Excellent video. I volunteer at a Community bike shop and tonight I had to work on a vintage Motobecane with Center Pull brakes. Your video helped tremendously. I have my own vintage Peugeot with center pull Mafac brakes. I swapped out the original pads for the Kool Stop inserts which are made specifically for the Mafac brakes. I used a C clamp similar to your video to compress the brakes when adjusting the cable. I also used a 3rd hand tool to pull & adjust the brake cable at the junction point. Thanks again!
Thank you! There are so many bike videos on UA-cam, but very few for classic bikes. Since I'm riding my grandpa's classic Peugeot and trying to keep it in good shape, well explained videos like these help a lot.
I have a vintage Specialized mountain bike that I found in a garbage bin, the center pull brakes were a mess! Thanks so much for your video!!! Very informative Xx From Oregon USA ❤️
Nice clear concise video! Couple extra tips I'll add: Your straddle cables look *very* long. There are much shorter ones out there and adjustable ones that will increase your mechanical advantage. Another sneaky thing is that you can use cheap modern V-brake pads and the brakes will be a lot smoother and again more powerful due to more pad area (kool stop dura-ace pad holders are quite nice too). Lastly, but most drastically is that aero brake levers give more mechanical advantage as well, although as you know they are less appropriate on a vintage ride. Using all of these three tricks together at once will give your centerpulls much more power and they will still retain their excellent modulation, something many modern brakes actually lack! Cheers 👍
I was wondering this because mine work very well! It’s because I have much shorter cables and integrated brake cable hoods. Shimano 600 I think and they work perfectly. As seen in the video the pads need moving every now and then and can damage your tires!
Thanks Tom. You are right but for whatever reason, on my Peugeot, adjusting the cable tension doesn’t seem to make any difference so I forgot to mention it.
Thanks very much for this very interesting video. Just a detail about the torque unit : N.m is "Newton meter", not "Newton per meter" which would be Newtons divided by meters...
Something else that would help is having the correct sized wheels. 27" wheels are what the frame is made for. Putting 700c wheels in that frame lowers the mechanical advantage of the brakes by having the brake blocks lower in the caliper . One more thing your straddle wire is too long. When the brakes are applied the angle from the caliper should be as near to 90 deg as possible to get the maximum braking power. HTH
Hello Classic Cyclist, thank you very much for your video. Before working on my bike, I just want to clarify something you say at 6:03. What I heard was *"It should be torqued at 6 NEUTRON per metre."* "Neutron" is the word that confuses me. Is "neutron" the word you say here? If not, what is the word you say that makes me hear "neutron"? If "neutron" IS the word you use, what does "It should be torqued at 6 neutron per metre" mean? Thank you in advance!
This came to my feed as I am currently giving new life to a bike that will be 50 years old next year. I notice that you have the front brand on the right side. Is that historically accurate for all road bikes everywhere, a personal preference or something else? I am quite used to the front break being on the left side
Nice vid. I can only dream about having my centerpull weinmanns doing the job. But it just have been a headache. I wish to keep the original parts on the vintage bike. But trying to fix the brakes, it just didn't work. No stopping power, no matter what I do.
Hi Joel. Have you replaced both the straddle cables and brake pads as well? Also make sure the brakes are set so they grab as quickly as possible. This means that when in the “rest”position, the pads should be 1 to 2mm from the rim only.
Thank you for sharing your adjustment techniques. I have a 1960 schwinn bike, I am missing the center pull hook on my rear brakes, do you know where I can fine that? Thanks in advance.
What is the tire size you're using? I fitted my bike with a 27 x 1 3/8 tires, my problem is that the brake pad is touching the tire. Any advise to solve my problem, thank you
Hello Byron. Based on my trials and errors, I now use Vélo Orange brake pads. They make a huge difference in terms of braking power. velo-orange.com/products/vo-cartridge-road-shoes?_pos=5&_sid=dbfad0b12&_ss=r
I've had mixed results with centrepulls, but the last one I fitted worked exceptionally well and had nothing to do with the brand or model of the brake. In theory they should work better than a traditional side-pull. Their fall out of favour was largely weight related.
Hello metal possum. The brake pads alone can also make a big difference I found. Unfortunately most brake pads for center pull brakes sold today are of low quality.
