Paul versus Rene Herse cantilevers

[Patrick Moore]

Those of you who have used both, how do they compare in braking power, accuracy of setup (that is, can you install them so that they don’t squeal or judder, and so that you can get the right pad height so that pads don’t hit the tire or risk going below the brake track), and ease of setup?

Do the RH cantis work best with certain frames and less well with others — I think here in particular of fork leg or seatstay spacing.

I use Paul cantis — Neo Retro in front, Touring in rear, and they’re much better than the Tektros they replaced and very easy to set up but I do like the minimalist construction of the RH’s and the constraints of my frame design and rear rack prevent optimal setup for power.

Perhaps I should just buy a pair of the e-bike brake pads...

Thanks.

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Jan Heine]

The Pauls are definitely more adjustable—which is great if your frame's canti posts aren't in the 'usual' location. If your current cantis have the pads at the very top or bottom of the slot, the Herse brake may be difficult to set up correctly. On most frames, that's not an issue—that's why we decided to opt for simplicity and light weight at the expense of fitting a few 'outlier' frames. As to pivot spacing: From the product page:

• Distance between posts: 62 - 84 mm

Jan Heine

Rene Herse Cycles

Seattle, WA, USA

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Jan; then the RH cantis should fit this frame, with that amount of latitude. Chauncey Matthews was (he quit making frames) a good builder but my specs took him quite a way beyond his comfort zone, so I wondered about the need for precise boss spacing.

I may or may not invest in a pair; the main problem with the Pauls is not the brakes themselves but the way that the rear rack interferes with optimum straddle cable adjustment — again, Chauncey was not used to making integrated designs; tho’ he achieved about 90%, IMO. I do hope that RH makes its 11/25 revenue goal.

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[Jim Kramka]

I put a pair of RH cantis on my Soma Grand Randonneur and I can't get them to stop squealing. I have the washers that allow adjusting toe-in. I've adjusted the brakes many times but I can't get rid of the squeal. I'm considering returning to the the Tektros that I used before the RHs. Any thoughts?

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[Jan Heine]

Jim,

Sorry to hear about your brakes squealing. In my experience, with all canti brakes, squeal is usually due to one of two factors:

1. The pivots have too much play. The canti posts on some frames have dimensions that are rather approximate. (I once had to spend an hour filing the posts on a beautiful custom bike because it was binding as soon as the brake bolt was tightened. That's why we now offer precision-machined canti posts.) However, if your previous brakes didn't squeal, that suggests this isn't an issue.

2. Not enough toe-in. The thick pads on Rene Herse last a long time, but they can require a little more toe-in. If the pivot placement is significantly off on your frame, the provided washer may not add enough toe-in. There are two ways to add toe-in. The first is to carefully bend the brake arm. (We offer a tool for that.) The second is simply taking a file to the brake pad, so it's angled a bit. (When reinstalling, make sure the opening of the pad holder faces backward, so the pad doesn't eject during hard braking.)

I hope this will help resolve the squealing. (The only brakes I haven't managed to stop squealing are on my disc-braked bikes when they get wet.)

Jan Heine
Rene Herse Cycles

Seattle, WA, USA

[Ben Miller]

Jan, Thanks for all the recent informative posts. I really enjoyed the history of MUSA Centerpulls!

Anyways, just wanted to say I ordered a pair of the pre-order crowd-funding cantis. Not exactly sure where I am even gonna put them, but I do not want to miss out on my chance to get a set of one of the best cantilevers of all time :) Which might mean they're one of the best brakes of all time! I'd really hate to see them go away.