Lower-end sidepull brakes that don't have the eccentric cam-style brake QR pioneered by Campagnolo can sometimes move under hard braking force. As for people that adjust their brakes so that they run with the QRs "up", I always figured it was people with really skinny tires that don't need the added clearance for wheel removal and who can then use the "down" position as a sort of parking brake.
Kurt Sperry Bellingham WA USA
On Dec 28, 2007 12:51 PM, Jeremy Robillard <robillj@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello members,
>
> Taking Dales request to have more CR 'readers' contribute; here is a preface
> and some questions I have had on my mind. Being a youngster in the bike
> world, I have been puzzled by the lever on side pull brake calipers. It is
> my assumption is that they exist so a wheel can be easily taken off. Just
> flip up the switch, the calipers open further and a wheel can be taken off.
> When the switch is down, the calipers are closer to the rim and make for
> tighter/precise braking.
>
> My conundrum with this little feature of brake calipers has come to fruition
> for a number of reasons.
>
> First, when screaming down Germantown hill (a great quick climb and descent
> just outside Portland) on my '82 Univega my rear brake caliber became very,
> well, 'squishy' for lack of a better term. Come to find out my rear caliper
> opened because the switch lifted on its own.
>
> Second, I observed at the last Hand Made Bike Show in Portland a very nice
> -in fact, amazing; the lug work was beautiful- build with a 25th anniversary
> Dura Ace groupset. The calipers were open/up on both the front and back. I
> thought maybe they just didn't close them when they put the bike together
> for the show; however, at closer look the brakes were tight and tuned to
> where they should be for riding. Why did these expert builders tune the
> brakes lever up?
>
> Since then, I have observed a number of cyclists/bicycles that keep the
> lever up/open, and many who keep them closed/down. Why?
>
> Am I incorrect about their purpose? Do people keep them up to avoid what
> happened to my while barreling down Germantown? Do other CR members have a
> preference, and, if so, why?
>
> Just a thought,
> Jeremy L. Robillard
> Portland, Oregon USA
> via Bellingham, WA
>
> PS: Hello Kurt Sperry. I never knew that the place I was born in, raised,
> and attended university had such a bike aficionado. I was just up for the
> holidays. Bellingham is truly a beautiful place, I recommend any CR member
> to visit.