caliper brakes...do they stop anything?

[medved]

help!

I've been riding my old school Haro to work to get used to it. it's only got a rear brake and it's got the stopping power of a 2 year old being towed along by a tractor

i have to actually plan my braking points now rather than just tear along, pull the v-brake and do a nice fat skid.

i've tried sanding the pads down to soften then up and get more grab. maybe the pads are too old and the rubber has started to perish and not function......i'm not sure.

anyhow, is this something to expect on an old school machine with a caliper brake, or do i have defective brake pads?

[spillers#1]

      welcome to old skool bike riding   yeah thats normal my old skool doesn't stop at all

[BrianP]

Coaster brake...

Brian 

[Bettyswallocks]

What brake set up?

If the cable is an old un bin it and get a new linear cable, makes a world of differance to os brakes... 

Get some new pads while your at it, ones you can angle to make better contact with the rim

[kdw712]

get a boa or pitbull

 

[OrgasmDonor]

if the pads are perishing then it sounds like you may be using tuff pad copies, caliper brakes can work awesome as long as they set up right, decent pads and adjusting cable after a few rides will help no end (stainless steel inners are good too), dia compe blocks, skyway freestyle tuff pads with an "s" on them and vans pads, are all good performing o/s pads on both alloy n mag wheels, use an alcohol wipe on rims and pads to remove any film or grease before ya set off

[meticulous]

jam your foot between the back tyre and brake...   

[medved]

well i cut down the pads to get some fresh rubber contact, washed the rims with soapy water to remove any grease or residue.

replaced the spring, lubed the cable...............and to be honest it's still pants!

from now on i'm using the foot down sliding on the pavement braking mechanism as assistance.   

[pickle]

i wouldn't say washing the rims with 'soapy water' would help any brake work better!  use some alcahol wipes or surgical spirit?  get new pads or some unused diacompe ones as they work well on most rims.

they are generally poor compared to U brakes but if set up correctly thay can at least stop you 

[moley]

OS brakes were great BITD when we were younger and far far lighter!!

Most of these suggestions will get your brakes working better.

A Boa is probably the best caliper brake around.

A pitbull is far far superior brake and are real easy to set up too.   Although they can go shitty when caked in mud.  A quick rinse with water around the moving parts and they are back running good again. 

A good rub down of the braking surface with some alcohol wipes etc, etc and you'll be amazed at how muw much better they are!! 

[84profile]

Interestingly, I've had many a disagreement about the stop abilities of old school brakes. It is all in the set-up, provided you do it well, they will work very well. Infact, I had a little brake comp with a mate on a new school bike and even he (also an old school fan) was very impressed.

On my Hutch Pro Racer which I still ride, I have it set up with Dia compe 901's, a Tech IV lever and the finned circular Kool Stop pads. The rims are chromed 7W's (also known as aero's). One area which I have cheated with is new school cable (they are called Clark Pre-Lube) and they are absolutely incredible, the cable alone made the biggest difference. The beauty of the cool stop pads, is they allow you to dail in the right amount of "toe in" to the rim. Chrome rims are also by far the most grippy surface...

[OrgasmDonor]

i agree totally, mx 1000s/900s,901s....... whatever, set em up right and they can work amazin, inner cable n blocks are important and re tension up after the first ride

[lazyboy]

i use a pitbull with odssey clear soft pads,and just fitted a shimano inner cable today..the brake is now fantastic,cant believe how good it works.
i cant do sit down wheeles anymore cos the brake just locks up

[the_cyclops]

A properly set up BOA on chrome rims can be rather violent 

[motomagII]

i use a pitbull with odssey clear soft pads,and just fitted a shimano inner cable today..the brake is now fantastic,cant believe how good it works.
i cant do sit down wheeles anymore cos the brake just locks up

told you cable needed changing 

[lazyboy]

yes greg works a dream now,its only taken me five years of oldschool rideing to get me brake to work
think its the odessy clear pads are the dogs