Quote Originally Posted by DebW View Post
You can probably get by with either brake type if you're not carrying really heavy loads over really hilly terrain. But cantis are best for loaded touring. Does the new frame have canti bosses on the rear, or can you get them added? You also need cable-hangers for centerpull canti's, usually attached among the headset spacers on the front and on the seat post bolt or to a braze-on on the rear. Get the braze-on if you can.
The new Isis does not have canti bosses on the rear. I was thinking since he is building the fork he can build them in, and I guess I could ask him to add them to the rear when he is doing the s/s stuff. I have the set up you describe on my classic with bosses in front and rear and cable hangers attached to the headset and seatpost bolt using problem solver clamps. So, I have all the stuff already. What I am trying to understand though, is if I have enough room to install long reach brakes, since it seems what is gonna limit tire width is hitting the top of the frame/brake. With no brake in there the tire spins freely, but there isn't a ton of room so its hard to imagine how it will spin with a brake on there. Can I even install long reach side pull brakes if the bike was designed to accept standard ultegra side pulls which I assume are short reach? Maybe I just need to try and install my touring wheel on my titanium Isis with ultegra side pulls to see if it will fit. I think the problem is I don't understand how long reach brakes look to be different from short reach. If they look like I imagine, then they only work on a frame designed for them where the thing they screw into will be higher, to give more clearance for wide tires and fenders.