At 2:28 PM -0500 1/16/08, Sheldon Brown wrote:
>Quoth Peter Koskinen:
>
>>On the Campy Delta brakes: Are you making this statement based on actual
>>first hand knowledge, use? I have been riding Delta's for 20 years and I can
>>say that without a doubt, they are some of the best brakes ever made for
>>their function, great looks, and durability. Now I can't say that about some
>>of the other brake calipers that have been made over the years who will
>>remain nameless at this time.
>
>Jobst Brandt disagrees: http://sheldonbrown.com/
Jobst Brandt's assessment is overly simplistic. I can't say much about Delta brakes, having never ridden a bike equipped with them, but...
Jobst claims that centerpull brakes do not differ in mechanical advantage over sidepulls. This is not true. As on cantilever brakes, the mechanical advantage of centerpulls is variable as the arms travel. Depending on the geometry, this can be advantageous (as it was on the old Mafacs) or disadvantageous (as it was on low-profile cantis). Furthermore, you can adjust the mechanical advantage of most cantilevers and some centerpulls by varying the straddle cable length, as Sheldon's excellent page on this topic explains.
But beyond criticisms of Jobst's evaluation, all this theoretical stuff really is of little interest, unless it is borne out in practice on the road. What really matters to riders are three things:
1. Does the brake work on the bike. The Campy Delta has very limited tire clearance, which rules it out for me, but it may be fine for those riding racing bikes with 23 mm tires.
2. How much brake power does it have. This is less important in racing, but critical in urban commuting these days.
3. How well this brake power can be modulated. If you want to be able to brake in mid-corner on a decreasing radius turn, you better have brakes that are easy to modulate.
Other issues include how easy it is to adjust, how much it weighs, how it looks, how much it costs, etc.
Based on this, for many riders (me included), centerpulls still come out ahead. Cantis are good, too, but the arms stick out on the sides, and they seem to vibrate and squeal more. (By the way, Campy's cantis were the best I have tried.) Dual pivots are nice in short-reach versions, but once the reach gets long enough to work with wide tires and fenders, you get too much flex and weight to remain competitive. Sidepulls come last. Yes, Campagnolo Record brakes are beautiful, and I raced and trained on them for more than a decade, but compared to a good centerpull, they are heavy and lack power.
My all-time favorite? The lowly Mafac Racer. File off the tool parting lines, polish it up, and you have a superlight brake with incredible power and modulation.
Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
140 Lakeside Ave #C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.bikequarterly.com