@@ClassicCyclingCC Pads can definitely make a huge difference, but my boss has had bad experiences with some centrepulls regardless, even after a complete strip, lube, and rebuild with fresh cables etc.
I'm sure I heard you say neutRon meters instead of Newton metres. A minor point but easily done. Sir Isaac Newton reputabley thought about the concept of gravity when watching an apple fall from a tree. This force unit, the weight of a medium sized apple came to be known as a Newton and later Newton metre (Nm) for the ISO unit of torque. Meter spelling is an American way.
Physics dictate that a short straddle cable will apply much more force. Just imagine a very long straddle cable and where the caliper ends are being pulled.
Rubbish. Why use a torque wrench and then adjust it again. Where did he get the measurements from? Those measurements are his preferences. They won't suit everyone but he does not have the knowledge to realise that. Where was the test?
Barry Malone seems upsets and needs to chill a bit. No one is forcing you to do it my way. Maybe you have a better way of doing it and if so I invite you to share it with us. Cheers and take a deep breath.
Well you are giving advice to people. And it is incorrect. Your setup will not be correct for everyone. The distance of the brake pad to the wheel depends on the rider. When you give a measurement it may not suit the person watching the video. If they are inexperienced they would not realise that and therefore have poor braking. And likely they won't know because an expert has told them it is correct. So the distance is a compromise between hand size and the speed the rider usually rides. When the pad touches the wheel the finger or fingers should wrap around the lever. To close and the reach is to long, to far and it's not enough. And if their hand is smaller or bigger or not as strong or stronger than yours then what. You haven't explained that. And no test at the end. Pull the lever as hard as you can at rest. Does the cable slip or do the pads move. What if it slipped when they where riding it. Confidence. You want to tighten the pads. Pull the lever hard to the wheel and then tighten the nut. You used the torque wrench incorrectly.
@@malonebz welcome to tge internet where anyone can give advice on anything, this guys video is professional how about you try help people instead of critising
@@arronbatchvarov5035actually, despite being a little rude, his text contains solid information. Especially testing if the Center pull is coming loose is hugely important, the design of these is well known to cause problems. Just yesterday I had to adjust a center pull, thought it’s rock solid, tested it with emergency brake force, and the thing did slip several centimeters. Yeah for starting all over again! But: Without the test I might have run full speed into an intersection.
The bungee cord trick is awesome!
Excellent video. I volunteer at a Community bike shop and tonight I had to work on a vintage Motobecane with Center Pull brakes. Your video helped tremendously.
I have my own vintage Peugeot with center pull Mafac brakes. I swapped out the original pads for the Kool Stop inserts which are made specifically for the Mafac brakes. I used a C clamp similar to your video to compress the brakes when adjusting the cable. I also used a 3rd hand tool to pull & adjust the brake cable at the junction point.
Thanks again!
Hello Paul and thanks for your. I am also glad to hear that my video is helpful to other vintage aficionados. Cheers.
Thank you! There are so many bike videos on UA-cam, but very few for classic bikes. Since I'm riding my grandpa's classic Peugeot and trying to keep it in good shape, well explained videos like these help a lot.
Thank you for the encouraging words Sven and enjoy that Peugeot.
I have a vintage Specialized mountain bike that I found in a garbage bin, the center pull brakes were a mess! Thanks so much for your video!!! Very informative Xx
From Oregon USA ❤️
Glad to help!
the quality of your video sir is incredible
Nice clear concise video! Couple extra tips I'll add: Your straddle cables look *very* long. There are much shorter ones out there and adjustable ones that will increase your mechanical advantage. Another sneaky thing is that you can use cheap modern V-brake pads and the brakes will be a lot smoother and again more powerful due to more pad area (kool stop dura-ace pad holders are quite nice too). Lastly, but most drastically is that aero brake levers give more mechanical advantage as well, although as you know they are less appropriate on a vintage ride. Using all of these three tricks together at once will give your centerpulls much more power and they will still retain their excellent modulation, something many modern brakes actually lack! Cheers 👍
Hello Todd. Thanks for the positive feedback and the tips. Be well.
