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I bought an old Raleigh Record road bike from a junk shop recently. Basically sound, but the horrible old calipers don't stop me worth a sh!t. I bought a set of modern Tiagras to replace them, but the fittings don't...er, fit. The modern allen key sleeve, that screws down over the bolt through the frame/forks, is too large to go through, and the bolts on the brakes are too short to emerge through the holes. I've swapped over the new pads so the brakes are marginally better than they were, but really I want decent brakes. Any cheap solutions?
Try somewhere like spa cycles or st John street (thorn). There are dual pivots out there with old style nut and bolt fixings and not stupidly expensive and you might need the long drop calipers on an older bike with decent mudguard clearance.
Search for a pair of "Shimano 600 calipers". Plenty on ebay for about £20. Then upgrade pads if they stock don't stop you. Shimano 600 is old Ultegra and they are very good.
Just a quickie - measure the drop from the brake bolt to the rims - an older frame like yours is likely built for 27" wheels (another "standard"...), the Shimano 600 brakes may not be long enough. SJS have [url= http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/dia-compe-806-caliper-brake-57-75-mm-drop-prod23355/ ]these[/url] - or at least they will have soon, I needed these on a similar frame a few years ago.
measure the drop from the brake bolt to the rims
Or just read the tyre bead seat diameter on the sidewalls. If the Tiagra brakes have the right drop, then you'll be fine with 600.
I have the same issue, thinking of getting these
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektro-r359-caliper-brake-set-47-57-mm-drop-nut-fitting-prod29405/
Just been out on my 90% original 26yr old winter bike. Largely shimano 600 (including down tube FRICTION shifters) and 'very good' is a relative concept. Relative to modern multi pivot calipers they are crap. Riding Ronde Van Calderdale (steep cobbled up or steep cobbled down) was, er, exciting.
Those tektro dual pivots might be on the shopping list...
You could of course open up the hole if you know that the drop is fine.I have some grey 105 calipers with the old style fitting. I'll see what they would be worth and to post if you want.
as said, open up the holes - drill the back of them out so the sleeve fits in, and leaves the wee lip sitting on the brake bridge/fork crown.
i did it to a pair of old steel raleigh forks to fit modern calipers and it worked fine.
edit: like in here http://johns-recycled-bicycle.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/1986-schwinn-prelude-restoration.html
I picked up the bike as nice old 25" frame that I could hopefully use as a local hacker/SS without spending too much money. It seems I do have options but, taking into account other problems, it's starting to look a bit expensive - can I justify a new set of wheels AND new brakes...? Thanks for the replies, gives me something to think about anyway.