Cantilever brakes

You really don’t see many cantilever brakes on mountain bikes nowadays, though they’re still popular on cyclocross bikes (where they’re not expected to actually stop you, but simply slow you down). They were the forerunners of V-brakes and whilst they’ve both now been surpassed in terms of power and practicality by the disc brake, cantilevers are still to be found on the steeds of those who lovingly restore ’retro’ builds to their former glory – or who just still ride an old bike.

Take care to use the correct brake levers for cantilever brakes because they are not compatible with V-brake levers. V-brake levers are designed with a greater distance between the lever pivot and the nest that the cable nipple sits in. This means that more cable is pulled through the lever with V-brakes than with a cantilever brake lever. You can see the difference if you compare a V-brake lever to a cantilever brake lever. For a cantilever brake to work properly, the distance between brake lever pivot and cable nest needs to be around 30mm (11⁄8 inches). Cantilever brake blocks usually last much longer than V-brake blocks, but they will wear through eventually. Change them every couple of years whether they’re worn down or not; the rubber hardens and ceases…

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