I was wondering this because mine work very well! It’s because I have much shorter cables and integrated brake cable hoods. Shimano 600 I think and they work perfectly. As seen in the video the pads need moving every now and then and can damage your tires!
Excellent video. I have a 1975 Nishiki International and I just replaced the brake pads so this video will help in getting them properly adjusted.
Thank you rcartmell9163. Glad to hear my videos are helpful to others and take good care of that 1975 Nishiki. Cheers.
Exactly what I was looking for, thank you!
You are very welcome.
2:44 OMG … how much I have struggled holding the brake pad with my hand, rather than that simple little maneuver with the adjustable wrench. Duhhh.
Very informative it helps a lot for classic steel something learned today thank YOU for your video
You are very welcome Edgar and thanks for your post and happy new year.
I like my center pull brakes.
Hi Bruce. Vintage road bikes are great to ride and center pull brakes is just part of the charm!
info starts at 1:10.
Centering of the brakes starts at 5:50
Nice video. There is also a cable tension adjustment on the bracket for fine adjustment.
Thanks Tom. You are right but for whatever reason, on my Peugeot, adjusting the cable tension doesn’t seem to make any difference so I forgot to mention it.
Very useful information. Thank You
You are quite welcome.
Nice and clear. well done and I appreciate it.
Thank you Ken and you are very welcome. Cheers!
Excellent video! Very informative; thank you so much!
You are very welcome
Thanks very much for this very interesting video. Just a detail about the torque unit : N.m is "Newton meter", not "Newton per meter" which would be Newtons divided by meters...
Thanks Organ Score
Thank you so much for the video.
You are welcome
4th hand tool works nice too but you reminded me I have a C clamp I could use for this too.
Very good! 🎉
Amazing video! ThankU 👌👏👏
You are welcome and thank you for your post Andre.
Brilliant! Thanks!
Thanks and happy new year!
Something else that would help is having the correct sized wheels.
27" wheels are what the frame is made for.
Putting 700c wheels in that frame lowers the mechanical advantage of the brakes by having the brake blocks lower in the caliper .
One more thing your straddle wire is too long. When the brakes are applied the angle from the caliper should be as near to 90 deg as possible to get the maximum braking power.
HTH
Good points!
Nice tips. Thank you.
You are welcome
yes! couple tricks there I like
Great video . Just what I needed . Love your bike .px10 ?
Hi Peter and thank you. This is a 1980 Peugeot PB 12.
Any tips for side pull caliper brakes?
Hello Classic Cyclist, thank you very much for your video. Before working on my bike, I just want to clarify something you say at 6:03.
What I heard was *"It should be torqued at 6 NEUTRON per metre."* "Neutron" is the word that confuses me. Is "neutron" the word you say here?
If not, what is the word you say that makes me hear "neutron"? If "neutron" IS the word you use, what does "It should be torqued at 6 neutron per metre" mean?
Thank you in advance!
Hello Miyojewolt S Nasonth. I meant “Newton Meter”. Sorry for confusion. Cheers.
@@ClassicCyclingCC Aha, thank you for letting me know!
This came to my feed as I am currently giving new life to a bike that will be 50 years old next year. I notice that you have the front brand on the right side. Is that historically accurate for all road bikes everywhere, a personal preference or something else? I am quite used to the front break being on the left side
Nice vid. I can only dream about having my centerpull weinmanns doing the job. But it just have been a headache. I wish to keep the original parts on the vintage bike. But trying to fix the brakes, it just didn't work. No stopping power, no matter what I do.
Hi Joel. Have you replaced both the straddle cables and brake pads as well? Also make sure the brakes are set so they grab as quickly as possible. This means that when in the “rest”position, the pads should be 1 to 2mm from the rim only.
Absolutely beautiful! Where did you find the vintage decals to put on the frame after powder coating (Peugeot, made in france, etc...)
Hello Speedemon. I found the decal on eBay.
any thoughts on sidepull vs centre pull in terms of braking force?
Sidepull beats center pull breaks every time.
Thank you for sharing your adjustment techniques. I have a 1960 schwinn bike, I am missing the center pull hook on my rear brakes, do you know where I can fine that? Thanks in advance.
Hello Noel. I would try “Vélo Orange” or “eBay”. I would say those are your 2 best bets.
