tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post5346533729842845861..comments2024-03-27T11:44:15.723-04:00Comments on The Retrogrouch: Campagnolo Delta BrakesBrookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-36340000520968400022017-09-23T07:25:15.382-04:002017-09-23T07:25:15.382-04:00I can answer the question about the quick release ...I can answer the question about the quick release on the Delta brakes - it was not on the brake caliper, but on the lever. A little button on the side of the brake lever that allowed them to open up wider. In fact, from that point on, all Campy brakes have eliminated the very nice "eccentric cam" quick release and put the little button on the lever.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-65763693365417608342017-09-23T02:48:54.918-04:002017-09-23T02:48:54.918-04:00I don't own Campag Delta's but I can see t...I don't own Campag Delta's but I can see the logic in the beauty/ingenious engineering appreciation vs. actual functionality debate. Where in the #€// is the quick release mech for these brakes? How did pro tour riders swap wheels out quickly when they got flats? I'm assuming the brake levers had the quick release function or you had to quickly unscrew then rescrew the cable barrel adjuster on top of the brake? Frayed <5mm cable end held on by rare sized wimpy 3.5mm allen bolt, this contraption is engineered almost as reckless, dangerous and suicidal but as beautiful as Campag's 40's/50's Cambio Corsa/Paris-Roubaix Derailleurs. Investing godly amounts and actually riding on either system would be as wise as marrying a gal like Sharon Stone in the movie Casino, super expensive glam arm candy that'll cause a crash resulting in you being paralyzed. I'd reserve such purchases for multi millionaire show bike collectors. I think I might have literally died if I rode these brakes in the L'Eroica Ca. Paso Robles 90 mile ride in 2017 with it's suicidally steep hairpin mountain decents. My hands literally cramped up from fatigue from the force I had to clamp to maintain sane downhill speeds on my 30 y/o Dia-Compe sidepulls. I was shocked my brake cables did't snap and my tires did't blow out due to rims overheating. For sure that 3.5mm bolt on the Delta brakes would've failed and let the brake cable slide out during repeated hard braking. They sure are unique and absolutely beautiful though. I can understand the fanatical fan base.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17964102918283658509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-71801874688656937752016-12-28T19:33:46.183-05:002016-12-28T19:33:46.183-05:00Jobst was correct that the Delta was not a good de...Jobst was correct that the Delta was not a good design for a production brake, but that doesn't mean that it was a bad design, either. Production designs should be targeted toward the public, not only those who are willing and able to understand the idiosyncrasies of the design and how to get around them. Hence, the Huret Doupar derailleur was also not a good production design, even though it was about the best shifting wide-range, non-indexed derailleur ever made. It could be argued that the standard hub quick release also falls into this category. The two major flaws in the Delta design were the requirement that the cable be snipped a few millimeters beyond the 3.5mm hex fixing bolt (don't lose that key!), and the nature of its parallelogram design. The latter was not an issue if you knew how to setup the brakes correctly, as it should never get to the point of "infinite mechanical advantage" that Jobst wrote about. Adjusting the brake correctly involved setting the pad clearance so that the brake reached the desired mechanical advantage shortly after the pads reached the rim, and then keeping them adjusted as the pads wore. A production device should be able to accommodate the incredible range of condition and adjustment that one sees in the average group ride, and that certainly wasn't true of the Delta brake. On the other hand, I have several sets of different vintages on bikes that I ride regularly, they are all setup correctly, and they all function very, very well, much like the Duopars that I have on an old tandem and a touring Paramount. I've never had a problem with a hub quick release, either.Steve Barnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05141738452735566462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-21321913532194385992016-12-05T01:01:57.119-05:002016-12-05T01:01:57.119-05:00I have a classic pair of Croce d'Aune brakes a...I have a classic pair of Croce d'Aune brakes and levers that are anodized dark grey. How rare are these. They are NOS but I fitted to a Colnago 1980's bike with all the original parts. I am thinking of taking the brake set off and selling. john.reeves@radarportal.com Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09760258737230387292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-13973393520698233432016-09-01T07:18:58.339-04:002016-09-01T07:18:58.339-04:00Yes, there are some small differences though on th...Yes, there are some small differences though on the whole they look pretty similar. Unfortunately, I don't know for certain what exactly is what. You might check the Velobase website which has a pretty extensive database of components.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-55369553845180971232016-08-31T20:29:11.863-04:002016-08-31T20:29:11.863-04:00Hello! I am attempting rider me the difference bet...Hello! I am attempting rider me the difference between the second generation C Record brake levers (see 1987 catalog photo in blog) and the Chirus lever just by sight. I know Chorus adopted the 1987 lever when the 1988 Powergrade lever came out. The Chorus lever has subtle differences from what I've read, but I don't know what. Can you assist?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07504839220417652130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-49871129599687286742014-04-06T18:51:00.930-04:002014-04-06T18:51:00.930-04:00Absolutely agreed. Like I said, it should be requi...Absolutely agreed. Like I said, it should be required reading. It is a shame he's no longer able to contribute to the online bicycling community.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-8327085911489757442014-04-06T16:34:48.926-04:002014-04-06T16:34:48.926-04:00Jobst Brandt has had so much stick becuase he was ...Jobst Brandt has had so much stick becuase he was wise and straight talking. Personally I loved his writing and his attitude to many modern fads.<br />His disappearance from the forums due to his accident is a big loss IMO. If he was nothing else, he was an entertaining writer and a breath of fresh air in this PC world.Adenoughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05040554722520342878noreply@blogger.com