Tektro brakes - worth upgrading?

[bpsmith]

Not really. Talking about how good it is to change calipers when the OP has cantis is just irrelevant.

Let's not go down the route of discussing which posts are irrelevant shall we.

 

[Citius]

er yeah. It wouldn't be fair on you.

 

[Andy_R]

er yeah. It wouldn't be fair on you.

erm...just because someone doesn't know what different brake types, are called doesn't help. Here's something that WILL help, and you could have done for them in a couple of moments of googling, instead of sitting back and chortling to yourself at a newbies ignorance is this:

Here's a caliper brake:

Here are canti brakes:

It only takes 2 minutes to do, and proves you want to help people, not be a smug dickhead.

 

[outlash]

I've had my trusty first bike, a Cannondale CAADX, for 18 months now. Used exclusively on the road so I've stuck 25c Marathon Plus tyres on which are great in all conditions.

Less great are the standard Tekrto CR710 brakes and shoddy pads; even relatively moderate braking on anything like a downhill gradient destroys my eardrums and scrubbing speed off at anything above 20mph is a real effort.

So, is it worth upgrading the calipers / pads and what would others recommend?

A bit of Googling leads me to 105 calipers to (would match my current shifters) and Swisstop pads, but I'd rather hear some first-hand experience before I splurge any cash.

Having the same bike and brakes (and having the same problem), better pads will help. I use koolstop salmons. I can also recommend getting new brake cables that use compressionless outers to get better feel. Other than that, there's a whole load of setup tips on t'web and if you want to spend real money, Avid shorty ultimates are supposed to be excellent or if you want to keep it shimano, CX70 units have a good reputation too.

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

As most have said new pads will show you a world of difference. My bike has tektro brakes which are fine now I have some decent pads in. I recommend clarks pads - cheap, easy on the rim and plenty of stopping power

 

[Citius]

erm...just because someone doesn't know what different brake types, are called doesn't help

I already mentioned this in my first reply - and with respect to the OP (something you clearly aren't giving him) I suspect this was a case of confusion rather than an actual lack of knowledge - so no need to be a smug dickhead about it.

 

[Andy_R]

There has been obvious confusion on this post which could have been helped by showing which brake types are which. You didn't help the op to identify their brake types, instead you decided to malign their abilty to identiy their brakes. I helped. You didn't (as usual). You made no effort to rectfiy the cause of confusion with verbal and visual comments. (as usual).....you presume a prior knowledge, based on your own abilities...so carry on being a smug daffodil.......you'll never change, so I don't see the point of helping you.......

 

[Citius]

There has been obvious confusion on this post which could have been helped by showing which brake types are which. You didn't help the op to identify their brake types, instead you decided to malign their abilty to identiy their brakes. I helped. You didn't (as usual). You made no effort to rectfiy the cause of confusion with verbal and visual comments. (as usual).....you presume a prior knowledge, based on your own abilities...so carry on being a smug daffodil.......you'll never change, so I don't see the point of helping you.......

Good post - thanks for sharing. Anyway, back to reality...

 

[bpsmith]

Don't rise to it @Andy_R.

 

[Citius]

Don't rise to it @Andy_R.

Too late - he's already over-reacted unfortunately. Post first, think later.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Too late - he's already over-reacted unfortunately. Post first, think later.

hmm, don't mean to be rude but your posts smacks of smugness.

wind your neck in and help the op out.

 

[Citius]

hmm, don't mean to be rude but your posts smacks of smugness.

wind your neck in and help the op out.

Hmm, so telling someone that calipers will not fit on his bike and that he should look for replacement pads for his cantis - that smacks of 'smugness', really? The OP already acknowledged the reply and strangely did not react with utter horror.

Could it be that yours is the neck that needs winding in?

 

[Hacienda71]

If the mechanical functionality of the cantilever brakes is no different from what you consider changing to then the only gain on upgrading the brakes may be a minor weight saving. The pads however being made from different compounds can have a noticeable effect though.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Hmm, so telling someone that calipers will not fit on his bike and that he should look for replacement pads for his cantis - that smacks of 'smugness', really? The OP already acknowledged the reply and strangely did not react with utter horror.

Could it be that yours is the neck that needs winding in?

no, not really.

someone with your obvious wealth of knowledge may have pointed the op in the right direction re the difference and illustrated it.

just saying

 

[Poacher]

First step should be to try better pads, and make sure the cantis are set up correctly. I'm sure Sheldon Brown has good advice on this, but can't be bothered right now to check. As for the ridicule that's been thrown around with abandon, can we please calm down? The OP stated that 105 calipers match his shifters (which I take to mean combined brake levers), i.e. the pull ratio is OK for the Tektro cr710 and for 105 calipers. Tektro themselves recommend their rl340 levers for use with cr710 brakes - these are described as "for use with caliper brakes", which bears this out. The only other question which needs to be asked is whether the forks are drilled to accept allen key caliper brakes; if they are, there seems no reason why the OP can't fit them, if the new pads don't produce the kind of improvement he needs.