Paul Component Engineering machines road and mountain bike parts out of aluminum. Along with being Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo compatible, its Klamper mechanical disc-brake caliper is now available in the modern flat-mount standard too.
Paul Klamper disc brake specs
- Designed to fit all flat-mount bicycles
- Interchangeable actuator arms for short-pull or Campagnolo levers
- Machined from 6061 aluminum and heat-treated steel
- Tool-free independent pad adjustment
- Kool Stop pads
- Available in all-black, all-silver, silver or black with orange pad adjusters, polished and limited-edition colours
- Price: $208 (per brake)
Mechanical vs hydraulic
The Klamper disc-brake caliper relies on a mechanical brake cable, instead of hydraulic fluid or mineral oil, for its action. Benefits of cable disc-brakes include ease of set-up (no bleeding necessary!), simplified parts replacement with just a cable and housing, and easier adjustment.
That makes them perfect for adventures into the wilderness, with field serviceability a key part of the design.
The downsides compared to a hydraulic disc-brake generally include less modulation, less power and more maintenance as the pads do not self adjust.
Paul claims to have minimised those downsides with steel pistons that are actuated by needle roller thrust bearings and oversized actuator bearings to provide improved performance over conventional mechanical disc brakes.
Drop bar compatible
Unlike the IS mount Klamper, which is compatible with all kinds of brake levers (short pull, long pull and Campagnolo) the flat-mount version will only cater to short-pull (Shimano and SRAM) and Campagnolo levers.
The reasoning is flat mount is generally found on drop-bar bikes. However, if you do have a hankering for a flat or riser barred flat-mount bike, Paul offers some short-pull brake levers that could fit the bill.
To switch between levers, the actuator arm of the brake needs to be swapped to match. It should be noted that the actuator arms for the IS and flat-mount Klamper are not interchangeable.
Pricing & availability
The flat-mount Klamper retails at $208 and is available now. For more information visit Paul Component.
This article was updated on 3 October 2018