Tandem V-brakes

[Wowbagger]

This may be a misnomer for a thread, but it applies to my Thorn tandem, so I'll put it here.

Our tandem is fitted with Shimano XTR "parallel-push" V-brakes. We've had the bike 12 years and it's done over 14000 miles. We haven't ridden it a lot lately but I've noticed how annoying the brakes are, in that they don't readily release the rims when they should. I've tried lubricating the pivot points, but that doesn't seem to have helped at all.

I consulted Jane otp, as one of the most experienced bike mechanics I know, and she told me that XTRs were discontinued, partly because of the very problem that I am experiencing. She directed me towards a reader's update on the late Sheldon Brown's marvellous website in which said reader suggested a way around the problem. It sounded a bit faffy, tbh, so today I spoke to SJS cycles to find out what they are putting on their tandems these days, and it is quite simply Shimano Deore, which is exactly the same as have given 38000 miles' worth of faultless service on my Thorn solo machine. So I hied me to Wiggle's website and I have shelled out £26 for replacements.

[Kim]

Are those the type with an extra linkage to solve the (IME largely theoretical) need for re-adjustment of the angle as the pad wears?  I assume we can file that under "good idea on paper, doesn't hold up to real world conditions".

IMHO the advantage of V-brakes is their mechanical simplicity.  If you're going to over-complicate things, you might as well use Maguras...

[andrewc]

I sometimes regret selling the Maguras I had on the blue Orbit, they were brilliant brakes, but the mounting hardware was made of cheese. Fault free during my ownership & pretty maintenance free as well.  Why did I get rid of them 

[Wowbagger]

I replaced the old XTRs with Deore brakes today and we went for a ride. It really was lovely to have brakes that worked. Well, the old ones worked in that they stopped you when you wanted them to, but they didn't unwork again when you didn't want them to stop you, or at least offer enough friction that they made an annoying noise.

[Russell]

We have the parallel push Vs on the front of our tandem, NOS ones that I put aside for this reason.  Rear is a disc and the parking brake is also a PP V.  They are Avid Arch Rivals though rather than Shimano.  We have had no problems so far.

We have Maguras on the second string tandem and the differences are interesting.  The Vs have much greater initial bite but the braking power doesn't get that much stronger with stronger pull.  The Maggies on the other hand seem weak by comparison but brake stronger the harder the pull.