CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help

Upgrade brake calliper from 2300 to tiagra

(10 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by Kenny
  • Latest reply from Kenny
  • This topic is resolved

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  1. Kenny
    Member

    My rear brake calliper on my commuter workhorse is refusing to release properly, so after many months of trying, I've given up, especially when the LBS confirmed that it was done in, and needed replacing. The commuter came with a Shimano 2300 groupset.

    I couldn't find a 2300 brake, so plumped for a tiagra one, which was 50p more than the sora. However, the instructions (first mistake) claim that I must not use the brake with anything other than pretty much a full tiagra groupset because, and I quote, "the braking performance provided will be much too strong".

    I'm sceptical, and figured that this can be resolved by not depressing my brake level as hard as normal, but wondered whether anyone knew of a good reason why you can't mix and match brake levers and callipers?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. custard
    Member

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12849331

    any help?
    Road stuff isnt my thing

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. crowriver
    Member

    Sounds like bull but what do I know. Why not fit it and find out?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. Kenny
    Member

    @custard - nice one, thanks. Your googling skillz are clearly better than mine. I suspect my search was too explicit.

    @crowriver - I was going to, but then worried about whether it would do damage, such as snapping my brake level.

    From reading the thread custard has linked to, it _looks_ like it is more of a problem with older callipers. The calliper on my bike is 3 years old, and looks identical to the new tiagra one. I don't think ratios will cause a problem here, so I'm thinking I'm going to risk it.

    Also, that thread suggests that it might transform my brake such that you can't feather the brake so much. Well, that sounds like the Ultegras on my other road bike; they are either off, or "holy crap stop at all costs". It takes quite a feathery touch to merely slow down...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. kaputnik
    Moderator

    You'll be fine. They just want to flog you a full groupset.

    I have a mishmash of Sora, 105, Tiagra and Ultegra on my everydaybike and it all works together beautifully!

    2300 levers and calipers made of cheese in comparison to Tiagra, so you will notice better braking performance as the act of pulling the lever is going more into squeezing the rim and less into deforming the metal of the caliper.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. Kenny
    Member

    @kaputnik - cheers, that's what I hoped would be the answer.

    The strength of the spring in the tiagra in comparison to the 2300 calliper is unbelievable - I'm looking forward to attaching it this weekend and seeing what difference it will make!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. steveo
    Member

    Only concern I'd have is flex from the lever when the calliper is fully engaged, my buddies sora levers felt like they were ready bend when the brakes were on hard. But STI levers are mega bucks so I'd personally learn to live with it.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. wingpig
    Member

    I ended up with two Tiagra brakes in place of the supplied low-end Tektro Sora-equivalent cheese when I was still using Sora levers, with no problems.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. Uberuce
    Member

    On my front-brake-only fast fixie I'm using an Ultegra with 1988 vintage levers and as you say they have a very narrow range of pull, but once I got used to it, it's the best rim brake I've used.

    You get short-pull brakes which are: cantilever, caliper, mini-V and some mechanical discs like Avid BB.

    You also get long-pulls: V-brake and most mechanical discs.

    Mixing lever and brake between the two types is bad; either the lever feels spongy but is actually grabbing hard, or it feels mega solid but isn't putting much pressure on the rim.

    If your levers and brakes are the same type, which in this case they are, then it's marketing guff; it's just a lever pulling a cable, it can't not work unless it's so fragile that it snaps.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. Kenny
    Member

    I changed the brake over this morning, and aside from a slight issue when the barrel adjuster on the old calliper refused to relinquish its grip from the outer cable, requiring a visit to EBC (thanks, friendly mechanic, who gave me a length of outer for free!), I swapped it over and it works like a dream.

    Cheers for the advice, all.

    Posted 11 years ago #

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