Shimano & Campagnolo Road Brake efficiency

Ronko wrote:

I have one road bike (steel) with a 2000
Campy 10sp Alloy Chorus shifters and matching double-pivot Chorus
brakes (pre Skeleton). I have another similiar geometry road bike
(aluminum, carbon stays) with Shimano DA7700 shifters and Ultegra
6600 brakes. The Shimano bike stops better, it has more stopping
power and it feels snappier. Curious, I switched the front brakes. With
the Campy Chorus 10sp shifters (alloy group) the Ultegra brake isn't
the same snappy, quick stopping self. The Chorus brake on the
Shimana DA7700 shifter bike feels better than on the Campy bike, it
is snappier and stops better. In terms of modulation both
combinations work well and are controllable and do not go from no
braking to instant braking.

Various local bike shops & mechanics have various opinions some of
which a Campy brakes are generally not as good as Shimano
which I have found in my specific case not to be true. Campy brakes
are better than Shimano in that they modulate better and are equal
in stopping power. No one believes Campy brakes stop better than
Shimano. Personally because of the general quality of Campy
equipment I am inclined to believe both Shimano and Campy are
equal in stopping power.

I can't comment specifically in regard to short reach caliper brakes,
because none of them accommodate reasonably sized tires for a full
sized adult and thus I can't use them.

But I can observe that people are quick to confuse lever response with
braking power. That's why many folks erroneously believe hydraulic
discs are more powerful than cable-actuated discs, or linear-pull
brakes are more powerful than cantilevers. They have more dramatic
lever response, but that has little to do with maximum braking
power.

From what you describe, it sounds like Shimano drop bar levers have a
higher mechanical advantage than Campagnolo levers. That's a mixed
blessing, considering the short cable throw of road levers generally
speaking. It means you have less potential rim clearance to work
with, and more likelihood of bottoming the levers before full braking
power is attained. But in a tidy, well adjusted system that has short
cable runs, high mechanical advantage means more braking with less
lever effort.

Some brakes that have relatively poor lever response, like U-brakes
and drum brakes paired with flat bar levers, can exhibit far greater
maximum stopping power than calipers that come on stronger at the
outset. But they take a more forceful grip.

Chalo