Could these be the brakes that will tempt Nikcee to try a non canti?

Pre-Production TRP CX8.4 mini Vs, with 84mm arms to better suit the shorter cable pull of all drop bar levers that aren’t current gen DA/Ultegra (Use CX9 for them).

TRP CX8.4 Cyclocross Linear-Pull Brakes - Bike Hugger


Good for SA/QLD/NSW courses, not so good for races like DDCX#3 [1]

[1] How many people raced the DDCX#3 mudfest with mini V brakes, and how did they perform for you?

Read the review this morning, they sound pretty darn good (for non-muddy courses).

I just chucked a set of cheap textro mini-v’s on the crosscheck: the fucker actually stops now, and they were a piece of piss to set up. Those tektro oryx cantis they replaced are SO shit, it would take a bit of convincing for me to go back to cantis now, given the cost of a decent setup.

Yup, Oryx are a terrible canti, especially with drop levers.

Which did you get? The 85mm arm cheapies? I’ve got a set on my Crosscheck, they work great and setup in 2min.

You can find top shelf canti’s on ebay for cheap. I paid $50 for my new TRP Eurox’s. Cheap canti’s give them a bad name.

Yep, sounds about right. Haven’t even swapped the pads out yet and they’re really good.

I also got sick of trying to set cantis up properly. For me, just not worth the trouble.

Damoh rode my CX-9’s and was like ‘wow they’re better than my disc brakes’

I run the Tektro mini-v’s and have been very happy with them…until I rode DDCX…

I now run mini-v front, canti rear but it wasn’t as if my wheel stopped spinning - it was just really clogged up and had a wee bit of drag compared to wide-angle canti’s (narrow canti’s seemed to suffer a similar clogged up fate). I found I would lock my rear too easily with the mini-v - mainly on the trails rather than in a race but the canti/mini-v combo gives me better modulation out back with the sheer stopping power out front.

PS the Tektro’s are 80mm, not 85mm - so less cable pull than the 8.4s?

The 926AL is 80mm, RX1/RX5 is 85mm, RX6 is 90mm.
Plenty of budget models to choose from and experiment with depending on your lever / personal preference.
TEKTRO BRAKE SYSTEMS

I have $5 (wholesale) Alhonga canti’s. Work better than my acera v brakes…

I’m awaiting delivery of a set of Paul neo brakes. I’ve heard they’re quite powerful will be a change from the oryx

They’re almost nice enough to induce me to build that CX bike :wink:

Always liked good vees. Not quite CX related I have Avid SD7 vees with Cane creek Drop Vee levers on the Black Pig, I reckon they’re as good as if not better for stopping than the BB7s with 160mm discs on my 29er.

Are the 8.4’s finally showing up in on-line shops? They’ve been on the price lists for ages, but always are “out of stock”… I’ve heard they’re quite nice w/ SRAM levers, going to try a set, they should be in the $85 (US) range.

short answer: no.

but they are an improvement.

For specific muddy CX racing, I imagine cantilevers will always offer better clearances and mud shedding than mini-V’s. But for all other applications (like commuting, touring etc) these TRP mini-V’s are great. Swap over the standard pads though- they’re shit.

The brakes debate is gonna make me have to choose between two well priced bikes next year.
Apollo Cx bike with SRAM apex and canti’s, or a Merida with some shimano and discs.

Tim’s brakes were shit
This is them after DDCX

Better pic of the carnage…

I still stand by my mini-v’s and there ability to actually stop my bicycle.

It looks like I am trying to cultivate some native weeds.

Is this photo supposed to be an ad for disc brakes?!

as long as its not mini-v’s you will win wither way.

im warming to the practicality of discs on a cross bike, and am enjoying being the anti-v’s curmudgeon!

The mini-vs were stopping your bicycle when you didn’t want them to stop your bicycle! And I think the rear one was worse than the front.