# Lovely Bike, Rubbish Brakes



## Norry1 (4 Jan 2013)

I've just bought a 2012 Cannondale CAADX 105 on eBay. I've done about 100 miles on it over the last few days and love the bike. The brakes however are rubbish. They squeal like banshees and don't have a great deal of stopping power. The front brake feels "lumpy" as well.

The brakes are Tektro CR710s. 

Is this normal?

Any suggestions?

Cheers

Martin


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## gary r (4 Jan 2013)

"toe in" the brake blocks so the front edges make slight contact with the rims first under braking


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## MattHB (4 Jan 2013)

I have the same machine and the stock brakes were terrible. I never managed to get them sorted even toe'd in. I upgraded the brakes to some the higher end tektro's (I forget the model), put some koolstops in them and its not too bad. The CX rims are much more juddery than the CPX22 road wheels I also run and I wonder if this is more the problem.


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## Fab Foodie (4 Jan 2013)

Whack some Koolstop Salmons in the front and blacks in the back and see how that improves things ... notably I'd wager.


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## simon.r (4 Jan 2013)

I had a similar problem with Tektro R359 brakes, massively improved by fitting Koolstop cartridges:

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/upgrading-tektro-r359-brake-fit-new-pads-or-junk.115992/


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## black'n'yellow (4 Jan 2013)

Norry1 said:


> I've just bought a 2012 Cannondale CAADX 105 on eBay. I've done about 100 miles on it over the last few days and love the bike. The brakes however are rubbish. They squeal like banshees and don't have a great deal of stopping power. The front brake feels "lumpy" as well.
> 
> The brakes are Tektro CR710s.
> 
> ...


 
You need to make sure they are correctly set up before claiming they are rubbish. Not sure what you mean by 'lumpy' feel on the front, but it is possible that the rim is out of true - which is not the fault of the brakes.


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## dan_bo (4 Jan 2013)

Worryaonabout bad brakes?it's a cyclocross racing bike- they're MEANT to have bad brakes!


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## Norry1 (4 Jan 2013)

Very True B'N'Y. To be accurate, I should have said, lovely bike, rubbish braking experience due to factors unknown but possibly not due to the brakes themselves ...... but didn't think that was a very snappy title.

By lumpy, I mean juddery, on/off feel. I can try with a different frony wheel to see if it is the rim/wheel I guess.


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## black'n'yellow (4 Jan 2013)

Norry1 said:


> By lumpy, I mean juddery, on/off feel. I can try with a different frony wheel to see if it is the rim/wheel I guess.


 
Judder could be down to the height/length of the straddle wire, which is a set up issue. You need to get the set up right first.


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## Howard (17 Jan 2013)

Bottom line: 5700 leavers pull more cable than the previous generation so less mechanical advantage. You can play with the setup all you like but it will always feel weak. The answer may be to use shimano cantis of the same generation.

But I just bought a disc fork.


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## jdtate101 (17 Jan 2013)

I have a CAADX 6 and it's brakes were worse than cheese until I swapped the pads for a decent pair. Now braking is 100% better. I still get brown trouser time going downhill on loose surfaces (dirt trails) as the canti brakes are just not powerful enough, but in 90% of instances they do just fine. Maybe when this one is knackered out I'll get myself a disc crosser, hopefully by that point there will be cheap hydraulic systems available (well one can hope).


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## Banjo (18 Jan 2013)

The canti front brake on my Jamis tourer stops the bike well but is so noisy I avoid using it in our street if I am going to work early. I have improved both the braking and level of screaching a bit by changing to halt gooey pads.The pads are slightly toed in and the rims are clean, dont know what else I can do.

Occasionally I find it handy when pedestrians look like they may step into the road I give a quick squeal on the brake and they tend to wake up smartly


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## SpokeyDokey (18 Jan 2013)

Norry1 said:


> I've just bought a 2012 Cannondale CAADX 105 on eBay. I've done about 100 miles on it over the last few days and love the bike. The brakes however are rubbish. They squeal like banshees and don't have a great deal of stopping power. The front brake feels "lumpy" as well.
> 
> The brakes are Tektro CR710s.
> 
> ...


 
If you are not CX racing and using the bike on the road then dicth the canti's and get some linear pull brakes. No more shudder, squealing on poor braking power.


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## sean8997 (18 Jan 2013)

I got a Merida CX3 a few years ago, Tektro brakes on it were awful, following advice from Vamp on her I upgraded to Avid Shorty Ultimate 6's stop on a 6 pence with no squeal, Judder or out else, not the cheapest but can swap them if I upgrade bike in future


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## Howard (18 Jan 2013)

jdtate101 said:


> I still get brown trouser time going downhill on loose surfaces (dirt trails) as the canti brakes are just not powerful enough


 
Nothing to do with the calipers - it's the cable pull on the newer shimano leavers that creates the impression of a lack of power.



SpokeyDokey said:


> If you are not CX racing and using the bike on the road then dicth the canti's and get some linear pull brakes. No more shudder, squealing on poor braking power.


 
No - unless you have a travel agent device on the cable, linear pull V brakes will not work safely with his leavers.


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