I bought these to replace some prehistoric Dia Compe G calipers on a vintage Trek 614 road bike. They might have been good in their day, but by today's standards, not so much. They are single pivot, and you can see the flex, big-time, when you squeeze the brake levers. Weak.

These dual-pivot Tektros are a lot more efficient. I'd say they double the stopping power of the old Dia Compes. A little flexy, but you ain't expecting Dura Ace or Red or Super Record performance at this price, are you? The finish is not bad, either. Polished silver, almost chrome-like.

Some people complain about the pads that come with Tektros, but they seem pretty good to me. They work at least as well as the pads that came with the Ultegra caliper I bought for another bike. I feel no need to replace them.

The R559's reach is just barely short enough to use with the original 27" wheels, and more than enough for my 700C wheels which are hundreds of grams lighter than ye olde 27-inch, 36-spokers. Not long enough for 26" wheels; I checked, just for the heck of it.

And of course, JensonUSA made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Their 20% off sale, plus free shipping, made the R559s the best deal I could find online.

PROS: Durable, Easy To Install, Attractive Design

BEST USES: Light-duty Cx, Upgrade, Casual Riding, Road Biking

They look pretty sweet, and they worked well on my old Raleigh conversion with 700c wheels.