# single pivot rear brake?



## bnoojin (Mar 24, 2002)

I am a recently converted (from 15 years of Shimano) to a Campy Centaur group. overall, I really like it. I prefer the Campy ergolevers and they're much cheaper and lighter than DA or Ultegra 10. 
although, I don't get the skeleton single pivot rear brake. this is an improvement how? I didn't realize they had this for the group. I read somewhere that previous Campy groups had a rear dual pivot brake (Pantani's Tour winning Record bike). is this just to save a few grams? 
I guess I'll just have to live with it or find a replacement which will not match my front skeleton brake. Do any other Campy users find this to be a problem with their groups or am I too used to the excellent modulated braking of Ultegra?


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

not sure the exact year campy did this, but around the early '00's they introduced the idea of differential braking. the idea was to deliberately make the leverage on the rear brake less than the front to avoid lockup in a panic situation. i think in that era it applied only to record & chorus. if you bought centaur then there were double pivot all round.

both single and dual pivot brakes work fine at the rear, i certainly would not bother changing for functional reasons.


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

*It's fine*

I have Chorus single pivot rear brake and it's fine. As stated they came out with it because the rear brake is supposed to have (need) less braking power than the front. The bike stops fine and you don't even notice it. As an added bonus it is lighter, why I just fly up the hills now without that added weight (LOL).


bnoojin said:


> I am a recently converted (from 15 years of Shimano) to a Campy Centaur group. overall, I really like it. I prefer the Campy ergolevers and they're much cheaper and lighter than DA or Ultegra 10.
> although, I don't get the skeleton single pivot rear brake. this is an improvement how? I didn't realize they had this for the group. I read somewhere that previous Campy groups had a rear dual pivot brake (Pantani's Tour winning Record bike). is this just to save a few grams?
> I guess I'll just have to live with it or find a replacement which will not match my front skeleton brake. Do any other Campy users find this to be a problem with their groups or am I too used to the excellent modulated braking of Ultegra?


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## DNM (Feb 27, 2008)

*More movement*

A third benefit is that one can open the brakes further in the case of a broken spoke (wobbly wheel). This is more needed in the rear. Also helpful on a bike if you are running a wider rear tire on the same width rims.


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

Not a problem. You don't need much braking force on rear calipers. Single pivot is plenty powerful and weighs less. IME, this makes front-to-rear brake modulation easier, and less likely to skid the rear tire.

I did find that single pivot calipers have to look offset or asymmetrical in the open position, to ensure that both pads actually touch the rim simultaneously.

Adjust the rear caliper so _pads touch rim at same time._


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## RussellS (Feb 1, 2010)

I have a set of Centaur brakes that are dual pivot on both ends. A pair of Chorus from 1998 that are dual pivot on both ends. And two pair of Chorus brakes that are dual front and single rear. I can't tell any difference amongst any of the brakes. They all work very well.


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