Daniel Artley asked:
Does anyone on the list have experience with GB Synchron brakes? Are they good stoppers? What period are they from? They're dual pivot sidepulls. Do the brakes have to be adjusted close to the rim like a center pull? Please answer off list.
------------ Well, because the answers might be helpful to more than one person, I will respond to the list, Dan. First, I have not used the GB Synchrons, but believe them to be identical to the Altenbergers of the same name. I installed a pair of these on an early Moulton, and was completely satisfied. The first problem they solved was that the Moulton needed quite a long reach. The stock sheet steel Moulton brakes had little leverage and less rigidity. The Synchrons fixed both problems. Leverage went way up since the pivots were much closer to the pads and the cable ends better located. But didn't seem to need to have pads set as close to the rim as with CPs, so I infer less leverage. Since the pivots are on a bridge piece, as for a CP, and the action arms are short, the assembly is quite direct, and I had little problem with chatter. For the Moulton, there was one other factor: with the suspension, there was no place to terminate housing for a CP design, so it was these or long-reach sidepulls.* Besides, they are a great show piece as precursors of the modern dual pivot designs...
harvey sachs mcLean va
*Hey guys and gals, did I find an eye-popper the other day: Weinmann 1000 sidepull. Looks like almost 80 - 110 mm. reach, and designed for right wide rims. Sort of like a bb hoop for folks playing basketball with a softball :-) Great inverse snob appeal as a wall hanger.