Tektro R737 vs R539?

[alxp]

Thanks for answering my latest post. It seems I'm a bit obsessed with brakes lately, so I'll continue my extremely low activity in this forum with another brake-related question.

The question is all in the subject really. I'm looking for long-reach brake calipers, and it seems that, outside Shimano, Tektro is pretty much the only way to go (apart from the expensive TRPs). There seems to be two offerings, the R539 and the R737.

Would anyone happen to know what's the difference between the two? One would think that the R737 are higher end than the R539, but on Ribble they're only marginally more expensive (€49.93 vs €42.95).

Based on looks alone, the R737 look quite better. The cable arm isn't triangular, which might be less stiff -- although that too looks better too in my opinion. Any idea? Would anyone by any chance have experience with both? Would you know how they compare with Shimano's BR650?

Thanks!

[Brucey]

I would expect the shimano brakes to be better than most Tektros. The R650s are nominally ultegra quality.

Hopefully the ones you are looking at are not like this (I don't have a set of either to look at) but the cheapest tektros have no proper locking arrangement in the LH (long arm) pivot; decent brakes have a threaded yoke and the nut on the back is a locknut so that you can adjust the clearance in the LH pivot and then lock the adjustment off. In the cheaper brakes the yoke is clearance drilled and it is only the 'locking action' of the nylock that keeps the adjustment correct. IME this is but a temporary state of affairs.

hth

cheers

[Ross K]

I've done a few thousand miles on both Tektro R539 and Shimano R650 brakes, on the same bike, the latter replacing the former a couple or three years ago.

Tektro have poorer build quality, the stock pads are awful especially in the wet and they chew up the alu rims then make a nice grinding surface with the bits of embedded aluminium in the pad surface. Their stopping power even with Koolstop salmons or Swissstop greens is not great in the wet, they feel a little flexy. Their springs and bolts look like stainless but they rust badly.

The Shimano are a much better quality product in build and performance. Ultegra quality? Yeah, that's about right I'd say. Hex head sockets have rusted a bit but this is after about 3 years of abuse and little maintenance. The stock pads are okay, stopping power is better than Tektro, wet or dry. Available only in silver if that matters to you.

Funnily enough my most powerful long-drop brakes are Tektro, the R559 extra long drop, which I have on my old steel. It's the combination of very long arms (which have no triangular brace by the way) and having the pads positioned high up in the slots (on the front brake - the rear is mid way) that gives better mechanical leverage than the shorter-armed R539 and makes them even more powerful than even my Shimano R650 for wet weather stopping. They have also rusted less than the R539 for some reason, being used in identical conditions. Check your measurements because these R559s are worth using if they will fit.

[pickerd]

I use R559 on my single speed (27" frame with 700c wheels hence extra long drop). They seem pretty good to me. Mega improvement on the centre pull calipers they replaced. Easy to adjust also.

[Ross K]

I use R559 on my single speed (27" frame with 700c wheels hence extra long drop). They seem pretty good to me. Mega improvement on the centre pull calipers they replaced. Easy to adjust also.

Yes, my old steel had centre pull Weinmanns which were bloody lethal in the wet - the R559s are night and day by comparison.

[alxp]

Thanks for the replies. I'm aware that stock pads are bad, that alone is not an issue, since I'm prepared to swap them with Swissstops (the blue ones) from the beginning. R539s seem pretty much out of the equation, I've read similar reviews to what you're saying. Shimano would be the obvious winner, probably between R539s and TRPs in quality, but much closer in price to the R539. But for highly superficial reasons I don't want to introduce them in a Campagnolo build.

I'd spotted the R559, and they look nice all right. I had dismissed them, as I somehow find it aesthetically not satisfying to have longer reach than necessary (they might even be too long, I'm not sure, but I would not like to resort to filing the slots). I would really like to know how they compare with R737s. My hope would be that they're similar in quality, just with different reach...

[Brucey]

. Shimano would be the obvious winner....but for highly superficial reasons I don't want to introduce them in a Campagnolo build....

if the 'shimano' logo is the only thing putting you off them, do bear in mind that it usually comes right off if you use a little paint thinners or acetone on it, thus leaving you with a plain and fairly anonymous looking caliper.

cheers

[alxp]

if the 'shimano' logo is the only thing putting you off them, do bear in mind that it usually comes right off if you use a little paint thinners or acetone on it, thus leaving you with a plain and fairly anonymous looking caliper.

I'm aware of this solution too, but, call me superficial again, I find this solution even more of a "cheat" If I convince myself Shimano is the way to go, it will keep its logo on. But I'd really like to know how the R737 fare. In fact, I might just order those, and see for myself. I won't compare them with the rest, but at least I'll be able to report back here my impressions.

[Samuel D]

I think you should just get the Shimano callipers if you think they’d be best for the job.

I have the BR-R650s and can confirm they’re good, albeit expensive compared to most alternatives from Miche, Tektro, and Shimano itself (BR-R450 or BR-R451).

You should first confirm your Campagnolo brake levers pull an appropriate length of cable for Shimano Super SLR callipers.

I find the whole concept of a groupset a bit off-putting. Different manufacturers have different strengths, and choosing each component individually should result in the best outcome if everything were compatible – which it would be if I ruled the world.

