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Shimano GRX lever with cantilever brakes

5 min read

Asked by: Madhu Debbas

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 I use V brake levers with cantilever brakes?

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 cantilever brakes any good?

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.

Are cantilever brakes long pull?

Additionally, brake levers are classified according to the amount of brake cable that moves when you squeeze the brake lever. Road calipers, cantilever, and BMX brakes all require “short-pull” brake levers. Linear-pull brakes require “long-pull” brake levers.

Are cantilever brakes short pull 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.

Which is better cantilever or V 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.

How do you make cantilever brakes stronger?

Most effective way to improve cantilever brakes

  1. Change the brake blocks. Perhaps more expensive brake blocks are much more effective.
  2. Check your brake adjustment. …
  3. Change to newer cantilever brakes. …
  4. Change to a different type of brake. …
  5. Buy new rims.


Do V brakes need special levers?

Condensed Answer: Standard road levers are designed for short pull brakes and do not operate properly with V-brakes. To combine the two, you will have to buy special road levers engineered specifically for V-brakes or install an adapter compensating for the different pull ratios.

Can you use V-brake levers with caliper brakes?

Your V-brake levers will work wonderfully with those road calipers! No problems whatsoever.

Why do touring bikes have cantilever brakes?

The vast majority of touring bikes are built with cantilever brake bosses, which as the name suggests, are designed to take cantilever style brakes. The reason for this style is that they allow you to run wider tires, and provide a lot of space for fenders.

How do you tighten cantilever brakes?

Quote from video: Start by loosening the clamp. And then adjust the up and down position. So that they match the angle of your arm. When you're riding. Once the angle is set you can tighten the clamp.

Which brakes are best for bikes?

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.

What are Canti levers?

The Canti Lever is a short pull brake lever for use with short pull brakes like cantilevers, center pull brakes, and side pull caliper brakes.

How do I choose a brake lever?

The type of brake lever you need will primarily depend on your bike type – BMX, MTB or road bike, followed by your brake type (cable-actuated rim brake or hydraulic disc brake) and finally other factors including handlebar diameter or groupset manufacturer.

What is a long pull brake lever?

Long pull brake levers have more leverage than short pull brake levers and pull a longer amount of cable as they are actuated. They are intended only for use with long pull brakes, such as linear pull brakes, v-brakes and cable-actuated disk brakes.

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.

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.

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.

Can you replace V brakes with U brakes?

The bad news: There is no way to retrofit V brakes to U brake studs. 1- As said, they’re in the wrong place in relation to the rim. 2- The diameter of the posts are too large.

Why are V brakes better?

Advantages of V-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. Spare brake shoes and braking components are easily available in the market.

Why do BMX use U brakes?

U-brakes are the most popular on freestyle BMX bikes. The main advantage of these brakes is that they’re 90% out of the way due to their contoured design. Obviously, this is valuable for any type of freestyle. U-brakes are also convenient for freestyle as they go along perfectly with detanglers.