setup for Ciamillo Gravitas SL brakes

[CAIOS]

@pawnii

I just gotten to know you are using the more expensive Gravitas brake. WOW! (blow my mind offf)
BTW, is Gravitas user-friendly (hassle-free) type or messy brake?
[I checked their website, and was told it is suitable for all rim, even wide-rim FC. Is it so?]
Cheers!

[pawnii]

CAIOS

I am still waiting for parts from Ciamillo to setup my Gravitas correctly.
At this stage I can't fairly comment of how hard or easy they are to setup.

From what I gather on WW, the Gravitas aren't as simple and 'hassle-free' as say Dura Ace brake calipers to set up...but the real question is all the setting up/tuning/hassle worth it?

I'm dying to find out.

[Getter]

Keeping the brakes centered is the part that takes some time. Once adjusted they've stayed centered for me.

Cable length is important. If the cable is too short or long...it can push or pull the caliper to one side.

[Barrie]

The outer cable length is very important,
I clamp the brake pads to the rim with a plastic g-clamp
adjust the cable adjuster half way on the movement
pull the brake cable through and lift the cam arm and tighten cable up,
and take the clamp off
screw the adjuster down to give the 1mm rim clearance on both sides
check the brake is central,

Mine stop me as good as my old DA 7900

Barrie

[pawnii]

ok i finally got my replacement caliper arm 2 days ago from Ciamillo.
Even though it has taken over 6 weeks i'd like to thank Tim for sending them along with all the spherical washers free of charge.

I had no problem swapping out the broken caliper arm and install the brakes onto my fork.

But when it came to installing the spherical washers onto the brake pad holders i ran out of bolt.
The brake pad holder bolt is too short for my setup. I'm using 2 thick spherical washers and the black washer on each side.
This would give me the perfect 2mm spacing between my pads and the rims brake surface.

Am i missing something here? Are there longer bolts that i don't have? Or are you not supposed to use that many thick washers on one side?
can anyone confirm?
Tim stopped replying to me 4 emails ago.

also, i'm missing the small washers that go on the pinch bolts, can anyone suggest where i can buy these from?

[Juanmoretime]

Tim or Ted? I only know of one length bolt but could be wrong. Is the double washer something recommended by Ciamillo?

[pawnii]

Sorry. You're right. It's Ted from Ciamillo, not Tim.


1 - no double sided sphericals : widest rims
2 - thin double side sphericals : wide rims
3 - thick double sided sphericals : standard rims
4 - thick and thin nested together : narrow rims

this is what Ted posted. He doesn't state above that 2 thick double sided sphericals can be used...so i guess it's not recommended by Ciamillo.
But with my Enve 1.45 rims i wouldn't achieve the 2mm max clearance that Ted recommends unless i do use 2 thick ones on each side.
Maybe the 2mm max clearance isn't very important with thin rims.

I'll have to setup with option 4 and see how it goes.

[carbonLORD]

Maybe its time to drop them off at the bike shop and let a mechanic handle it? Just a thought.

[pawnii]

i doubt any mechanic would know how to set up these brakes anymore than I do considering there's no instructions in the box or on the Ciamillo website.
If there was a Gravitas expert in my area i'd gladly take it there...come to think of it, if it required an expert to install them i'd probably just sell them and get some EE brakes.

thanks for the advice though

I only know of one length bolt but could be wrong.

there are actually 2 different length bolts. 10mm and 12mm.

[kbbpll]

I apologize for butting in, but that cable looks a bit nasty to me. I've no idea if related to any of your problems; just something I noticed.

[pawnii]

yes you're right. I never got the washers for the pinch cable so it damages the cable as soon as you tighten it.
And now that Ted refuses to reply to any of my emails i'm not sure how to get any.
I wonder how many people suffer from his poor service?

I purchased the Gravitas brakes because they look good and are very light but they have been nothing but trouble.
Damaged parts straight out of the box and warranty replacement taking 8 weeks with fcuk all communication from Ted.
Finally when i get my replacement parts it's missing bits also.

I've been holding back not to bag Ciamillo on WW, just in case he comes good, but after not replying to my last 5 emails over the last 2 weeks i've had enough and giving up on him. I highly doubt this is an isolated case either.

oh...and the stopping power and modulation is no where near DA or Reds.

total let down and waste of money IMO.

Cable were replaced with iLinks shortly after that pic

[sigismond0]

Maybe I'm missing something, but you're saying you require extra washers to get the pads within 2mm of your brake track, correct?

...isn't that what the barrel adjuster is for? Can't you just tighten the cable pinch bolt a little higher up the cable?

[carbonLORD]

i doubt any mechanic would know how to set up these brakes anymore than I do considering there's no instructions in the box or on the Ciamillo website.
If there was a Gravitas expert in my area i'd gladly take it there...come to think of it, if it required an expert to install them i'd probably just sell them and get some EE brakes.

thanks for the advice though

I only know of one length bolt but could be wrong.

there are actually 2 different length bolts. 10mm and 12mm.

Like I said, that's why they are "mechanics".

Not trying to give you a hard time but these brakes are so easy to work on...

What do you need to get them going? I'm a Ciamillo rep and know that Ted is in a spot right now that he cant possibly focus on everything at once. Lets just say he has a lot on his plate and if we want to continue to see super light brakes and cranks from a boutique US manufacturer we all have to be a little patient, from distributors waiting on large orders to customers waiting on spare parts...

On behalf of the brand I want to extend an apology for Ted because I understand how frustrating it is to purchase something expensive and be excited about it, only to be disappointed.

I am in The Netherlands but can certainly facilitate communication, or if need be can send out parts from here and wait for Ted to reimburse me. Who did you purchase the Gravitas SL from? Better yet, PM or email me and lets talk about set-up, and start from the beginning.

Cheers,

sabin:cL

[mdeth1313]

I'm a Ciamillo rep and know that Ted is in a spot right now that he cant possibly focus on everything at once. Lets just say he has a lot on his plate and if we want to continue to see super light brakes and cranks from a boutique US manufacturer we all have to be a little patient, from distributors waiting on large orders to customers waiting on spare parts...

On behalf of the brand I want to extend an apology for Ted because I understand how frustrating it is to purchase something expensive and be excited about it, only to be disappointed.

I thought Ted now had an office staff to deal with this kind of stuff. I'm glad someone is stepping in to take care of it, but it seems like more of the same...

[pawnii]

Maybe I'm missing something, but you're saying you require extra washers to get the pads within 2mm of your brake track, correct?

...isn't that what the barrel adjuster is for? Can't you just tighten the cable pinch bolt a little higher up the cable?

Using the barrel adjusters or "tightening the pinch bolt a little higher up the cable" will reduce the limited arm travel you have on these brakes.
You only have a short amount of travel on these brakes and if you don't use the spherical washers on the brake pad holders to take up the gap between the pads and brake track, when u pull the lever 100% the Pinch bolt will hit the barrel adjuster and you're stuffed.

The spherical washers DO solve this problem though. I didn't get any in the box originally and without any instructions i had no idea what i was doing...all good now with this issue.