Looking at dual pivot brake calipers for a new build. Campy Veloce, Shimano Tiagra, and Tektro (Nashbar house brand), all similar in looks (polished alloy), and within $5 of each other in price. Does anybody have experience with all three, or any two to recommend or warn off from any? Would appreciate some feed back to make a good choice.
Brake Set - Campagnolo vs Shimano vs Tektro
junior1210
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
Joined
·
2,756 Posts
Looking at dual pivot brake calipers for a new build. Campy Veloce, Shimano Tiagra, and Tektro (Nashbar house brand), all similar in looks (polished alloy), and within $5 of each other in price. Does anybody have experience with all three, or any two to recommend or warn off from any? Would appreciate some feed back to make a good choice.
depends on what kind of shifter/brake lever you have. The issue comes in when you want to remove the wheel. Campy brakes do not have the release cam that shimano/tektro brakes do. The release is built into the shifter/brake lever.
So if you try to run campy brakes without the correct levers, you will have to loosen the cable and readjust every time you take the wheels off.
Not the worst thing ever, but a minor annoyance and something to think about. I would go with Shimano with shimano levers (i just think tektro is a bit cheap), and campy with campy levers.
If you are running these kinds of levers or don't care about adjusting the brakes when you remove the wheel, it doesn't matter which kind you get. I'd recommend shimano/campy over tektro though.
I don't know if you meant this, but to clear things up: Tektro and nashbar have no affiliation. Tektro is a manufacturer of bike components. Nashbar does not own tektro. Tektro has a lot of OEM contracts to save companies money over getting shimano components, and many times places like nashbar will put in an order and ask the products to be rebranded as their own.
So if you try to run campy brakes without the correct levers, you will have to loosen the cable and readjust every time you take the wheels off.
Not the worst thing ever, but a minor annoyance and something to think about. I would go with Shimano with shimano levers (i just think tektro is a bit cheap), and campy with campy levers.
If you are running these kinds of levers or don't care about adjusting the brakes when you remove the wheel, it doesn't matter which kind you get. I'd recommend shimano/campy over tektro though.
I don't know if you meant this, but to clear things up: Tektro and nashbar have no affiliation. Tektro is a manufacturer of bike components. Nashbar does not own tektro. Tektro has a lot of OEM contracts to save companies money over getting shimano components, and many times places like nashbar will put in an order and ask the products to be rebranded as their own.
Tektro is what goes on bikes to cut costs. I have no experience with their components, but they say "cheap" to me.
Shimano/Shimano and Campy/Campy is good advice. I like the Shimano release mechanism better than Campy. Not only is it on the brake, but it allows you to adjust the cable tension on the fly. I have mine half open when I put new brake pads on. As they wear, I close it. Campy is either open or closed -- no middle ground.
Shimano/Shimano and Campy/Campy is good advice. I like the Shimano release mechanism better than Campy. Not only is it on the brake, but it allows you to adjust the cable tension on the fly. I have mine half open when I put new brake pads on. As they wear, I close it. Campy is either open or closed -- no middle ground.
Joined
·
2,756 Posts
Yeah, this I knew, but I might have phrased it better. Nashbar has done the same with their house brand shifter/brake levers with Microshift. Same as Performance Bike.
I'm still early enough in the process that I can change which levers to use without any drama. Figured to decide based on the caliper performance, since you can find levers to work with the various calipers and be comfortable.
I've used Tektro brakes on MTBs and they've been good enough, not great, but not bad. Good enough to consider them on another bike. I've no experience with Campy though. The issue with the release mech is food for thought though, and could well make a difference when dealing with flats on the road.
Joined
·
14,776 Posts
Adjusting barrels, but not a quick-release to allow wide opening of the brake to facilitate wheel removal. He's talking about the QR on the lever, but I think his point is insignificant. I've never needed to adjust cable tension on the fly. If you need to adjust cable tension when stopped, there is a barrel adjuster, as you say.
Joined
·
14,776 Posts
I do have experience with Tektro calipers and levers, and they say "good value" to me. They work well and look reasonably good. The only weak point is their pads. Upgrade them to Koolstop or similar and you have very good brakes for a very good price.
I've never heard of anyone using the caliper QR for that. That's what the barrel adjusters are for.
Joined
·
35,220 Posts
Per post #1, Campy does indeed have a QR. It is built into the brifter.
Maybe I wasn't clear. Yes, they both have adjustment barrels, but you can adjust the Shimano ones really easily using the on/off levers. FWIW, two of my three bikes have Campy 11-speed components on them.
Joined
·
5,238 Posts
The cheap Tektro brakes use steel bolts and washers that rust like crazy. The more expensive (TRP, still Tektro) ones don't.... but are more expensive than Shimano or Campy. If you don't need super performance brakes look into Planet X with good pads like Koolstop Salmon. They are the best lightweight brakes for the money. Performance wise you should probably stick with Shimano.
Joined
·
2,756 Posts
Planet X brakes just made the list. Don't really care about the weight since it's not gonna be a race bike, but if the calipers have the stopping power, and the looks (polished alloy/aluminum/steel), in that price zone I can be persuaded.
Joined
·
2,756 Posts
After more research I now have a different question; How much of a braking improvement has there been between Ultegra 6600, 6700, and 6800? After doing specific searches, NOS Ultegra brake sets are available, but are the jumps in price between the generations worth it?
The correct answer depends on the brake levers you plan on using. New levers with older generation brakes results in loss of modulation, and old levers on new brakes results in loss of maximum power. Best choice is to match your brakes to your levers
Joined
·
2,756 Posts
That's just a function of making sure you have the correct amount of cable pull right?
Joined
·
397 Posts
I think the 6700 Ultegra brakes on my new bike feel better than the 2002 Campy Centaurs on my old bike (each with their matching shifter counterparts). Better power and modulation. Both are worlds better than the Tectro cantis I had on my last cx bike, but I know that's not a fair comparison... nor would it be to say the Avid discs on my current cx bike are the best of all of them 
I run 25mm tires and need to deflate them to remove/install on both of the brake sets in question. No biggie for me. I don't swap wheels around (like an idiot, none of my bikes have interchangeable wheels). More commonly, when changing a flat... it's flat when it comes off and it's flat when it goes back on as I don't inflate the repaired tire till it's back on the bike. So the quick release on the brake is pretty much irrelevant to me.
I don't think the difference in brakes between campy and shimano are big enough to justify the groupset decision. I'd base my decision on which shifter I wanted for the bike in question... and perhaps which groupset would allow wheel interchangeably with other bikes you may own.
I run 25mm tires and need to deflate them to remove/install on both of the brake sets in question. No biggie for me. I don't swap wheels around (like an idiot, none of my bikes have interchangeable wheels). More commonly, when changing a flat... it's flat when it comes off and it's flat when it goes back on as I don't inflate the repaired tire till it's back on the bike. So the quick release on the brake is pretty much irrelevant to me.
I don't think the difference in brakes between campy and shimano are big enough to justify the groupset decision. I'd base my decision on which shifter I wanted for the bike in question... and perhaps which groupset would allow wheel interchangeably with other bikes you may own.
Joined
·
2,756 Posts
O.k. thanks folks, looks like it'll be Shimano calipers then. Judging by what I've seen in my research the last couple days, I'll probably go with the new 5800 or 6600/6700/6800 calipers, whichever I can find in the polished alloy when I'm ready to buy them.
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
