Cantilever Vs V-brakes.

On Monday, September 26, 2016 at 1:10:44 PM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Monday, September 26, 2016 at 2:53:43 PM UTC-4, wrote:

I don't know what your "main bike" is but I'll give you my latest experiences.

Built a CX bike with Cantilevers. These were Shimano which were cheap. The hand pressure required to use those off-road was far too high. You had to have the grip of a gorilla. On long steep downhills you simply couldn't have the endurance on your fingers.

Did you try using a shorter straddle cable, as explained by Sheldon in his
Cantilever Geometry article? That's how I've set up the cantis on our tandem,
and that bike stops very well, with nice low hand force.

The other detail is to be sure all cable runs are straight, including the
straddle cable where it spans from the center "saddle" to the brake arms.
Unless you form them properly around that saddle, the straddle cables retain
a curve and eat up some of your lever travel. Similarly, make sure the
anchor points for the cable housing are rigid. Some of the front cable hangers
of old are quite flexible, and they eat up lever travel.

- Frank Krygowski

I was using the shortest straddle cable possible. But believe me when I say that those TRP 9.0 V-brakes are almost like disks.