Mafac Brakes - South Salem Cycleworks

Vintage Components - Mafac Brakes

Mafac brake hoods are posted here.

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"MAFAC" is an acronym: "Manufacture Auvergnoise de Freins et Accessoires pour Cycle (Manufacturer in the Auvergne of Brakes and Accessories for Cycles.) The Auvergne is a region in central France.

When Mafac brakes were introduced at the 1952 Paris bike show, they were the first classic center-pull and were a fabulous advance over the poor-stopping side-pulls of the time. They required so little effort their tag line was, “Braking with one finger is enough”.

afac ad

1952 Mafac ad

Important to cyclists of the time, they were powerful and still allowed large frame clearances for fenders and mud. Through a quirk of physics, bigger clearances for fenders means side-pull brakes have less mechanical advantage and thus less stopping power. In the 1950s, dirt roads were far from unknown in Europe and on a rainy day a bike without fenders could get fouled with mud to the point of being unrideable.

Mafac poster

A poster for Mafac cantilever brakes and levers.

For a time, Mafac center-pull brakes were the state-of-the art and were used by the world's finest racers, such as five-time Tour de France winner Jacques Anquetil. Other big brake makers, notably Weinmann of Switzerland and Universal of Italy, didn’t come out with center-pulls until the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor

Mafac brakes being used by a pair of the greatest riders of all time. 1964 Tour de France, stage 20: Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor in their famous race up Puy de Dôme. Anquetil narrowly saved his lead to win the Tour.

Here's another writer's explanation of Mafac:

Before Shimano released the first DeerHead cantilever brakes in 1982, a French component manufacturer was the first choice for the first mountain bikes...

MAFAC, or Manufacture Auvergnoise de Freins et Accessoires pour Cycles, was a French manufacturer of bicycle brakes, tool kits, and racks.

MAFAC was founded in post-war France under the name "Securite" which was changed to MAFAC in the fall of 1947.

Initially MAFAC manufactured cantilever brakes, brake levers, and tool kits. Later MAFAC brakes were of a center-pull design where a cross cable links the two arms of the brake, which is actuated by pulling from the center of this cable. MAFAC's rubber brake hoods, originating in the late 1940's, had built-in adjusters, allowing a rider to adjust the brakes while riding. Additionally the center-pull brakes were of a design that allowed them to clear fenders, front rack mounts, handle bar mount bags, and large tires.

This versatility made MAFAC brakes one of the most popular models from the late 1950's through the 1970's. The ability to clear larger diameter tires also led to the use of MAFAC brakes on many of the earliest mountain bikes!

The "Mafac" brand existed from 1947 to 1985.

Though we don't have any in stock at the moment, here's how we measure Mafac cantilever caliper arms:

Mafac caliper measurement

Mafac "Racer" center pull calipers. used. $40.00

We have two sets: Mafac Racer set #1 | #2 (long reach)

Mafac Racer calipers were made with two reaches. Measured from the center of the frame mounting bolt to the center of the brake pad mounting stud:

Short reach: 38.5 - 63mm
Long reach: 53.5 - 68mm

Mafac brake caliper

Here's a long-reach caliper and how it is measured.

About them, the late Sheldon Brown wrote:

"Mafac centerpulls were widely considered the finest brakes available from the 1950's through the late 1960s, when Campagnolo started making brakes. Probably more Tours de France have been won by bicycles using Mafac brakes than any other brand, except Campagnolo. Many cyclists and collectors who came of age after Mafac's glory days sneer at these brakes, because they mainly associate them with low-end bike-boom 10 speeds, but they are wrong to do so. Mafac brakes are light and powerful, reliable and effective. The worst thing that you can say about them is that they are prone to squealing.

"The most common model, the Racer, features adjustable mechanical advantage. By varying the length of the transverse cable you can fine tune the mechanical advantage to provide the desired power/feel with whatever type of levers you are using."

Mafac "Racer" center pull calipers set #1. used. $40.00

Part# BR-202-02

It is very difficult to date these calipers, as they were produced with little change from 1952 until the early 1980s.

Mafac brake calipers

All original, including the straddle cable hangers

Mafac Race brakes

And from the back.

Mafac "Racer" center pull calipers set #2. used. $40.00

Part# BR-202-01b

These calipers are long-reach: 53.5 - 68mm (Please see the explanation at the top of the page.)

Mafac Racer brakes

This set has Shimano Deore XT brake pads

Mafac Racer brakes

And from the back

Mafac Tandem Cantilever Brakeset. Used, $500.00/set

These are the rare long-arm style that gives superior braking power over regular cantilever brakes.
Since this set is made for tandems, one lever is designed for dual cable use.

Mafac tandem brakeset

The brakeset, complete and in lovely condition.

Mafac tandem calipers

The backs of the caliper arms

Mafac tandem calipers

Close-up of caliper arms.

Mafac caliper arms

Arms that go on the other side.

Mafac tandem brake evers

The levers. They are not the same, of course. The right one is made for two cables.

Mafac brake levers

Side view of the levers.

Mafac tandem brake levers

The levers flipped over.

Mafac brake levers

The handlebar clamps

Mafac brak elevers

Close-up of the lever fronts, showing their stylistic differences.

Mafac brake levers

The tops of the levers. The left one is made for two cables.

Mafac tandem brakes

The lovely designer box containing these rare brakes.

Mafac Racer brake levers made "safety-lever" compatible. Used, $30.00/set

These levers have had their pivot pins replaced so that if desired, safety levers (Dia-Compe lever extensions that allow the rider to pull on the levers with hands on the tops) can be installed.
Safety levers are not included.

Mafac levers