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Vent: I swapped a customer's old cantilever brakes for V-brakes and the difference was huge
Had a 90s mountain bike in the shop last week, original cantis were always squealing and felt mushy. Put on a basic set of Shimano V-brakes, same pads, same cables. The lever feel was way firmer and the stopping power doubled, no joke. It took me maybe 45 minutes start to finish. So is it ever worth trying to salvage old cantilevers, or should we just recommend the upgrade?
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evanb873mo ago
Respectfully disagree with the "just toss em" crowd. Cantis have a place if you ride in wet/muddy conditions all the time. V-brakes pack up way faster with mud and grit, then you're squeezing like crazy with no stopping power. That's a real problem on a trail ride. Plus a lot of classic steel frames just look better with the old cantilever hardware up front. Sure for a commuter or gravel bike the upgrade is smart, but there's still a reason touring bikes and cyclocross bikes kept cantis for so long. Different tool for different jobs basically.
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jamieburns5mo ago
Just toss the cantis, honestly. That upgrade is such a no-brainer for how much better it works.
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