WTD - Long shot - Cantilever brakes from 1993/4 Marin Bear Valley SE OR a pair of canti springs.

I'm missing one spring from the cantilever brake assembly on an old Marin Bear Valley SE I'm trying to make into a functioning pub bike- happy to buy a complete set someone's taken off / has spare(or any random spares someone has laying around?) if needs be.

Or alternatively, a pair of canti springs with an external diameter of 15mm ish??

I've got some spare pub bike suitable cantis (in a rather fetching purple) lying around you can have. Or just the springs if you'd rather. In King's cross

This sounds good - I don't suppose you'd be able to measure the external diameter of the springs for me?!

... They're these

1 Attachment

Ah see what you mean. Springs are 15mm more or less ctc, so presume the same size?

Thanks! This is what I'm missing one of basically - all the ones I seem to be able to find online are 18mm external (for shimano stuff) but if they're this size then I'm happy to pedal up and grab them?

Cheers!

1 Attachment

Hmm my calipers aren't working to check, but I couldnt really be sure. They are the typical shimano altus style, so probably a different size by a few mm. They have 4 coils rather than 3. You're welcome to just take the brakeset if you want though

Thanks for checking - I have some bigger/shimano tyre springs here which don't fit inside the pivot on the caliper, which is why I'm being picky about the size

Yeah looks like it would be the same issue I'd imagine

classic bike, what headset do you have if you’ve swapped out the original?

I'm pretty sure it's the original one? It's got Marin written on it anyway.

Chucked some cheapo Vees (boo) for the time being until I find a spring.

wow must be pretty mint

Not really, it's actually pretty scruffy. Just trying to use what's there wherever I can

I may have some like that. I've got a few old cantis in the garage. I'll try and remember to check later and get back to you.

I've just been through about 20 cantis and, as you say, most springs are 17mm+ OD. However, I did find one which I measured at a smidjen under 16mm. I've just put it into a jar of acetic acid to clean all the crap off and will measure it again in the morning. Looks promising, but there is only one.

It is nice and clean now and I've just measured it again. My digital calipers say 15.81mm.

Thanks so much for doing that! Must have been a right faff, really appreciate it.

I'll drop you a pm.