I just scored a set of Pauls Neo Retro brakes. I must admit they look great and are easy to set up... but I am having problems getting the pads close enough to the rim to actually make them stop. The only way I get any power to the rim is by having the cable pulled really tight to the the brake arm which them does not allow for the canti's to be released. Any suggestions? Also, what pads are peeps using with these? I am using what came with Kool Stop black. I got my first taste of wacking my leg on the caliped last night as I was dismounting... MAN, It really did some damage. I can barely walk today. Might go back to the old xt canti's.
Paul's Neo Retro set up
bicyclenerd
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I just scored a set of Pauls Neo Retro brakes. I must admit they look great and are easy to set up... but I am having problems getting the pads close enough to the rim to actually make them stop. The only way I get any power to the rim is by having the cable pulled really tight to the the brake arm which them does not allow for the canti's to be released. Any suggestions? Also, what pads are peeps using with these? I am using what came with Kool Stop black. I got my first taste of wacking my leg on the caliped last night as I was dismounting... MAN, It really did some damage. I can barely walk today. Might go back to the old xt canti's.
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you gotta play a little game of adjusted the length of the straddle wire and the brake cable. it sounds like you need to lengthen the straddle wire and shorten where the brake wire attaches to the straddle carrier. its about finding the right balance between the two lengths. you might think about going to the touring rear and selling that neo retro on ebay or rbr. i dont have any probs with the touring on the rear.bicyclenerd said:
jeremy
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Dang, that doesn't sound too good. The narrower Paul neo- touring brake is better on the rear. I find those Kool stops are pretty good, I always trim the little lip off with a razor blade so the braking surface is flat, the lip makes it feel mushy. Also, putting some grease on the threads of the pads mounting post will allow you to get a precise toe- in and lock it down good. Without seeing a photo of how you've got your brakes set up it's tough to offer any suggestions on increasing power but check out the sheldon brown website for some in depth canti adjustment theory, you're probably doing something just a little off.bicyclenerd said:
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I will try fooling around with the height of the straddle vs the straddle cable length. I will try to get a photo... my photo equipment got jacked in downtown Philly on Sunday so I don't have access to a camera right now... BUT... i might be able to. Pictures help a lot... thanks.
As mentioned before w/o seeing the set up it's tough to offer advise but are you sure you've moved all the spacers on the mounting post to the inside of the arm (might be screwing up the tech terms here) I think the cool stop pads that come with them should have a diagram that illustrates the correct positioning. Hope that helps.
ahh good old Philly, brings back some memories.
PHP:
got jacked in downtown Philly
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I tried some of the suggestions from you all... thanks! They work better and I am able to remove the cable straddle. The front works great and the back is still a little soft. I mean I still have to pull on the lever hard to get it to brake and it ALMOST hits the bar... not quite... maybe an inch until it hits. I have not given it a long test ride but will be shortly.
I run my Paul's high about 3 fingers width from the tire to the straddle. They work better than the Avid 4's I was running. You can adjust the tension on the arms that might help a bit. http://www.paulcomp.com/ has some pretty decent directions.
Pad spacers
I have a neoretro on front of my fixed cross check, it also felt a bit mushey until I swaped the brake pad spacers so that the fatter spacer is on the outside, then It went from mushey to WOW, even when running a terrible unsprung diacomp lever, I now have a nice shimano exage slr road lever and it is even a little better. I say use the stock pads, there pretty good, but upgrade to cartrige pads, and holders when they wear out, and use ritchey red pads in the wet, or ritchey or koolstop cartrige pads. On front my stradle carrier is a little higher then the headset cup.bicyclenerd said:
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I have been tinkering for a bit and they do stop ok... the front stops really nicely... but the back still sux. For all that use these on the back... when you pull on the brake really hard can you lock up the wheel?
bicyclenerd said:
I can lock up the rear but it is not real easy to do so. Almost have to be standing and not going real fast. I still have some tinkering to do with mine. Tomorrow I might play with the spacers on the pads to see what that does. I have mine set up like the instructions say to.
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