What brakes are people running?

PB Forum :: Downhill
What brakes are people running?
Author Message
flag militantmandy
Posted: Jan 21, 2022 at 0:21 Quote
brentwhipple wrote:
Most powerful brakes for around $150 USD each for 2021? Code R, MT5, Cura 4, Shimano Zee's (Can't find anywhere?)

MT5s are in a different universe to Code R in terms of power. My 2 cents from experience of various:

MT5 - superb power and modulation. Can be (very) tricky to bleed, but seem to last ages when done well. Can also be very fiddly to get lined up well due to very tight pad clearance. Some people complain about the plastic lever body (the blades are NOT plastic) but I've never had any issue. They're also cheap.

Code R - Power ok until it gets really steep. Seem to be a struggle to get good bleed. Do the bleed, they feel great, then do a couple of rides and lever pulls to bar. I got two new bikes recently and they both came with Code R, I will be looking to swap asap.

Hope V4 - Look great, well made. Personally, I have never used a set of Hope brakes that actually felt like they had any power. A mate (a very competent mechanic) lent me his bike to try. Went on and on about how crap my new codes are (they are) and how good the Hopes are. The Hope were useless in comparison. Maybe I've just been unlucky, but had the same issue when my GF had V4s on her bike.

TRP Quadiem Evo - Nice lever feel, very well made and quite easy to bleed. Sharper bite than Magura or Code and power seems good. Also like the fact they use Shimano fluid and pads. So far, very impressed. Quite expensive though.
flag Ploutre
Posted: Jan 21, 2022 at 0:35 Quote
Right now in my opinion, the best bang for the buck is a pair of MT5 with HC lever. Fixes the flexy/soft bite point you can get on standard longer MT5 lever blades, and gives a solid feel.

Power is definitely there, pretty reliable, and at little over 200€ (with HC levers at 20-ish a piece) it's just hard to beat.

Bleeding as militantmandy mentionned can be tricky as they have a very fragile membrane, and I would even recommend putting a syringe in the master cylinder port when you push the pads out to swap them to avoid any overpressure on the membrane. Alignment of the caliper over the rotor is key to a good lever feel and power, as the caliper is pretty long
flag DC1988
Posted: Jan 21, 2022 at 1:58 Quote
noideamtber wrote:
Sram code RSC, Once you learn to bleed them they are excellent, bled once a year or if pads wear out will replace and rebleed.
most people cant bleed sram including many shops and it puts alot of people off.

So what is the way to bleed SRAM brakes, I follow the standard procedure and it seems ok but I'd like less free stroke so perhaps need to overfill them a bit
flag jeremy3220
O+
Posted: Jan 21, 2022 at 4:39 Quote
DC1988 wrote:
noideamtber wrote:
Sram code RSC, Once you learn to bleed them they are excellent, bled once a year or if pads wear out will replace and rebleed.
most people cant bleed sram including many shops and it puts alot of people off.

So what is the way to bleed SRAM brakes, I follow the standard procedure and it seems ok but I'd like less free stroke so perhaps need to overfill them a bit

Follow standard procedure but then at the end open up the port on the caliper and squeeze just a bit more fluid in.
flag jpat22
O+
Posted: Jan 21, 2022 at 6:35 Quote
Ploutre wrote:
Bleeding [Magura MT5s] as militantmandy mentionned can be tricky as they have a very fragile membrane, and I would even recommend putting a syringe in the master cylinder port when you push the pads out to swap them to avoid any overpressure on the membrane.

Absolutely agree on the advice to open the master port when pushing pads back into the caliper body. I've blown a seal in the master when pushing the pads in without opening the port.
flag noideamtber
Posted: Jan 21, 2022 at 9:13 Quote
DC1988 wrote:
noideamtber wrote:
Sram code RSC, Once you learn to bleed them they are excellent, bled once a year or if pads wear out will replace and rebleed.
most people cant bleed sram including many shops and it puts alot of people off.

