Road rim brake calipers

How to choose a rim brake calliper

Rim brakes remain standard on a large proportion of bikes already in use. They’re light and easy to maintain, and a good-quality calliper brakes very effectively on a clean aluminium rim. Three factors determine which model to choose: the mounting type, reach and component level.

Standard mounting or Direct Mount

• Standard : the calliper is secured by a single bolt passing through the fork or rear brake bridge. It’s the standard mounting arrangement.
• Direct Mount : two mounting points directly on the frame, making for a stiffer, better-integrated calliper. It requires a frame designed for it, and the rear calliper is sometimes mounted under the chainstays rather than on the seatstays.
• A Direct Mount calliper won’t fit a standard frame, and vice versa.

The reach

This is the distance from the mounting bolt to the braking surface. The modern road standard covers 39 to 49 mm. The callipers long-reach such as the Shimano TIAGRA R451 have a reach of up to 57 mm : these are used on touring frames, bikes with mudguards and setups with wider tyres. Measure before ordering: a calliper that’s too short won’t reach the rim.

Single- or dual-pivot

• The dual-pivot is used on all modern road callipers: it increases the force applied at the lever and centres more easily.
• The single-pivot is still used at the rear on some high-end Campagnolo setups, where modulation matters more than outright power.
• Some brands — such as Cane Creek with its eeBrake — offer their own very lightweight Direct Mount designs.

Spare parts

Return springs, cable tension adjusters (the SM-CB90 for Direct Mount callipers, which have no built-in adjuster) and bolts can be replaced separately. A calliper that no longer returns to centre often has a worn spring, rather than needing replacement itself.

To find out more: How to adjust your road bike brakes

See also: Road brake pads · Road wheels for rim brakes · Road brake and shift levers