Mini V v Regular V

When I bought my Kaffenack was sold Mini-V as Regular wouldn't work well with the shifters. Pull ratios or something.

There's a couple of posts offering an explanation in these topics brought up by a quick google.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cantis-or-mini-vs-for-my-kaffenback

mini-v's require less pull than standard v's, but more pull than a canti, so sit somewhere inbetween... they will work with road levers, but, as stated above, might require some careful setup.
http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3804

Mini-Vees – 2004.01
[INDENT]I wish to improve the brakes on my 1997 Dawes Galaxy. It has Shimano Deore cantilevers, whereas my road bike has Tiagra dual-pivot sidepulls and much better braking. I read in Cycling Plus that mini V brakes will work with drop barred bikes. They reviewed a Planet-X Kaffenback with Tektro Mini Vees which appeared to work well. They are not very available in bike shops, but they do seem an answer to braking on drop barred touring bikes with large tyres. Ben Bate – Edinburgh

[/INDENT]Standard vee-brakes have 100mm vertical arms pivoted some 25mm below the rim. Subtract a bit for the cable “noodle cradle” etc. and that leaves 70mm of clearance for tyre and mudguard. Allowing a 50% margin for the latter, that’s about right for a 47mm tyre. That brake is designed for a 25mm cable pull. Drop handlebar levers pull only half that. So a mini-vee with 50mm arms should work okay. But that would leave only 20mm for tyre and mudguard! So mini-vees are a compromise, with arms about 2/3 the height of a standard vee. They give no more clearance, and neither do they work any better with drops, than a medium-reach dual-pivot sidepull (as distinct from the normal, ultra-short-reach variety).
I tested an Orbit Harrier with Tektro Mini-vees in October 2000 and found that these brakes limited the section of tyre that could be fitted to 25mm with mudguards. I also observed that, whilst braking required but the lightest of touches, the pads didn’t move far before the lever bottomed out – requiring perfectly true wheels and frequent brake adjustments. I thought Orbit would soon abandon the experiment, and they did. So mini-vees are not the best answer unless the question’s really weird (like a racing bike with cantilever braze-ons, like the Planet-X Kaffenback) which probably explains why you don’t find many in bike shops! They are certainly not the answer for a Dawes Galaxy. For that you’d better stick to cantis. Chris Juden

For a confirmation that Mini-Vees are not the answer even on a Planet-X Kaffenback, here's a query I received 2005.12:[INDENT]I recently bought a Planet X Kaffenback and am generally very happy with it, but there are two issues that you may be able to shed some light on. Firstly, the bike is fitted with mini V-brakes combined with drop-bar brake/shift levers. Whilst the brakes are very effective with the blocks set up a hair’s breadth from the rim, any tiny deviation in the trueness of the wheel causes the pads to rub. If I set the brakes up so as to clear the rim, then they fail to bite until the lever is pulled back almost to the handlebar. I stress that the wheels are actually very straight, with an almost imperceptible wobble which I have tried to fix wit a spoke key. Do you, by chance, know any tips that could help me solve this problem? Geoff Wood – by email

[/INDENT]I suggested some decent cantilevers!

My experience has been similar, I get them bang on, but then can't release brake to remove wheel easily, then as the pads where they go incredibly spongey very quickly, requiring further adjustment.