I have recently acquired a CX bike and love the speed, but struggle to stop quite as quick as I would like offroad, resulting in a few spills.

Any real world recommendations for decent brakes? My current set up is Shimano STIs with Tektro CR-720 cantilevers.

Not sure whether to go for different pads first, different position on the bars or whether disc brakes have spoilt me and I just need to accept that I cannot stop and ride a bit smoother. 🙂

Well you already have the brakes I was going to recommend. I have the cheaper 520 and think they are fine running koolstop pads. The limit to braking tends to be the skinny tyres.

I always descend in the drops for better control and braking, using the hoods is scarey

I will try some koolstops. I think the existing compound is a bit hard

Sometimes I struggle to get on the drops if the terrain drops away quickly so end up trying to brake on the hoods which may be my main problem.

Ultegra STIs..

And FroggLeggs work fine for me…

your brakes should be powerfull enough to stop you when braking on the huds…I most riders on the continent never use the drops apart from straights and sprinting.

Canti brakes all seem to be much of a muchness, but it's worth fiddling with your set-up before you bin them. Try getting the straddle wire as low down as possible – the brakes will feel spongy but will have loads more power.

Eggbox – I have recently upgraded to the ones you have – IMO they are as good a brake as you can get on a cx setup (apart from perhaps frogslegs)

KoolStop 'Salmon' pads are worth their weight in gold!

iainc – can you come to a full stop at speed on the hoods if you need to?

I agree with Mr Agreeable, have you had a read of Sheldon Brown on Canti brakes: http://sheldonbrown.com/canti-trad.html

If you have Tektro CR-720 with koolstop pads you have the best your going to get but the setup is important.

Eggbox – yes, in fact I can get the back wheel off the ground braking hard on the hoods in the dry on road tyres or crossers

cheers for responses, I will have a tinker with the set up and look for some koolstops.

"iainc – can you come to a full stop at speed on the hoods if you need to?"

yeah i can too, especially since I changed to campag as the hoods seem to suit my hands better. just when descending I find it easier in the drops

Just casting my mind back to "the day" when cantis is all we had on mountain bikes, several details make a big difference to the performance. Get everything slick and smooth – cable clean and greased inside a well routed (neat routing makes a big difference) and not knackered outer – canti units rotating on clean and greased bosses – straddle wire set low and un-kinked – and brake lever pivots clean and lubed. I always liked koolstops, and I always found it worthwhile re-setting them frequently so they hit the rim just-so and toe first.

You could also try a brake-booster bridge over the bosses, but it will catch mud.

most riders on the continent never use the drops apart from straights and sprinting

You're talking about racing on essentialy undulating grassy courses. 'Normal' offroad riding is completely different, as are mnay UK cross courses where pros, including continental pros, will ride on the drops on the steep nasty rooted descents.

following an earlier thread on here I moved to Tektro 720s on my pomp and dropped the straddle wire lower.
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/massive-fork-judder-on-cx-bike-mini-vs-the-cure

Miles better braking on the downhills. Can someone link to some good pads though please?

Stoner – with that design of canti, having the hanger higher than in your pic might actually makes them more powerful (though you're not far off so it'd only be a small difference. What you're trying to achieve is a 90 degree angle between the stradle cable and the line from the canti pivot to the straddle cable fixing point. With traditional cantis like those, lowering the hanger actually can go past the 90 degree point and reduce power.

Stoner try speaking to Paul Milnes.. http://www.paulmilnescycles.com/

Crap website, but very good shop/ Bloke

Clubber – I was going to post the same. With Froggs leg type brakes a bit higher can often be better. Stoner's setup is almost ideal as the photo is "at rest". When in use the yoke will be slightly higher and the cantis rotated so he will be at the magic 90 degree point when he actually needs it.

I reckon he'll be just a few degrees off actually but agreed, it's not far off 🙂

Conversly, Teetosugars' could do with being slightly longer although it's hard to tell at that angle….

I added chicken/suicide/top-pull (choose your name) levers to my bars last year after years of pooh poohing them. They have made the brakes slightly more spongey which is a bad thing but there are certain times when dropping down things I probably shouldn't on a cross bike when I can get my weighty further back and still on the brakes than I could on the drops. Twisty, flicky stuff is still better on the drops though.

clubber/convert, yep was aiming for c.90degs as per Sheldon's site.

When I say lower straddle wire, I mean from where it was and on narrower low profile On-One cantis which was giving me much less than 90degs and terrible braking power.

cheers for the link t2.
I like his honesty: "we've got a sh1t website coz we cant be arsed to do this interweb thing, but if you must you can find us on eBay…"

any idea what his eBay monkier is? 🙂