Powered by Outside

SRAM Guide RE calipers matched with Code RSC lever assemblies

PB Forum :: All Mountain, Enduro & Cross-Country
SRAM Guide RE calipers matched with Code RSC lever assemblies
  • Next Page
Author Message
flag Red-October
O+
Posted: Dec 5, 2021 at 17:39 Quote
I have some Sram Guide T on a bike and I want to upgrade the levers to Code RSC as I found a good deal. Any experience with this combination? Thanks
flag rete
O+
Posted: Dec 5, 2021 at 19:16 Quote
Red-October wrote:
I have some Sram Guide T on a bike and I want to upgrade the levers to Code RSC as I found a good deal. Any experience with this combination? Thanks

You will effectively have Guide RSC brakes.
flag HaggeredShins
Posted: Dec 6, 2021 at 9:18 Quote
rete wrote:
But SRAM's Swinglink doesn't function in the same way; with Swinglink (compared to Directlink in the R lever) each mm of lever pull produces more pressure early in the lever stroke but produces less pressure later in the lever stroke.

Its actually the opposite: Swing Link is a rising rate, not a falling rate. SRAM brakes get more power later in their stroke (rising rate of piston movement = "modulation") as opposed to Servo Wave, which is a falling rate and gets more power very early (faster initial piston movement = "initial bite").

A pretty important point too, the lever rate does not on its own dictate pressure. The pressure applied is a function of the piston ratio (slave piston π r² / mc π r²).

Relevant to the thread and SRAM brake mix/match, something worth noting is that the master cylinder piston is identical (same part number, seals) between all Guides and Codes of the current gen. The differences are most importantly in lever link design, reservoir size (important for large surface area calipers due to fluid displacement, although we already know Guide/G2 levers 'work' with Code calipers) and caliper piston size.
flag rete
O+
Posted: Dec 6, 2021 at 11:33 Quote
HaggeredShins wrote:
Relevant to the thread and SRAM brake mix/match, something worth noting is that the master cylinder piston is identical (same part number, seals) between all Guides and Codes of the current gen. The differences are most importantly in lever link design, reservoir size (important for large surface area calipers due to fluid displacement, although we already know Guide/G2 levers 'work' with Code calipers) and caliper piston size.

Lever link design and linkage parts is the same between Guide and Code levers. The "swinglink" cam in kit 11.5018.005.010 is both the Guide's and Code's.

The lever blade itself is the same between Guide and Code levers - part 11.5018.003.014 is both the Guide's and Code's.

HaggeredShins wrote:
reservoir size (important for large surface area calipers due to fluid displacement)

Second gen codes, with taper bore levers and the same caliper slave piston area, had significantly small total fluid volume compared to even Guide and Level brakes - and they produced the same or more ultimate power without heat fatigue. The Guide RE is still SRAM's most powerful brake, even with smaller fluid volume but at the same time more caliper metal.
flag HaggeredShins
Posted: Dec 6, 2021 at 13:44 Quote
rete wrote:
Lever link design and linkage parts is the same between Guide and Code levers. The "swinglink" cam in kit 11.5018.005.010 is both the Guide's and Code's.

The lever blade itself is the same between Guide and Code levers - part 11.5018.003.014 is both the Guide's and Code's.

You're correct, SRAM's parts catalogue indicate the only difference is in lever body and res cap. I'd be interested to put them side by side to see if the linkage points vary (probably don't)

rete wrote:
Second gen codes, with taper bore levers and the same caliper slave piston area, had significantly small total fluid volume compared to even Guide and Level brakes - and they produced the same or more ultimate power without heat fatigue. The Guide RE is still SRAM's most powerful brake, even with smaller fluid volume but at the same time more caliper metal.

Heat management isn't exactly the point (and res volume doesn't otherwise have anything to do with brake power). Reservoir capacity is important for someone who, say, might try to plug a Northfork caliper into a Guide lever. We don't know if that's going to work safely because no one to our knowledge has tested it yet with worn pads (although if someone would like to pitch me half a grand or a couple stoppers I'd be happy to test it out).

