I've just bought a Claude Butler Cape Wrath. Its not been delivered yet but I'm keen to find out more about the brakes.. so if you know ote about them please let us know
Cheers

If I remember right, these are the ones with one long curved arm and a shorter arm on the other side right? If so, I've played with some at the LBS (didn't test ride though) but the guy in the shop is someone I trust and he said power and modulation were good, but feel was a bit strange as the long arm has visible flex in it. He said it didn't seem to affect performance and, like anything, you get used to it.

Thanks 'AGKa4AM',
Whats meant by 'modulation'?
would u know why these brakes would be used instead of standard V brakes. I've never seen these brakes (as I said my bike aint bin delivered yet).

Modulation refers to the operation of the brake. some feel a it wooden and operate like and on or off switch. Others have more feel and a more gradual action, i.e. you have more control as to how much brake force is being applied as you squeeze.

Cane Creek's design is one that provides a straighter cable route into the brake to reduce cable friction. There is also less cable between the tops of the 2 brake arms to prevent filth getting into the cable housing. The brakes are light but the assymetric design with the long arm means that braking force isn't evenly applied on each side so you may also notice uneven pad wear.

Don't know why they would be spec'd on a bike as opposed to (on the face of it) cheaper more conventional V brakes. I don't see the plus or minus point personally - perhaps Cane Creek gave Claud Butler a good deal or perhaps it was to save weight.

They never got a particularly good write up, the consensus was that they flexed a bit too much.
However in the real world [UK winter] I would think that the advantage of a straight cable run would mean they keep working a lot longer than the opposition, particularly on the rear wheel. I've just had to clean the u bend on my brakes.
It may be that the flex was built in on the longer arm to equalise wear, just a thought

Possibly. I always thought that v brakes that flexed a bit were better as you could control the brake force better. I used to have some of the really beefy XT brakes (the second generation with the linkage) and they had no flex at all and the feel was crap - very wooden.

At the end of the day - try them and you might like them. If not, you can get regular V's at a decent price and the levers will be compatible. Especially this time of year with the sales on. 2003 V's can probably be had dirt cheap!