I based my comment on one experience. In 1963 I struggled up Hardknott pass in the English Lake district (gradient of 1 in 3 1/2)in heavy rain. When I started the descent (about 1 in 6)from a starting speed of about three miles per hour the bike just ran away from me. I had to ride off the road to stop when I was approaching a hair pin bend at 20 mph. I then walked the rest of the descent. Perhaps unsurprisingly I was using Mafac levers and blocks. There were about ten riders in the group but I was the only pedestrian.
I have raced and toured on Mafac brakes for 45 years. I even have a pair of Racers brazed on my touring bike but that day I couldn't stop from walking pace. It doesn't sound like a bum rap to me.
Ray Green, Brighton, England
>
> From: Sheldon Brown <CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com>
> Date: 2006/01/17 Tue PM 06:51:52 GMT
> To: <greenjersey@ntlworld.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: Re: [CR]Death bike Project
>
> Sheldon Brown wrote>
> I consider this a bum rap on two counts:
>
> My experience with Mafac Racers is that they stop as well as any rim
> brake when properly set up. It is true that they tend to be noisy,
> and this is not always fixable, but they're excellent stoppers when
> properly set up...especially if you use them with modern "aero" type
> brake levers and good brake shoes. I've got one on the front of my
> Rambouillet and it works great.
>
> I agree that wet steel rims are not good, but it's a mistake to
> single out Dunlop. Dunlop made the finest steel rims ever, and
> they're no more prone to this problem than lesser marques of steel
> rims are.
>
> Sheldon "Special Lightweight" Brown
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