Give Me A Brake!
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If you've been in the tandem business as long as we have (since 1973) you've done a lot of adapting. It seems that most of the major manufacturers don't see a need to develop components specifically designed for tandem use. So, we tandem makers have had to make do by adapting parts made for single bikes and mountain bikes into our parts specifications. Brakes are one of those areas that have been completely abandoned by the big guys, so we decided to do something about it! While everyone else is busy trying to adapt the latest mountain bike brake for tandem use, we're thinking out of the box.
If you have a mountain bike, use a brake that was designed for a mountain bike. If you ride a tandem, use a brake that is designed for a tandem!
Introducing the Trillium Big Squeeze™ tandem brake from Rodriguez Tandems. Hand-made right here in Seattle, U.S.A.
Installation Instructions here
The benefits of cantilever brakes for tandems, touring bikes and travel bikes are undeniable. Length of pad wear, ease of mounting racks, fenders, wide tires etc... We love the cantilever brakes of the distant past (not to be confused with the U-brake or V-brake which we hated), and now we've developed the cantilever brake of the future. I've told a lot of you that we have a design that we've wanted to try and now it's here. Below is a picture of the Trillium Big Squeeze™ cantilever brake. We have now begun production of the Big Squeeze™.
- Ease of adjustment
On any brake, adjusting the toe of the brake pads is essential for proper performance. On a true old school cantilever, the toe adjustment was very difficult to fine tune. A young bike mechanic will still tremble at the thought of adjusting the dreaded cantilever brake. The Big Squeeze™ fixes this problem completely. No more dreaded 'preset notches' for toe adjustment. This makes it much easier to align the pads exactly where you want them and eliminate brake squeal. - No more Mr. squeaky!
Adjusting the approach angle of the brake arms is necessary in a cantilever to adjust for different frame designs/sizes. Usually, this adjustment has to be done using the posts on the brake pads. This often causes a lot of flex resulting in loss of braking power or that deafening squeal. On the Big Squeeze™, the pivot at the top of the arm allows for angle adjustment. This means that the pads can be set to full depth against the mounting hardware. A much firmer feel, and less vibration is the result (no squeal). - Lots more power!
In a traditional cantilever design the brake loses power as the saddle (or yoke) raises upwards because the angle of the straddle changes. So, the more you apply the brake, the more your mechanical advantage is diminished. The Big Squeeze™ eliminates this problem by pulling from the bottom of the brake arm.
Want to see some pictures of the brakes? Have any questions about setting up your own? Head over to the Big Squeeze Installation Manual!
The Trillium Big Squeeze™ Brakes
from R+E Cycles
Cost is $125 per wheel
To purchase a set give us a call at 206-527-4822, email me or
