok..
Chatted with my mate (he builds bikes) and would be cheaper to buy a second hand unit.. But I don’t want another bike!!

What I am looking at is the fork screw holes to attach a pannier.. A circular disc would fit using the screw hole as it’s axle and increase advantage using radius to pull brakes from low point.. That’d clamp..
Or using flat bars.. More pull with them brakes and the click click shifters are around here somewhere.

Fixed it.. Cost me 1 minute with an Allen key..
Cycling’s made me dumb and lazy.. Best mate had a stroke and is paralyzed totally along 1 body side. Boss had a heart attack and is knocked out a couple of weeks. Extra cardio riding to/from work saved me lots of petrol money (which paid the bikes), makes me crave healthy food and dumbs me out on obvious easy fix things..
Live to ride, ride to live.
Weirdest thing is bought a 2nd hand hub gear 8 speed with new tyres at a cost next to nothing Climbs the local 10% gradient, top cog too high per my flat ride, gets thrashed in the storm weather and besides chain lube occasionally, doesn’t require maintenance. Brakes are longer arm v brakes with extra play but grip due to the leverage pull of flat bar handles.

Guessing a minute ever few months shouldn’t hurt much..
Smiling cyclist. 🙂

[gmac101]

I’d agree with everybody else

I’d agree with everybody else that if the original No-Name, Tektro or lower end Shimano pads are still fitted then replacing them with either KoolStop of SwissStop pads is the first step in upgrading your bikes braking capabilities.  Note that KoolStop sell their pads in packs of two and SwissStop in packs of four (at least they did last time I compared).

Other options include upgrading the cabling (especially if your bike came with one of the lower end groupsets, the bike companies often use quite low quality cables) or upgrading the brakes themselves.

All of these will be cheaper than hydraulics.

The best benefit/cost and hassle ration is probably a pad upgrade

 

Gavin

 

 

 

[ktache]

And if you really want power

And if you really want power and could spend a bit, ceramic rims and appropriate pads.  No rim wear and in the dry essentially mechanical 660mm rotors (for me).  They are more affected by the wet and filth than seperate disc rotors, but mine still rock in the wet and the mire.  Ohh and because of the concrete like pads, they still work in proper sub zero temperatures where standard alloy rims cannot.

[mrml]

I also upgraded my Surly

I also upgraded my Surly Cross Check to a disc fork and TRP HY/RD front brake, as I was using the bike loaded up and as a kiddy carrier on some hilly-ish country roads and I wanted more braking power.  It was expensive all-in and probably not worth it. 

[ktache]

I went through many years

I went through many years thinking that Swisstop green were the best, but when they became difficult to find, I think they sort of moved to blue, I tried the Kool Stop salmons, I could not be happier, myself.  Give them a go, really highly reccomended.

Better braking, especially in the wet and seemingly less rim wear.  I have never been worried about pad wear, better them than rims.

Longer pads, low profile easier to set up for me on the front and the mtb on the rear, cantilever posts.

There is quite a discussion online about it, it’s not a vitriolic as the disc vs rim one but there are conflicting views.

 

[LastBoyScout]

I’ve got KoolStop Salmons on

I’ve got KoolStop Salmons on my commute bike and been very happy with them.

Got a set of SwissStop Blue I fished out of Halford’s bargain bin, but yet to put them on a bike.

[mrml]

+1 for Swisstop BXP Blue. 

+1 for Swisstop BXP Blue.  Massive upgrade on the rock hard stock Shimano pads.  

[IanEdward]

I run Swisstop BXP Blue pads

I run Swisstop BXP Blue pads in my mini-Vs, absolutely perfect (although I do toe-in the front pads for 100% squeal free).

Also if you fancied upgrading the brakes you could check out the cheap TRP CX 8.4s on eBay, titanium hardware, anodised colours, very nice!

[ktache]

Kool stop salmon pads were

Kool stop salmon pads were the best rim pads I ever used.  Very cheap upgrade.

 

[hawkinspeter]

Converting to discs is going

Converting to discs is going to be expensive if you want to go for hydraulics and cable operated disc brakes have a poor reputation, so I reckon you should go for the best rim brakes you can find.

I would have thought that mini-v brakes would do the job really well, so what is it about your brakes that is lacking?

(Welcome back to the forums, by the way)

[Author]

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