Dear Rich, Bob, and the List,
I'm playing with a Trek 600 series owned by a friend (might buy it) and it has these brake calipers, but not the levers. I don't think it came with them. I find they are hard to set up, not much better than my foggy recollection of my old 500s back in the '70s. Compared to Campy NR and Shimano 600 BR6207s, these Weinmanns don't like to stay where you set them. They change their set position, with the result that I leave the pad clearance wide to prevent dragging rather than to get my favorite lever pull. The arm length is as Bob says, at least it fits the Trek, enabling the conversion from 27 inch wheels to 700C wheels.
Braking effectiveness is acceptable on the road with low-cost pads, not as good as the BR6207s with Shimano pads, and nowhere near as good as my Campy NRs with NOS pads (note I do not agree with the Campy-bashers!). In some fairness, my Shimano setup has very rigid Modolo cablesets, and the NR setups have also very rigid Campy NOS cablesets, while my buddy's Trek has "whatever" cables in fair condition.
In my experience with cables, you have to have them set up very well in order to evaluate caliper sets.
In summary, the 605 is not a bad sidepull brake, but not as good as some others of the day.
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Bob Hanson Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2006 3:44 AM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]Weinmann 605 side pulls
"... these appear to have been fitted on mid-range bikes. This correct? I assume they are better than the 500's for the calipers are more stout and, so , could be a decent brake. I have calipers only, no levers. Can anyone point me toward possible sources of information?..."
Hi Richard,
I think the 605s were much better than the 500-730-810-etc. family. Many subtle improvements on bushings and washers, etc.
I believe they were a very late 1970s release and to my knowledge they were Weinmann's first attempt at a sidepull with a quick release. In this case, QR was attached to the left/upper arm - rather than Campy's right/lower arm [= cable anchor bolt + QR] arrangement. The steel QR mechanism is bolted onto the front of the arm and encircles a steel sleeve into which the cable adjuster threads. Carrera 400 was first to have Campy QR set-up - c.1981(?)
The Campy-style "wheel guides" are actually separate chromed steel pieces which nest in a recessed slot on the caliper arms behind the actual brake pad holder - just like on the Carrera 400 & Carrera 600.
One nice feature is the single Delrin double-bushing+washer unit which fit between the lever arms and which also passed through the pivot bolt holes on each arm -- keeps all the alloy surfaces isolated.
The levers I've seen them matched with were knock-offs of Campy Super Record, complete with drilled arms and vertical "WEINMANN" lettering stamped into the fronts.
I like them. Seem to hold adjustments better than Campy NR/SR even without Campy's toothed washer. As you guessed, they were priced between 500 and Carrera models - which were both being sold concurrent with these, and into the '80s.
Range of reach adjustment is 49-60 mm.
Weight per pair, with non-recessed (bolt on) pivots = 310gms... not bad! - less than Campy NR!
Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA