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  • Braking arrangements

    I am certain that Jonny69 would have created a more elegant solution to the problem than I have done (see picture below).

    Since I first acquired this machine I've learned that it was common practice (although perhaps not a good one) to use a calliper brake with a Westwood rim. Obviously there isn't really an adequate braking surface on the edges of the rim as they are both narrow and rounded, but I've just road tested this set up and it works reasonably well. The rim is painted, not chromed which does help, and I happened to have some leather faced brake blocks which are said to improve braking on steel rims.

    Why bother with a Westwood? Well it's what it had originally, and for me those rims are part of
    the bike's 'character'. Also the Endrick rim I was using is knackered whereas this Westwood is pretty good. The Resilion brake shown further up the thread has the problem that the long brake blocks go inside the seat stays and so it is impossible to get enough clearance to get the wheel out without deflating the tyre - a bit of a hindrance when turning the wheel to climb.

    I might have drilled the seat stay bridge and mounted the calliper in the normal way, but I was reluctant to do this because the bridge itself is quite slender and the necessary hole wouldn't have left much material to support the brake, also it would have detracted from the originality of the frame.

    The brake lever is the original one which came with the bike.


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