@@ClassicCyclingCC thanks a million. I will try that. All the best!
What is the tire size you're using? I fitted my bike with a 27 x 1 3/8 tires, my problem is that the brake pad is touching the tire. Any advise to solve my problem, thank you
I use 27 x 1 1/4. Brakes pads touch the tire when you mount or dismount the wheel or do they touch the tire when the wheel is mounted to the bike?
They touch when the wheel is mounted on the bike... The previous tire mounted were 27x1 1/4, the brake pads don't touch the tires
Either you are using the wrong tire size or you need to lower the pads.
Neutron per Meter? Do you by any chance mean NewtonMeter :-)
Hello Abandon7d. You are correct my friend. I did mean NewtonMeter. Cheers.
Anyone have recommendations for replacement pads for this style of brakes?
Hello Byron. Based on my trials and errors, I now use Vélo Orange brake pads. They make a huge difference in terms of braking power. velo-orange.com/products/vo-cartridge-road-shoes?_pos=5&_sid=dbfad0b12&_ss=r
What is the brake name
I've had mixed results with centrepulls, but the last one I fitted worked exceptionally well and had nothing to do with the brand or model of the brake. In theory they should work better than a traditional side-pull. Their fall out of favour was largely weight related.
Hello metal possum. The brake pads alone can also make a big difference I found. Unfortunately most brake pads for center pull brakes sold today are of low quality.
@@ClassicCyclingCC Pads can definitely make a huge difference, but my boss has had bad experiences with some centrepulls regardless, even after a complete strip, lube, and rebuild with fresh cables etc.
I'm sure I heard you say neutRon meters instead of Newton metres. A minor point but easily done. Sir Isaac Newton reputabley thought about the concept of gravity when watching an apple fall from a tree. This force unit, the weight of a medium sized apple came to be known as a Newton and later Newton metre (Nm) for the ISO unit of torque. Meter spelling is an American way.
Hello Robert. You are right and I stand to be corrected. Thanks for your post.
Physics dictate that a short straddle cable will apply much more force. Just imagine a very long straddle cable and where the caliper ends are being pulled.
Again you are correct about the laws of physics. Point well taken.
great job Sir ... guys that replace and go with an up grade take away the style .
Thank you jbird and I agree with you.
I kind of see the point, but one area where I place function over form is brakes - they are the most important part on the bike.
why dose it take ten min for a 30sec fix and stillnothing
Not sure I understand your post.
Clean the braking surface of the rim
And get new pads
Rubbish. Why use a torque wrench and then adjust it again.
Where did he get the measurements from?
Those measurements are his preferences. They won't suit everyone but he does not have the knowledge to realise that.
Where was the test?
Barry Malone seems upsets and needs to chill a bit. No one is forcing you to do it my way. Maybe you have a better way of doing it and if so I invite you to share it with us. Cheers and take a deep breath.
Well you are giving advice to people. And it is incorrect.
Your setup will not be correct for everyone.
The distance of the brake pad to the wheel depends on the rider. When you give a measurement it may not suit the person watching the video.
If they are inexperienced they would not realise that and therefore have poor braking. And likely they won't know because an expert has told them it is correct.
So the distance is a compromise between hand size and the speed the rider usually rides.
When the pad touches the wheel the finger or fingers should wrap around the lever. To close and the reach is to long, to far and it's not enough. And if their hand is smaller or bigger or not as strong or stronger than yours then what.
You haven't explained that.
And no test at the end.
Pull the lever as hard as you can at rest.
Does the cable slip or do the pads move.
What if it slipped when they where riding it. Confidence.
You want to tighten the pads. Pull the lever hard to the wheel and then tighten the nut.
You used the torque wrench incorrectly.
@@malonebz welcome to tge internet where anyone can give advice on anything, this guys video is professional how about you try help people instead of critising
@@arronbatchvarov5035actually, despite being a little rude, his text contains solid information. Especially testing if the Center pull is coming loose is hugely important, the design of these is well known to cause problems. Just yesterday I had to adjust a center pull, thought it’s rock solid, tested it with emergency brake force, and the thing did slip several centimeters. Yeah for starting all over again! But: Without the test I might have run full speed into an intersection.
Just what I was looking for. Thank you!