So what is the way to bleed SRAM brakes, I follow the standard procedure and it seems ok but I'd like less free stroke so perhaps need to overfill them a bit

I bleed them exactly how the canyon guide does.(their race team) and never had issues
flag BenLow2019
Posted: Jan 21, 2022 at 9:47 Quote
noideamtber wrote:
DC1988 wrote:
noideamtber wrote:
Sram code RSC, Once you learn to bleed them they are excellent, bled once a year or if pads wear out will replace and rebleed.
most people cant bleed sram including many shops and it puts alot of people off.

So what is the way to bleed SRAM brakes, I follow the standard procedure and it seems ok but I'd like less free stroke so perhaps need to overfill them a bit

I bleed them exactly how the canyon guide does.(their race team) and never had issues

Watch all the videos and follow all the steps, but remove the bleeding edge tool last so no fluid is lost. Seems like a no-brainer and I can't figure out why SRAM shows otherwise.
flag Kidklayko
O+
Posted: Jan 21, 2022 at 11:44 Quote
ScaryGuiTarS wrote:
Kidklayko wrote:
noideamtber wrote:
Sram code RSC, Once you learn to bleed them they are excellent, bled once a year or if pads wear out will replace and rebleed.
most people cant bleed sram including many shops and it puts alot of people off.

This is true, Some Sram brakes like these feel descent, and some like the G2s and Levels feel like dogshit. I'm currently on the DHR- Evos from TRP, Although I had run XTR 4 pots on my previous bike.

Yes, absolutely love my CODER RSC's. Super tight and responsive still to lever/grip pressure AND the adjustment wheels actually work! Went with 200mm front and rear and these have been perfect.

~JSV

I sometimes wonder if the shimano bit point adjuster is even connected to anything.
flag noideamtber
Posted: Jan 21, 2022 at 14:58 Quote
The adjuster is not mechanical like sram, but shimanos also bleed better with that adjust wound out a good bit.
flag vividdreams
Posted: Jun 11, 2022 at 16:56 Quote
I Recently bought a set of Zee brake's with a 180 mm upfront (4 Piston)
Plus I got a Deal on the SLX brakes 180 mm (2 Piston) in the Rear No Problems Yet
flag Gravelben
O+
Posted: Jun 11, 2022 at 17:43 Quote
Love my Code RSC's, best brakes I've used by a long shot.

Basic Shimano 2-pots on my hardtail are pretty wooden and don't really do much stopping, they are on my 'to be upgraded' list.

Guide R's I found pretty good once I switched to metallic sintered pads, the oem organic pads faded a bit on longer descents.

Level TL were horrific, frequent stops mid descent to let the brakes cool down enough to start working again.. does not inspire confidence Eek
flag Abacall
O+
Posted: Jun 12, 2022 at 6:00 Quote
Just swapped over to Magura MT7s. Great brake.
Slightly more power than Code RSC with Trickstuff pads. About the same as Dominions.
Running all three right now on different bikes.
Dominions remain the all time favorite though.
flag riggadon
Posted: Jun 13, 2022 at 16:35 Quote
Running Shimano MT420's. 2 piston brakes, 8" front/7" rear rotors. They're adequate for trails, but I found them a bit lacking at Northstar bike park this last weekend. My hands were cramping up on the steep sections.

Might consider better pads as a cheap way to get more power. Any recommendations for Shimano pads?
flag ajax-ripper
Posted: Jun 13, 2022 at 17:56 Quote
riggadon wrote:
Running Shimano MT420's. 2 piston brakes, 8" front/7" rear rotors. They're adequate for trails, but I found them a bit lacking at Northstar bike park this last weekend. My hands were cramping up on the steep sections.

Might consider better pads as a cheap way to get more power. Any recommendations for Shimano pads?
Metallic pads with fins.
flag riggadon
Posted: Jun 13, 2022 at 20:45 Quote
ajax-ripper wrote:
riggadon wrote:
Running Shimano MT420's. 2 piston brakes, 8" front/7" rear rotors. They're adequate for trails, but I found them a bit lacking at Northstar bike park this last weekend. My hands were cramping up on the steep sections.

Might consider better pads as a cheap way to get more power. Any recommendations for Shimano pads?
Metallic pads with fins.

Gotcha. Not sure what the stock pads are, but they don't do well when things get hot.

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 0.016794
Mobile Version of Website