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Home > Product Reviews > Cantilevers / V-Brakes > Avid Arch Rival Brakes Reviews

Avid Arch Rival Brakes

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Chain Reaction Cycles

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Avid Arch Rival Brakes
More about Avid

Average Rating: 4 out of 5
No. of Reviews: 17
RRP: £44.99
Year: 2005 - 2006

Description:

Articulated brake pads, fewer pivots and the simple design makes this a functional and powerful brake.

As always the forged aluminum arms look as beautiful as they are light.

The FVA design reduces boss movement and ensures more energy reaches the rim.

Together with the Accu-Push articulated pads, the high performance Rim Wrangler 2 cartridge pads allows you to stop on a dime.

REVIEWS

1 to 10 of 17 reviews, to post a review you need to be a member - Join now.Page: 1 2

Dave Goody

Posted: 15/02/01
Updated: 30/01/07

'Great brakes for not a lotta mula'

Strengths:
Powerful braking in all conditions.
Set up and forget brakes with cartridge pads.
Great pad life

Weaknesses:
Are not the lightest on paper, although not a real problem.

Overall:
Mine have been on for around 10 months now, I,ve only recently replaced the rear pads. I can only put it down to the initial alignement, but once their set up correctly the pad wear is so even you have no problems until its time to fit new ones. Combine these babies with avid levers and cables and it appears you can't go wrong!

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

73%

Pete Marshall 2

Posted: 22/01/07
Updated: 30/01/07

'GREAT BRAKES FOR THE MONEY'

Strengths:
Stopping power, light, good looks and OK in the mud. Great price at Chain Reaction

Weaknesses:
Only the usual ones when compared to good disk brakes they won't stop you in the wet.

Overall:
I have got these on the front of my old Marin rigid bike. They are the best stoppers (other than disks) I have every used. Like all V brakes they can clog up a bit with mud (compared to centre canti's) but they stop well and are really easy to adjust.
I went with Avid 7's on the back as I don't think the extra power on the back wheel is really required. If you have a bike without disks and don't ride cyclo cross or live in the middle of a peat bog then I don't think you can do better.

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

80%

Jonathan Pontet

Posted: 21/01/04
Updated: 30/01/07

'POWER ON DEMAND'

Strengths:
Stopping power when you need it. Cheap. Look great. Plus always parallel [to the rim] pads cater for ease of setup and a fat tyre.

Weaknesses:
On or off...little in between. But this is the typical nature of 'V's.

Overall:
No disk lugs on my Enduro frame meant my choice was between these and Maguras for a more than capable rim brake. Although I haven't tested the Maguras, I am more than happy with these babys - especially at £29.99 from Chain Reaction!

Performance		60%
Reliability		80%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

73%

Richard Bailey

Posted: 07/03/03
Updated: 30/01/07

'SHARP N '

Strengths:
Responsive & progressive (when set up well). Durable (nothing broke yet), but tension spring looks a bit bent - still works fine though.
Parallel linkage reduces faffing with realigning brake blocks.

Weaknesses:
Bit of a pain to clean compared to 'normal' brakes.
Expensive unless you can find a mail order deal.

Overall:
Had them F&R for almost two years now, matched with SD7 levers. They've done numerous trips to Wales, Lakes and Dales, not to mention 4 months touring in NZ. Not one problem with them (I admit to regular removal, cleaning and fettling). Possibly my best purchase.

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

87%

JOHN MCFARLANE

Posted: 17/01/03
Updated: 30/01/07

'GREAT FEELING BRAKES'

Strengths:
very responsive good feeling brakes, not had them very long but cannot believe the difference between these and my old v,s look good too!

Weaknesses:
none as yet although noticed some rust on the return springs?

Overall:
I bought these brakes as my klien pulse does not have disc mounts on the rear. looked at mounts etc but but decide these were the better option GREAT DECISION!

Performance		100%
Reliability		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

80%

bad mechanics

Posted: 14/11/02
Updated: 30/01/07

'GOOD, BUT DO BREAK'

Strengths:
works well in crap weather.
looks cool.

Weaknesses:
the design. the mechanism which connects the retention spring to the part the other side of the arm often comes apart. first it happened on the front, then the rear dammit.

Overall:
not bad wehn working. not great either. personnally i reckon something like shimano lx is better, and a lot cheaper! save ur money, or buy disks.

Performance		60%
Reliability		20%
Value		40%

Overall Rating

40%

Tom Marvin

Posted: 14/12/02
Updated: 30/01/07

'PRETTY GOOD'

Strengths:
Reasonable performance
Looks
Sounds Good Respect from other riders

Weaknesses:
problems with mud clearence with reasonably wide tyres
paint come off springy things gone rusty

Overall:
no real major problems, have to poke mud out with stick a few times in a muddy ride. still prety good

Performance		80%
Reliability		60%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

67%

U dont care about how i feel, I dont feel it any more

Posted: 09/06/02
Updated: 30/01/07

'ABSOLOUTELY AMAZING'

Strengths:
I rode them, and instantly got used to the feel of them.

Weaknesses:
Not everyone gets them?

Overall:
These things rule! I have had a go of them hydraulic Deore disks and they wernt even close! Theses are great, and look cool. (OK, thats why i brought 'em, but im gload i did.