Can we put V brakes on a frame that had cantilever?

Asked by: Brian Shop

In consequence, cantilever brake levers are designed to pull less cable than those made for V-brakes. For that reason, the levers of V-brakes and cantilevers are not interchangeable.

Are V brakes and cantilever the same?

V-brakes (also known as direct-pull cantilever brakes) are operated via a cable that runs from one side of the brake and across the top, pulling the two halves together. There are other brake designs out there, but they’re a rarity on mainstream bikes. Still, we’ll give you a full rundown at the end of this article.

Are V brakes better than cantilever brakes?

Cantilever brakes are much harder to adjust than V brakes. However, V brakes have less clearance, and for this reason, cantilevers are better for muddy conditions. V brakes are also stronger and when braking they’re easier on your hands.

What brake levers work with cantilever brakes?

Flat/Upright-Bar Brake Levers



Short pull brake levers have less distance between the pivot and the end of the cable, so they pull less cable when you move the lever. They work for Road Caliper Brakes and for Cantilever Brakes.

Can you upgrade cantilever brakes?

To get a different mechanical advantage, you have to replace the entire set of brakes or brake levers. With cantilevers, you can adjust the mechanical advantage in two different ways: by adjusting pad attachment and by adjusting the straddle cable or exchanging the link wire.

Are cantilever brakes strong?

Cantilever brakes were used on touring bikes and tandems for decades before mountain bikes were even invented. The cantilever evolved into an extremely powerful and reliable braking system. Loaded touring bikes and tandems put more severe weight loads on the brakes than did bikes with just one person on them.

Which brake is best for bike?

Disc brakes

Disc brakes are always better than drum brakes and can deliver excellent braking performance. The disc brakes might cost you a premium, but the kind of braking performance you get is worth the money. We recommend you to go for bikes with disc brakes and ABS as it will protect you during panic braking situations.

Can I change V brakes to disc brakes?

Condensed Answer: V-brakes can be converted to disc brakes only when the frame and/or fork have disc mounts. If the frame or fork don’t have mounts, the user will have to compromise and choose a less than ideal option.

Are V brakes any good?

V-brakes are plenty powerful, and a good set is more powerful than most 160mm rotor discs. However discs have the edge in wet and muddy conditions because the rotors stay cleaner than your rims. And in general discs tend to have better modulation.

Can you use V-brake pads on caliper brakes?

Condensed Answer: Technically, the attachment mechanism of V-brake pads allows users to install them on caliper brakes. However, V-brake pads are significantly longer than the models designed for caliper brakes. Subsequently, the pads may fail to clear the fork blades.

Why are V brakes better?

Advantages of V-Brakes:



V-Brakes are a lot less expensive than disc brakes. They are easy to maintain and replace, even on the go. V-Brakes add no strain on the hubs or spokes. They do not hinder the mounting of a rear kick stand.

Are V brakes the same as rim brakes?

The most powerful style of rim brake are V brakes, which are sometimes known as ‘linear-pull’ or ‘direct-pull’ brakes. With this style of brake, the cable housing attaches to one arm while the brake cable attaches to the other – when the lever is pulled, the cable pulls against the housing the brake arms come together.

Are V brakes Universal?

They are universal except for a very few models called mini V brakes, which use short pull brake levers as opposed to long pull. These stand out as having very short arms compared to most.

Why do touring bikes have cantilever brakes?

The reason for this style is that they allow you to run wider tires, and provide a lot of space for fenders. As far as cantilever brakes go, there are two styles available, and this is where you want to be careful. Cross cantilever brakes are often found on cyclocross bikes, and offer a lot of braking power.

Are cantilever brakes short or long pull?

Traditional cantilever brakes are short pull, along with u brakes and road specific calipers. That was just the standard, there was no long vs short pull distinction until linear-pull brakes aka v-brakes came onto the scene which required more cable pull.

Are caliper brakes better than V brakes?

Converting From Cantilever To V-Brakes

Are V brakes the same as rim brakes?

The most powerful style of rim brake are V brakes, which are sometimes known as ‘linear-pull’ or ‘direct-pull’ brakes. With this style of brake, the cable housing attaches to one arm while the brake cable attaches to the other – when the lever is pulled, the cable pulls against the housing the brake arms come together.

What is a cantilever brake?

The cantilever brake is a class of brake in which each arm is attached to a separate pivot point on one side of the seat stay or fork. Thus all cantilever brakes are dual-pivot. Both first- and second-class lever designs exist; second-class is by far the most common.

Are linear pull and V brakes the same?

V Brakes are the most common term for this style of brake. Shimano actually named these and other brake companies label them “linear-pull” or “direct-pull” brakes. These brakes are extremely powerful. They are most common on mountain and off-road bikes.

Are all V brakes the same?

They are universal except for a very few models called mini V brakes, which use short pull brake levers as opposed to long pull. These stand out as having very short arms compared to most. Shimano and Tektro make a lot of the good economical repair v-brakes. The model numbers change over time.

Are cantilever brakes short pull?

Traditional cantilever brakes are short pull, along with u brakes and road specific calipers. That was just the standard, there was no long vs short pull distinction until linear-pull brakes aka v-brakes came onto the scene which required more cable pull.

Is a cantilever a linear-pull?

Linear-pull or v-brakes are an evolved version of cantilever brakes that provide more power through increased leverage. Two things make this happen. The brake lever is designed to pull more cable, and the brake arms are longer and at a different angle. V-brakes are a popular style of brake.