Cantilever brakes: adjusting straddle or link wire angle

The angle at which the cable connects the two brake units is critical since it determines how powerfully the brake blocks are forced onto the rim when the brake cable is pulled.

Readjusting your cable angle will help you stop more quickly, but you may have to readjust your brake block positions. If you’re fitting new cables and blocks, adjust the cable angle first, then fit the brake blocks to match. The brake unit is attached to the frame by a single fixing bolt so that the brake unit can rotate around the bolt. The cable attachment points on the tops of the brake units move in a circle around the fixing bolts. This means the cable must be set up to pull the brake units around this circle – there’s no point in pulling them in any other direction. This brake cable angle is best estimated by setting the sections of cable that connect the brake units so that they’re at…

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