Search sheldonbrown.com and sheldonbrown.org
| Bicycle Brake Choices | A guide to the different types of brakes |
Different types of brakes, their advantages, disadvantages and appropriate use.
| Braking and Turning | For all cyclists. |
Braking and turning technique.
| Cables | For anyone who services bicycle brakes or gears. |
Most brake and gear shifting problems are the result of cable friction or misadjustment. This article covers cable installation, preparation, and maintenance.
| Caliper brakes | For any cyclist who wants to service caliper brakes. |
Caliper brakes are the most common type of rim brake on road and BMX bicycles.
| Cantilever Adjustment | For any cyclist who wants to service cantilever brakes. |
A general article pointing to information on different kinds of cantilever brakes (including the new "V-type" cantilevers.)
| Cantilever Geometry | For tech heads. |
An examination of the geometry of cantilever brakes, and how to use it to achieve the level of mechanical advantage you desire in your braking system.
| Coaster Brakes | For retro fans. |
Coaster (back-pedalling) brakes are found on many older bikes. They aren't too hard to fix if they don't need parts.
| Direct-Pull Brakes | For any cyclist who wants to service direct-pull ("linear-pull", "V") brakes. |
Direct-pull brakes are a common type of modern cantilever brake. They require special brake levers.
| Home-made Drop Bolts | For tinkerers seeking better braking with long-reach caliper brakes. |
A not-very-elegant, but cheap and effective way to improve the braking on bicycles which require long-reach caliper brakes.
| Build You Own Cantilever Jig | For brave people with torches. |
This article describes one way to make a jig to hold cantilever bosses in place while brazing them on to a frame.
| Repair of Shimano STI Brake-Shift Levers | Outsource this job! Here's how. |
There is an expert who specializes in this difficult repair.
| Rim Brakes | For any cyclist who wants to service rim brakes. |
Types of rim brakes; general information on selection, installation, adjustment.
| Roller-cam Brakes | For any cyclist who wants to service roller-cam brakes. |
Roller-cam brakes were common in the 1980s.
| Tandem Brakes | For Tandem Fans. |
How to select and adjust your tandem's braking system(s) for safety even at high speeds.
| Traditional Cantilever Brakes | For and cyclist who wants to service traditional cantilever brakes. |
How to adjust traditional cantilever brakes (those with a central cable that pulls from above)..
| U Brakes | For any cyclist who wants to service U brakes. |
U brakes were common in the 1980s and are still being installed on freestyle bicycles.
| Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Glossary | For all cyclists. |
An encyclopedic listing of bicycle lore, technical data and opinions.
