I've been toying with the idea of converting my SOMA Smoothie ES into a 650b wheeled machine. The biggest challenge is brakes. I needed a pair that would have a longer reach than the 57m offered by my current Interloc models. Adding cantilever posts was out due to the placement of the stays. Really, I had 3 choices: old school centerpulls, the new Tektro ultra long reach sidepull, and the Paul Racer. My current Tektros were plenty adequate though not great. I worried that even longer arms would make them spongy. Traditional centerpulls use smooth post pads which are needlessly difficult to set up. That left me with the Paul Racer.
The Racer is a CNC update of the classic Racer. It's available in both braze-on and bolt on versions. It features the same easy to adjust and beefy springs that have made the Paul cantilevers such great brakes. The arms use now standard v-brake pads making adjustment a breeze. The brakes came with some stock pads though I upgraded mine to cartridge pads.
Installation wasn't without some issues. On the rear brake the bolts that hold the arms and springs extended out past the rear of the mounting plate. When I went to mount them on the frame these protrusions hit the seat stays. I added a couple of washers and that along with the fender mount gave the unit just enough clearance. Also the recessed brake bolt was too long for my seat stay bridge so I wound up using a slightly shorter bolt in my spares bin. I contacted Paul about this and they said it was news to them. Perhaps it's my frame that's off but I'd be sure to have some washers and a spare bolt (or file) handy when you go to install these.
Clearance on these brakes is great. No problem swallowing a 38mm Col de Vie tire and 40mm Berthoud fender. Brake reach was fine with 700c wheels. For the 650b conversion I had the pads at the very bottom of the slot and even then had to ever so sligthly angle them downward to avoid hitting the tire. Ideally, the slot could be another 1-2mm longer and I may make the change on my brakes with a rat tail file. Again, this could be unique to my frame.
So far I've got about 600km on these brakes with 700c wheels. Overall, they work better in all facets than the Tektro/Interloc B-57 dual pivots they replaced. All out power is abundant and modulation feels good. My first real ride on these brakes was a SIR training ride that featured a couple of steep, twisty and wet descents. Probably not the smartest move to try out new brakes on unfamiliar wet roads but the Racers did the job and I always felt like I was in control. These brakes do a good job of combining some of the better features of the classic centerpull (such as greater clearance) with some more modern elements that make them easier to live with (such as easier pad mounting).
They're not the cheapest brakes out there but if you're looking for a brake that has plenty of power AND plenty of clearance these should be on your short list of options.
8 comments:
Is that a true 38mm tire under 40mm fenders? Is it really that close?
The fenders seem to provide plenty of coverage for the CdV tires. I test rode the bike around the 'hood and didn't get splashed despite the wet roads. I'll post a side photo tonight or tomorrow. Width wise the fenders just slightly overlap the tires. Vertically there's plenty of room.
Hi there. A year after your original post, a quick question. BQ writes that the Paul brakes all have squealing issues. What is your experience?
I don't know what Jan is doing when he sets up his brakes. I've used Paul Neo Retro, Racer, and Touring brakes and NEVER had them squeal. I did have a bad chattering/shuddering problem when I put the Neo Retro on the front of my Gunnar cross bike. On steep, fast descents the whole front end shook in a bad way. The problem wasn't the brake but rather the fork which was lightweight Reynolds 531 with a 1" steer tube. The problem was the brake was too powerful for such a lightweight fork. I switched to a lower profile Touring canti which fixed it. The Racer brake has been perfect since day one.
Any long term impressions of these brakes? I have an old 650b PR with Tektro 556 caliper brakes. I've never been happy with the 556's, either on the Kogswell or a 650b conversion. I'm running drop bars with Shimano 600 brake levers.
Absolutely no issues. Nothing has worn out (beyond the pads) or slipped out of adjustment.
Do you have a feeling for whether their stopping power / stiffness is better than ultra-long reach caliper brakes?
Can't comment on how they compare to ultra long reach sidepulls. I do think ultra long reach sidepulls are a poor design as the place too much of the brake arm too far from the pivot point. Cantilevers and centerpulls work so well because the pads are fairly close to the pivots.
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