[ohio]

Why are the only BMX bikes that run V-brakes the racing bikes, and everything else runs 990's? Aren't V's lighter, more powerful, and easier to route cables for?

 

[Timmy Turtle]

990s have far better modulation and and set up correctly they have enough power. you can allso set up gyros with 990 while its allmost impossible (ive heard) to set it up correctly with v's.

The cable routing isnt realy true eighter, cuz most bmx's are built for 990s. its allso easier to break v's.

 

[monkeyboy424]

my friend has a schwinn pretador that he put a gyro on ( it has v's) the braking is worse, but about the same as a 990 ok? ok

 

[toonces]

An other reason 990's are used is b/c they can be tucked out of the way due to their cable routing and shape. So no snags and cuts. This is important for flatlanders. There are some v-brakes that are shaped relatively low-key although the side cable routing can't really be avoided.

 

[shootr]

V-brakes also require greater cable travel for operation, precluding the use of detanglers, as most have a very limited range of motion, you would have to use a pulley assy after the detangler to make up the difference in pull lengths, and then the light feel of the V-brakes would be gone, as well as the added weight of the pulley assys. would outweigh the difference between 990s and V-brakes..

I run V-brakes on my Dj bike, with a LONG cable so I can turn the bars, but I am limited to single bar spins and single t-whips etc.
(it is an Old school Schwinn race frame).

And as for "stonger" in clamping force, because of the location of the fulcrum, and the length of the effective lever (adjacent to the fulcrum) for the same pull distance, you will result in greater applied force. (think that one is a teeter-totter, and one is like wedging a stick under a rock and lifting to move it)
I hope that helps.