On paper the RE and gen 3 brakes are pretty much identical (15/16 pistons, same mc), so your observation probably comes down to the linkage (is it an R or RE?) or pads, unless the gen 2 caliper is truly stiffer. I'm not a brake dyno and can't tell the difference between the two calipers with the same lever.
flag rete
O+
Posted: Dec 6, 2021 at 16:09 Quote
HaggeredShins wrote:
You're correct, SRAM's parts catalogue indicate the only difference is in lever body and res cap. I'd be interested to put them side by side to see if the linkage points vary (probably don't)

They are visually identical - I own Code RSC, Guide RSC , Guide R/RE and G2 R - and have addressed "sticky lever" in the first 3 by disassembling and sanding the master piston.

HaggeredShins wrote:
Its actually the opposite: Swing Link is a rising rate, not a falling rate. SRAM brakes get more power later in their stroke (rising rate of piston movement = "modulation") as opposed to Servo Wave, which is a falling rate and gets more power very early (faster initial piston movement = "initial bite").

Yeah, I had this graph in mind but forgot the details of who's who on it - comparative graph of essentially Guide R vs Guide RSC/Code RSC vs Shimano Servo-Wave.

photo
flag HaggeredShins
Posted: Dec 6, 2021 at 16:50 Quote
Interesting, I don't think I've seen that graphic before--still a falling rate even if a lot more progressive than Shimano. I remember having a SRAM tech explain that SwingLink was doing the same thing as whatever the old tech was called (deep stroke something), which was marketed as a rising rate for modulation, although this looks like power will taper off with the current design.
flag ShredG
Posted: Nov 20, 2023 at 15:53 Quote
I just upgraded the Guide RE brakes that came stock on a 2020 Heckler Ebike the same way pretty much.


After runnin nothing but HOPE brakes the last 25y... the heckler came with the guide RE;'s that worked pretty damn good but,............ the play in the levers was just too much for me after all that time w/ the precision of Hope levers..

Then i figured out that Guide or Code ULTIMATE levers with all the 'swinglink" tech AND carbon fiber lever blades AND ball bearings at the lever pivot, could work on the RE calipers.

I'm a big boy any more riding a 46# ebike....Need GOOD brakes.

I found each lever separately on ebay N.O.S. parts for less than $80 each.

With the Galfer wave rotors and Kool Stop AeroKool pads, these brakes are stoppin my 320lb all up total weight with NO Problems.
flag Echaniz
Posted: Nov 20, 2023 at 23:55 Quote
I am currently running the G2 RSC brakes (which I feel they lack power) and a friend gave me recently a pair of Code R out of his ebike.

I was wondering if someone has paired either the Guide RSC or G2 RSC levers with code calipers with the stock g2 hose, banjo fitting and about how they perform compared to the Code RSC. Initially I thought of installing the codes directly but I would like to keep the contact adjustment and the swing link of the rsc levers.
flag HaggeredShins
Posted: Nov 22, 2023 at 9:25 Quote
Echaniz wrote:
I am currently running the G2 RSC brakes (which I feel they lack power) and a friend gave me recently a pair of Code R out of his ebike.

I was wondering if someone has paired either the Guide RSC or G2 RSC levers with code calipers with the stock g2 hose, banjo fitting and about how they perform compared to the Code RSC. Initially I thought of installing the codes directly but I would like to keep the contact adjustment and the swing link of the rsc levers.

This will work fine -- the levers are functionally identical in terms of master cylinder displacement. Code has a larger reservoir presumably to offset pad wear fluid needs with the larger caliper pistons, but I've never had trouble on my setups with Code/Cascade calipers to Guide/G2 levers.

Keep in mind while Sram brakes are probably the most interchangeable out there in terms of levers and calipers the lines and fittings especially at the caliper have changed a lot over the years and differ between the Code/Guide/G2/other product lines. This can get expensive because Sram seems to hate tinkerers and you usually have to buy the small parts as a kit.
  • Next Page

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.016815
Mobile Version of Website