Re: [CR]Centerpull brake weight

(Example: Production Builders:Frejus)

In-Reply-To: <BFA27A92-9102-11D9-8BEA-000A95DCF800@earthlink.net>
References:
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 19:02:42 -0800
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Jan Heine" <heine93@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Centerpull brake weight


>Just to look at the array of bikes in several different price points
>tells me that they could be made and sold inexpensively, but would
>not be out of place even in a serious bike.

The most expensive Rene Herse bikes often were equipped with the same Weinmann brakes...
>I think that little has been done to improve on the performance they
>were capable of, (although the issue of weight is another matter).

I don't know about Weinmann brakes, but for an upcoming article in VBQ (testing the new Paul centerpull brakes), I did weigh a Mafac 2000 caliper. For comparison, below also are the weights of other brakes I have weighed in the past:

With yoke, straddle cable, but no bolt: 157 g Without yoke (for brazed-on pivots): 117 g

Campagnolo Super Record brake (my records don't show whether short or standard reach), front: 194 g

Shimano Ultegra standard-reach brake, front: 172 g

The German magazine TOUR weighed the then-superlight Dia-Compe BRS 500 brake at 183 g.

However you put it, the Mafac 2000 is a superlight brake, especially when considering its long reach. The standard-reach Competition must be lighter still! The Campy SR is one of the heaviest brakes. Of course, part of that may be due to the steel pad holders...

The Paul, btw, does not come with a yoke, as it is for braze-on mounting only. Each brake weighs 156 g.

Looks can be deceiving.

--
Jan Heine, Seattle
Editor/Publisher
Vintage Bicycle Quarterly
c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles
140 Lakeside Ave, Ste. C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com