Replacement catilever brakes for drop bar levers

[steady eddy]

My Galaxy has Tektro Oryx cantilever brakes as standard. For some time I have been wondering why the side walls of my tyres wear away and now I know. There quite simply isn't enough adjustment to set the pads low enough to stop them rubbing on the tyre. I have cautiously re-profiled the slot to move the pads lower and now just about have what I consider to be an acceptable clearance. I am reluctant to remove much more metal, so I am starting to think that an upgrade might be a more reliable solution. Has anybody got any suggestions. I am more concerned about quality and ease of adjustment than I am about price. The replacements need to work with Campag Centaur levers. Frogs Legs for cyclo cross seem a possibility.

[PH]

What size tyres do you need clearance for? And how old is the bike?
Mini Vs may be an option, do a search on here for all the reasons why.
If you want to stay with cantis, then the tektro 520 or 720 are pretty good, though I'm not sure why you wouldn't have enough adjustment from the Oryx or if these would have any more.

[Seagoon]

How old is your Galaxy, I ask because if it's designed for 27" wheels and your running 700c there may lie your problem ?

[gaz]

IIRC 27" wheeled Galaxy frames did not have cantilever brazings.

... though I'm not sure why you wouldn't have enough adjustment from the Oryx or if these would have any more.

+1

Pictures may help but I think this is one of those things that needs to be examined in real life. If you are considering trying different types of canti to see if something does work then either try before you buy, so you can test for fit/adjustability, or buy second-hand and sell on with minimal loss if it doesn't.

[Brucey]

need to see a picture or two of the OP's setup really.

cheers

[steady eddy]

These are the original brakes fitted to the bike which came with 700c rims. I think it is probably just a poor manufacturing tolerance. I will see if I can sort some pictures.

[CREPELLO]

How many mm's are the pads missing the rims by - I guess only a couple? And is this on both front and rear wheels? Which would be a bit strange, in that you could imagine one set of canti studs being mis-aligned, but both?

If this problem persists, even with new brakes, you could file a mm or so out of the dropouts.

One things for sure, you will have maximum mechanical advantage with the pads set so low in the brake arm slots. Oryx are renowned on these boards for there feeble braking power. Out of interest, are your Oryx any good?

[Brucey]

I guess we'll see once the OP posts pictures but I can only think of two ways this can arise

1) wrong boss position vs rim
2) wrong spacing to the brake block (e.g. too many spacers between brake arm and brake block)

The Oryx isn't my favourite brake but can usually be set up (with a low straddle etc) to give reasonable power. However many users report that even then the feel isn't that great and some experience (apparently incurable) squealing.

It is worth noting that (in terms of how the brake blocks fit into the arms) different canti brakes (in the modern style) are unlikely to be any different to the oryx (unless post-mount ones are used).

With all these things the devil is in the detail....

cheers

[steady eddy]

The problem only seems to be at the front although the rear is tight it isn't on the tyre. I don't have any problems with them as brakes They stop fine although I haven't used the bike as a loaded tourer.

[pwa]

I've just had a quick look at bikes in my garage and the slots on my wife's Oryx brakes seem to be about the same as those on the (otherwise) nicer Tektro 520 brakes on one of my bikes. Are you using standard narrowish brake blocks? Just a thought. If your blocks were not as narrow as some, that would be a quick fix.

[bigjim]

Dumped the cant's on two of my bikes and fitted sidepulls. Much less hassle. Running 32c on the Galaxy as well.

[ukpacker]

I know it's a bit late now to make suggestions, but the problem might have been caused by the cantilever arms approaching the wheel rim from the wrong angle. If the pads resting position is higher than the braking position then due to the angle the pads approach the rim from they can connect with a wide tyre before hitting the rim.
ukpacker