v-brake lever with DP caliper

[UpWrong]

What's the effect of trying to operate a front DP caliper with a flat bar v-brake lever? What's the effect on feel and efficiency? Is it a definite no-no? Is a travel adapter a solution.

Realised now I bought a v-brake frame (intended) but that the spare fork I planned to mate it with (a Thorn Audax) is for caliper brakes only. Thanks.

[531colin]

The effect of a Vee brake lever and a DP brake is basically, no brakes.....the lever pulls too much cable. http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=63112&start=45

If this is the bike you are building to get your GF back into cycling, have you checked that this fork in that frame will give something that steers properly?

If its this frame 1 1/2" to 1 1/8" tapered fork steerer required? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-4-2015-hybrid-frame-ec103023?country=GB&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKEAjwsOKpBRCDtfOnzaDg3HsSJAAJ2ojioS-nCDKdyiN43VIFMmu96jLQ7DnMhYUEZ3M7--VhfRoCjzDw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[tatanab]

I did it on a work bike some years ago simply because those were the bits I had to hand. I changed to the correct levers very quickly. Lots of squeeze from my hand for very little slowing.

Edit to add -- if you are bothered about mismatching levers then you could use Dia Compe MX2 BMX levers which have positions for V and canti brakes (different cable pulls). I have them on a bike with mixed V and DP brakes just fine. http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/dia-compe-mx ... prod22442/

[deliquium]

Edit to add -- if you are bothered about mismatching levers then you could use Dia Compe MX2 BMX levers which have positions for V and canti brakes (different cable pulls). I have them on a bike with mixed V and DP brakes just fine. http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/dia-compe-mx ... prod22442/

Or, I have a pair of Tektro Eclipse MT 3.0 levers (L & R) which also have 2 settings for either canti/road caliper or V brake which I am about to advertise - hardly used in black with a few very minor marks. £9 the pair + £2.80 postage

http://www.sidcupcycles.co.uk/productde ... ctid=05001

[UpWrong]

If this is the bike you are building to get your GF back into cycling, have you checked that this fork in that frame will give something that steers properly?

If its this frame 1 1/2" to 1 1/8" tapered fork steerer required? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-4-2015-hybrid-frame-ec103023?country=GB&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKEAjwsOKpBRCDtfOnzaDg3HsSJAAJ2ojioS-nCDKdyiN43VIFMmu96jLQ7DnMhYUEZ3M7--VhfRoCjzDw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hi Colin,

Oops, you could be right or you could be wrong. It's this frame and there's a contradiction between the description and a staff answer to a question about which headset: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-2-womens-2015-hybrid-frame-ec103024

Guess I'll have to measure it. It's not confidence inspiring is it when the details are inconsistent? I think it's a Neon 2 frame with a non-tapered fork, see the Neon 2 fork picture. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-2-womens-2014-fork-ec103012

Thanks, Paul

[UpWrong]

I did it on a work bike some years ago simply because those were the bits I had to hand. I changed to the correct levers very quickly. Lots of squeeze from my hand for very little slowing.

Edit to add -- if you are bothered about mismatching levers then you could use Dia Compe MX2 BMX levers which have positions for V and canti brakes (different cable pulls). I have them on a bike with mixed V and DP brakes just fine. http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/dia-compe-mx ... prod22442/

Thanks, that could be the right solution.

[recordacefromnew]

If this is the bike you are building to get your GF back into cycling, have you checked that this fork in that frame will give something that steers properly?

If its this frame 1 1/2" to 1 1/8" tapered fork steerer required? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-4-2015-hybrid-frame-ec103023?country=GB&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKEAjwsOKpBRCDtfOnzaDg3HsSJAAJ2ojioS-nCDKdyiN43VIFMmu96jLQ7DnMhYUEZ3M7--VhfRoCjzDw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hi Colin,

Oops, you could be right or you could be wrong. It's this frame and there's a contradiction between the description and a staff answer to a question about which headset: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-2-womens-2015-hybrid-frame-ec103024

Guess I'll have to measure it. It's not confidence inspiring is it when the details are inconsistent? I think it's a Neon 2 frame with a non-tapered fork, see the Neon 2 fork picture. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-2-womens-2014-fork-ec103012

Thanks, Paul

Think Colin wasn't just talking about steerer diameter.

It is highly unlikely for 700c forks designed for DP calipers, even for 57mm long drop brakes, to have an A2C anywhere near that of typical 700c forks for v brakes. The difference is likely to be at least 50mm and can be a lot more. The reduction in trail will make the steering jittery.

[NetworkMan]

Surely at the very least the head angle of the frame (with the proposed fork) has to be compatible with the fork offset, doesn't it?. There is no geometry information for the frame that I can see so it's not possible to answer this question.

[recordacefromnew]

Surely at the very least the head angle of the frame (with the proposed fork) has to be compatible with the fork offset, doesn't it?. There is no geometry information for the frame that I can see so it's not possible to answer this question.

Think there is http://pinnacle-bikes.co.uk/city-and-leisure/pinnacle-neon-two-2015-hybrid-bike. Even if the model year is different I would expect the OP's bike to be similar. Also I wouldn't expect Thorn's audax forks to have vastly different offset, in fact the Mk3 is 55mm so 5mm larger so worse.

In terms of impact the original headtube angle is irrelevant if the differences in A2C and offset can be reasonably guesstimated, assuming of course the same wheel/tyre size front and back and the original bike steers fine...

However it seems from the fork length info the Neon forks are not as long as I had expected, but still likely c20mm longer, so possibly a reduction of c12mm in trail in total.

[UpWrong]

I think you're right, the shorter AtoC length of the Thorn fork plus it's larger offset (55mm on my short top tube compatible one) would reduce the trail considerably. Think I'll look for a threadless 700c fork with V-brakes. The Neon 2 fork has a fork length of 400mm and an offset of 50mm so I can use that as a guide when selecting a fork