[CR]Consumers Report Unacceptable: Raleigh Competition

(Example: Production Builders:Cinelli)

Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:18:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: "brian" <bbspokes@yahoo.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Consumers Report Unacceptable: Raleigh Competition

The other CR (Consumer Reports) is often a questionable source for any info but they have a hard job and the are subscriber funded only. I remember the artical which passed Huffy's and Murrays but test one bike shop model the Raleigh Competiton(1973??) which was unacceptable because it was possible that the Weinmann brakes could allow you to brake hard enough to flip the bike? CR also panned my 2003 Ford Focus. It is a great car and I got it for $7000 new partly because of them. American cars can be great Values but thats OFF TOPIC so I have to stop here. Brian Blum in Berkeley

Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 00:06:10 -0400 From: joebz@optonline.net To: dddd <dddd@pacbell.net> Cc: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Subject: Re: [CR]Centerpull Calipers Message-ID: <e45b9dfe2d85.4452adf2@optonline.net> In-Reply-To: <004301c66b2d$c4b4ee50$4001a8c0@compaq> References: <245.a20ba9d.3181a157@cs.com> <e0cb854445a9.445098b2@optonline.net> <004301c66b2d$c4b4ee50$4001a8c0@compaq> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Precedence: list Message: 3

The Cliff Notes is that one persons grabby brake is another's failure to modulate a capable brake.

I have a problem with this objection to powerful brakes as being pretty theoretical. In the first place I can't think of many situations that exagerate "grabbiness" in some sort of negative sense. Maybe glue or rosin on the rim. I guess I will be hard nosed and say that getting pitched over the front of the bike is the result of a lack of technique in controlling your CG, allowing your weight to pitch forward and incorrectly modulating the brakes. I will admit that that I have taken a sideways fall due to a front wheel skid caused by cantilever brakes, Mathauser pads, wet Fall leaves and a steep turn. Once only, and I was just going too fast for the conditions. I'd rather have a powerful brake to modulate and make the error than run out of braking power.

I remember Consumer Reports in 1972 saying that some bike had too much propensity to pitch people over the front and we all had a good laugh at the shop.

I don't buy the argument for a self-deenergizing design "provided the necessary leverage was present" for bicycles. In actuality, a first element for the performance of any braking system is getting the necessary leverage present. Almost all brake systems are self de-energizing under hard use. During hard braking the shoes start to melt on bikes or just fade on more sophisticated brakes that get beyond melting brake shoes. De-energizing brakes is a tricky deal and I don't see a need for anti-lock brakes on bicycles (let alone retrofits on classics).

I have used the Pedersen self energizing brakes on my tandem and liked them. I'll let people know what I think of the CLBs when I try them. I will say that I just thought of one factor that would significantly change the self-energizing brake equation. Add high friction shoes like Mathauser at your own risk because this will exagerate the servo feedback of the brake and the modulation may be trickier than expected.

Joe Bender-Zanoni Great Notch, NJ

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