I've got a nice almost-but-not-quite-on-topic tandem (made just after our timeframe, but built with nice lugwork) that has U-brakes mounted under the chainstays. I imagine that it was done that way to eliminate any flex in the braking (the chainstays on this thing are very beefy) which is a good idea on a tandem with only rim brakes (no discs or drums on this model), but I've found that the rear brake is a nightmare to adjust because of the location, mainly because you have to try to work around the chainrings on the rear crank. It's pretty difficult to get your hands and tools into that space.
Kyle Brooks Akron, OH
________________________________ From: Amir Avitzur <walawalaoxenfree@gmail.com> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Wed, January 19, 2011 10:36:33 AM Subject: [CR] was forward brake mounting ... now chainstay bridge mounting
I did most of my riding with heavily laden saddlebags. The bags all wore on the back where they rubbed against the brake, cable bridge, QR, etc.
Had I had the sense to turn my brakes around, that wouldn't have happened.
BTW. The rear brake on my off topic Maruishi Mountain/commuter bike has the rear brake mounted under the chainstays ... it works great.
Amir Avitzur
R"G Israel