Besides, if you sully whatever purity abides in an all-Campagnolo groupset by adding an outsider, what difference does Shimano versus Tektro make? If the distinction is only that Shimano makes more products than Tektro, then that is subtle indeed!

[alxp]

Besides, if you sully whatever purity abides in an all-Campagnolo groupset by adding an outsider, what difference does Shimano versus Tektro make? If the distinction is only that Shimano makes more products than Tektro, then that is subtle indeed!

Well, it's completely superficial, subjective and irrational, so I'm not trying to prove anyone that I'm right, and I'm not even expecting anyone to agree with me. So for me, the difference between Shimano and Tektro is that the latter is "neutral", and Shimano is, well, Shimano. Tektro only makes brakes, and Campagnolo doesn't make long reach brakes. So they are a fairly natural match, short of having Campagnolo brakes. Then, there is the aesthetic aspect: Campagnolo components just look well with each other, it's not just a matter of "purity". The same can be said of Shimano groupsets, by the way. It's just the mix-and-matching that I find a bit off-putting.

I personally find that Tektro look close to some of the "plain" Campagnolo brakes (compare this and this for example). The R650s, on the other hand, look very... Shimano-esque, and removing the logo won't change that.

Now, I'm just elaborating because you were asking, don't think that I'm losing sleep over those sort of considerations. At the end of the day, having a bike that stops properly is important enough not to put form over function. If I convince myself that the BR-R650s are what I need, I'll put them. I just want to make sure there's no other alternative first.

[Samuel D]

I understand. I put forth my view in the spirit of discussion and because I dislike the tyranny of the groupset. But I appreciate the Shimano BR-R650 is a minor aesthetic clash with some Campagnolo components.

I actually find the BR-R650 slightly ugly in itself, though ultimately I like form that follows function, and the lopsided fatness of the BR-R650 follows from the need to beef up the longer of the two arms (as measured from pivot to pad).

If you’re willing to spend loads, the TRP (Tektro Racing Products) RG957 may be the ultimate long-drop calliper (47–57 mm drop). It is available in silver. It is reported by several people to work even better than the BR-R650, though it’s unclear whether that is because the TRP is simply better or because it expects a slightly longer cable pull (New Super SLR whereas the BR-R650 uses Super SLR) that works better with the latest generation of Shimano STIs.

How much cable do Campagnolo brake levers pull anyway?

[Brucey]

if 57mm is deep enough then maybe these would work for you?



and only £20 a pair right now, and decals come off I guess.

Spa cycles do a similar Miche brakeset (in black) for slightly less money.

BTW to match in with a campag groupset, I'd suggest that 'no caliper QR' > cam-type QR > lever type QR.

cheers

[alxp]

OK, so I'm now in a position to answer my original question: R737 are very good, and considerably better than the R539. Considering they're almost the same price, it's a no-brainer.

So I managed to get hold of a pair of R539s. I tried them. In dry weather, they do stop the bike for sure, but I would describe them as unenthusiastic. In wet weather, I was shocked to see how bad they are. Now, their stock pads seem to be getting unanimously bad press, so I swapped them for blue BXP swissstops. They do clearly improve things, and make them usable in wet weather too. But still, they're just not fun to use.

Now, since I was curious in trying both models, I ordered from Ribble a pair of R737. By the way, they seem to be an older model -- the one shown on Tektro's website, with the logo drawn more sideways, and not centrally as the one I bought, seems available only on US based websites. But I would assume they should behave similarly.

Visually first, they R737 have a much nicer polished aluminium finish, perfectly matching the Veloce levers. In comparison, the R539 have a more shiny, cheap, look. In terms of performance, I didn't bother with stock pads, and put the Swiss Stops straightaway. That combination works really great, as good as any good brake I've ever tried. I now have a satisfying braking experience, which gives a pleasant sporty feel to the ride.

With the small difference in price between the two, I don't understand why R737s are so rare in complete builds. I can only imagine that R539 are much cheaper as OEMs to manufacturers. Incidentally, Condor sell their own rebadged version of the R737 (the Condor Pioggia) that I wasn't aware at first. They're presented as "premium", and fitted to their higher end models, while their Strada is their rebadged version of the cheap R359. Interesting they don't have the R539 at all.

Unfortunately, I didn't compare with Shimano's R650, which is really a shame, since they're the number one recommendation for long reach brakes, and roughly the same price (or even cheaper, if you consider in the cost of Swiss Stops pads to take full advantage of Tektro's brakes). But I would speculate they should be roughly equivalent, and that it's a choice based on personal taste only.

[Samuel D]

Unfortunately, I didn't compare with Shimano's R650, which is really a shame, since they're the number one recommendation for long reach brakes, and roughly the same price (or even cheaper, if you consider in the cost of Swiss Stops pads to take full advantage of Tektro's brakes).

The Shimano BR-R650s are often recommended, and with good reason. But I have a feeling the TRP RG957 is even better, assuming it matches your cable pull (it is New Super SLR as far as I know).

[Vitara]

My mudguard equipt bike has tekro R317 long drop callipers, which despite fitting new cables do not work as well as i would like. I'm therefore also contemplating replacing the calipers.

The ambrosio & Miche calipers suggested by Brucey are tempting from a price perspective, but any thoughts on how they would be performance wise?