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As part of a bike rebuild I'm working on, I replaced the old cantilever brakes with new Shimano V-brakes.
The problem is that the new front brake doesn't seem to fit with the wheel. The rim walls are relatively low compared to brake pads and the brake pads can't go any lower. In fact where they sit now is also problematic because it's always touching the rim walls.
Attached is a photo of the bike.
Update: It's a 28/700c Villiger frame. I double checked it.
Your frame is designed for the type of cantilever brake you already had, which has pads closer to the pivot than modern brakes. Unfortunately it looks like you are stuck with your old brakes.
The old brakes can be improved with new cables and pads and lubricating the pivots.
The first thing is, do you have the right wheel size in this bike?
People often convert 27" bicycles to 700c, which requires 4 mm more adjustment downwards on the brakes (which looks about to what you need, so it wouldn't surprise me if this was the case).
In any case, you need to either:
Note that V-brakes and cantilever brakes use different brake levers.
Had the same problem. The answer is spacers. Each braking pad axle has two spacers one on the outer side (where you tighten the pad) and one of the inner side of the brake arm (towards the wheel). One of them is short and the other longer. You have the long spacer on the inner side (they usually come like this). It should be the other way around. Switch them and place the long on the outside and the short on the inside. Ensure that all other parts (washers eg) remain in the correct place.
