Mafac Brakes
MAFAC or Manufacture Auvergnoise de Freins et Assessoires pour Cycle (Manufacturer in the Auvergne of Brakes and Cycle components)
Edited from an article by Steve GriffithCentre-pulls
The Mafac brake most used by riders of lightweights in the 50s and 60s
Established after WW2, Mafac were originally known as Securite (the ‘r’ elongated to underline the word as the first ‘a’ later in Mafac). Under their original name they marketed three out of four of their core products: the cantilever, the brake lever (at this stage without a rubber hood and the blade of solid construction) and the tool kit (in either a metal tin or leather pouch).
The rubber lever hoods originated in the late 1940’s, first as a half and later as a full hood. Typically these were black or tan but also came in other colours including white, blue and green.
In 1952 the centre pulls were introduced, engraved ‘Dural Forge’. These were a huge advance being efficient and easy to set up. The advantages over other types were many:
a) Quick release straddle cable enabling easy wheel removal
b) Blocks were multi adjustable in both the vertical and horizontal plane. They could also be angled - a great advantage when using a rim such as the Constrictor Asp whose braking surfaces were not parallel
c) Wide drop (50 to 75mm) which could accommodate most frames although in the late 50s a shallow drop version was also offered (45 to 68mm)
d) As the length of the straddle cable could easily alter so could the mechanical advantage of the brake. This had the benefit of being able to avoid fouling, say, a rack/bag support. Furthermore, a length of gear cable could be used rather than in the case of other manufacturers, a purpose made cable
e) The lever clamp was designed so that the lever hood could be removed without untaping the bars. A very useful feature if you wanted to swap the hood or tighten up the pivots.
f) The brakes could be adjusted when riding, thanks to the adjusters on the lever hoods
g) Easy to disassemble and service
The adverting slogan was “one finger sufficient!”
Mafac Half-hoods plus a straddle
bridgeThroughout the 1950s levers were the open back style. This changed in the early 60’s to a closed back style. For a period both were available, reference Ron Kitching 1960 Everything Cycling.
Mafac studded brake blocks (four stud or for tandems five) were an excellent balance between being durable, effective and not too wearing on rims.
The profile of these brakes is very distinctive and even a cursory glance at photos of Tour riders in the 50’s and 60’s will reveal many to be stopping on Mafacs. Once they became available in Britain in 1953 many club riders switched en masse. None of the competitors eg. GB, Weinmann or Universal marketed centre pulls until the late 1950’s.
In the late 60’s plastic bushings replaced the bronze ones and “Racer” replaced the stamping “dural forge” on the stirrups. In the early 1970s a longer-arm version was introduced, the Raid with a drop 60 to 85 mm with wheel guides built into the brake shoe fitting.
Development : The Tiger and Top 63
Mafac’s major innovation was the introduction of the Tiger brake in the late 1950’s (first available in Britain in 1960). The arms were set further apart to provide increased leverage (giving a squarer profile) and the straddle cable was re-designed. This became double-ended with a tiny nipple at one end and a tab at the other for release. This now meant the straddle length was fixed, a step backwards because the mechanical advantage could not be altered, and also if not lubricated carefully the nipple would corrode into the brake arm holder. The lower end of the spring now fitted in the stirrup arms rather than as before against the brake shoe holder. The brake shoes could not be moved up or down, only angled, which dramatically reduced the drop range. Mafac compensated for this by elongating the frame clamp bolt hole to give 10mm of vertical movement.
The Top 63 is the most sought after of Mafac brakes amongst collectors solely because of its rarity . It remained in production for only a few years. An interesting example of a manufacturer having to abandon innovation and revert to the original product.
Toolkits
A Mafac toolkit was ideal for fitting their brakes. For example, the cable clamps required two 9mm spanners to adjust, which all toolkits came with. According to the 1960 Everything Cycling there were three versions of the toolkit all in a grey plastic fold out wallet:
- The Constructor 6 tools
- Touriste 7 tools
- Randonneur 10 tools
All came with puncture repair kit and the three single-ended spanners doubled as tyre levers. The three doubled-ended spanners (8/9mm 10/11 and 12/14) are some of the most useful tools ever invented Less successful are the large tools e.g. cone spanners, screwdrivers. The set covered pretty much all fittings on a lightweight bike. Later versions introduced Allen keys. (These toolkits do still surface from time to time.
Dating
- Any component with 'Securite' is pre-autumn 1947
- Early levers had solid blades
- At the end of the 60’s the stamping on stirrups altered from 'Dural Forge' to 'Racer'.
- At the same time levers were stamped 'Mafac France'. Previously they had just been stamped 'Mafac' .
- Early centre pulls had a tiny oil hole above the pivots only until 1953
- Parts with 'MAFAC' with full stops after each letter are the older versions
- The later versions of the '2000' and 'Competition' had the month and date of manufacture stamped on the inside of the left arm (the earliest example I have seen is dated 1975). This was altered around 1978 to two letters one for year the other for month.
Read Additional information on Mafac brakes by Steve Griffith