Tell me about these brakes

[Dogtrousers]

Looking ahead to the new year ...

While on my Christmas travels I offered to do a service/restoration on a hybrid bike. Quite when (and if) I'll get around to it is open to question, probably in the summer. It's a Carrera Crosstracks, probably from the 90s and hasn't been ridden much. I'm planning to regrease the bearings, oil things that look like they need oiling, replace the cables, tyres, chain and brake blocks. I'll probably leave the bottom bracket alone as that may be a bit too much work for one day. Hopefully it's not dead.

Anyway I'm familiar with most of the components except for the brakes. it has (I think) cantilever brakes, which I've never worked on before.

These are cantilever brakes I think. What sort of blocks do I need? I looked on SJS and they seem to come in all sorts of lengths. Should I look at replacing the yoke cable too? Anything else I should know about?

Also, any suggestion for replacement tyres? Something fairly cheap as it won't get ridden further than "to the shops" sort of rides, but puncture protection should be high on the list as the rider doesn't have any hand strength for changing tyres etc, so a puncture would be a bike shop job. I'm not sure what size those are. It has 622mm rims. I think those semi knobbly tyres are overkill.

 

[wafter]

Yup, those are cantis.

Apparently they're a sod to setup although I've never had the pleasure so can't speak from experience.

As we know I'm tight as a duck's arse / hate waste so on top of a clean / lube I'd personally only replace stuff if it's visibly deteriorated - tyres excessively worn / delaminating / damaged, cables frayed / dragging, brake blocks worn etc..

From the pic it looks like it's seen little use and everything is in pretty good nick..

 

[Ajax Bay]

The cables look fine in the image: why change them?
The brake blocks look fine.
Tyres look fine too, but I guess if they're 25 years old, replace them to mitigate risk.
If this bike is only going to be ridden to the shops/pub then who cares if the tyres have knobbles? And "puncture protection"? For a pub/shops bike?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Yup, those are cantis.

Apparently they're a sod to setup although I've never had the pleasure so can't speak from experience.

As we know I'm tight as a duck's arse / hate waste so on top of a clean / lube I'd personally only replace stuff if it's visibly deteriorated - tyres excessively worn / delaminating / damaged, cables frayed / dragging, brake blocks worn etc..

From the pic it looks like it's seen little use and everything is in pretty good nick..

Chain is knackered as it's all jammed and bunched up. Obviously that's not clearly visible on a picture of the front wheel Tyres are shot and deteriorating. Brake blocks - well they're over 30 years old so they are going straight in the bin. Rear mech may be in trouble because, due to the jamming up event it's been fully extended for years which may have affected the springs. I'll find that out when I get to it. I have a spare Sora mech that I'll take just in case but it may not be suitable. Cables are no bother and I'll do them as a matter of course.

 

[C R]

Cantis are an absolute pain in the rear end. The only good thing with cantis is that Vs fit on the same bosses, but you will have to change the levers too, as the pull is different between Vs and cantis.

 

[Dogtrousers]

The cables look fine in the image: why change them?
The brake blocks look fine.
Tyres look fine too, but I guess if they're 25 years old, replace them to mitigate risk.
If this bike is only going to be ridden to the shops/pub then who cares if the tyres have knobbles? And "puncture protection"? For a pub/shops bike?

Tyres are definitely shot. They are going in the bin. They've been flat for years and are all cracked around where the bike has been standing on them.

Puncture protection is necessary because the rider won't be able to sort a puncture so what would be a minor inconvenience for you & me would be a major hassle probably involving transporting the bike by car to the nearest bike shop. So flimsy shite tyres and rotten 30+ year old tyres are not what is needed. Hence my request for suggestions for replacements from people who use these kinds of tyres and have some useful input.

Brake blocks cost next to nothing, and they are about 30 years old. They are going in the bin. I'm not going to waste time arguing about it. I just need to be sure I go armed with appropriate replacements as there is no nearby bike shop. Hence my request for info from people who know about cantilever brakes.

Cables I'll change as a matter of course. It's an easy job.

Cantis are an absolute pain in the rear end. The only good thing with cantis is that Vs fit on the same bosses, but you will have to change the levers too, as the pull is different between Vs and cantis.

Thanks, but replacing the brakes is bit beyond what I'm planning to do. But it's getting closer to the nub of my question.

In what way are they a pain? What are the techniques required to deal with them? Has anyone got any actual experience of dealing with this kind of brake?

 

[Brandane]

If those cantilever brakes are causing problems, have a look at the bolt and bush that holds the arms onto the fork. An easy job to remove them, clean and grease. Sometimes they can rust and seize up.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Worth changing the straddle wires (NB link units, but it looks fine) as well as the cables.
And, yes, ref experience of cantis, imho they are just 'different' rather than significantly difficult to adjust.
Need to have the bushes clean and greased so the resistance to operation/spring is equal both sides.

 

[Dogtrousers]

If those cantilever brakes are causing problems, have a look at the bolt and bush that holds the arms onto the fork. An easy job to remove them, clean and grease. Sometimes they can rust and seize up.

Thanks, I'll go armed with the usual array of greases and oils whatnot. I haven't actually tried the brakes, I just took a few photos. The bike is pretty much stationary at the moment as the chain is jammed and both tyres are flat.

 

[fossyant]

I'd pull the canti arms off and give them a good clean. Replace the cables and straddle wire. You want the straddle wire closer to the tyre than those currently shown.

Pads are easy to obtain and I'd get some clarkes post pads.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28556202...rz24ZUu8_1wKvuRe-Z5bFrkyxfjcXgXIaAiMIEALw_wcB

New Straddle wire - these I can recommend

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/40500417...T18TF56XJ8v03c1gLQcUuR0sF8BoCBwE&gad_source=1

 

[fossyant]

They are a little fiddly to set up, but I'm running them on two bikes.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Pads are easy to obtain and I'd get some clarkes post pads.

Thanks. May be a dumb question (I know nothing about these brakes) but those pads look to be quite a bit longer than the ones fitted. Does this matter at all?

 

[simongt]

Apparently they're a sod to setup

From my limited experience of them, I agree.
Easier to get my LBS to do it and drop them a few quid for the peace of mind. Not good to mess with brakes you're not confident about.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Thanks. May be a dumb question (I know nothing about these brakes) but those pads look to be quite a bit longer than the ones fitted. Does this matter at all?

No, anything with the right type of post will be fine.

Cantis are deffo a pita to set up.

 

[Dogtrousers]

From my limited experience of them, I agree.
Easier to get my LBS to do it and drop them a few quid for the peace of mind. Not good to mess with brakes you're not confident about.

Sadly there is no BS that is L to the bike (not without a fair old drive*, anyway). So it's just me I'm afraid.

* Or cycle. Yes, I could cycle it, but that would mean taking my bike with me. And it would take a while.