Upgrading Dia Compe brakes to Shimano, any problems?

Triathlon Forum
1

Hello everyone, I have a late-90’s model Quintana Roo with Dia-Compe brake system.
I ran into a problem when I wanted to buy carbon pads for my Zipp wheels, apparently nobody makes these pads for the old brake calipers.
So I was thinking of upgrading to Shimano 105/Ultegra calipers so that I could get the better pads for the carbon wheels.

My question is: are the shimano calipers compatible with my existing levers and cables?
I noticed that the Dia-Compe’s have springs on the calipers, and the Shimano’s do not. Will I have to replace the levers or cables to retract the calipers?

I appreciate your advice.

2

you can run any brakes with any levers. it doesn’t matter.

3

You shouldnt have any problems with compatibility. I would suggest changing the cables and/or housing to get the best results, but if they are reasonably fresh and ~the right length to make the switch work its not entirely necessary. Wrench on amigo.

4

Sounds as though your Dia-Comps are “single pivot” calipers. The Shimanos are “double pivot”. Your current levers and cables will work just fine. You can replace the calipers without a hitch and should only take a few minutes.