Bit of help with Shimano RS685 install (easy hose joint system content)

Just received my RS685 road hydro doodas from CRC. Ordered them euro style, left=1000mm/right=1700mm, as that’s all they had in stock.

So was fully prepared to swap the hoses round like you do if you get Shimano brakes from our German Cousins. i.e unplug from lever a, and then pop back into lever b with a new olive/insert.

However, CRC have shipped them like this (click to make biggerer):

….which threw me initially, until after a bit of googling, it turns out this is the new ‘easy joint system‘.

Does anyone have any experience of this? Is it really just as easy as removing the yellow bung, pushing the hoses together, and then nipping up the nut? Not sure if the slight ease of fitting is worth having to hide, hopefully it’ll go under the bar wrap, mahoosive interconnects.

No actual real world experience………….but………..should work like a plumbing fitting…..maybe.

An olive is already in the connector, so slack nut off slightly, slide hose in once cut to correct length and tighten nut.

The connector should end up at the stem, not under the bar tape, Shirley?

FFS, not even Di2 ?

Well, yes, it probably will. More wishful thinking on my behalf, as was hoping not to have it flapping about.

In other news, I guess this is the time I regret having internally routed cables 😡

EDIT – Just watched your link, all seems simple enough, no trimming allowed?

Nice they didn’t stick with the prototype version.

I assume the video on Vimeo is exactly the same. Strangely, not much documentation on it.

You shouldn’t be able to go too far wrong if you follow the vimeo vid.

Do you have a glamorous assistant though?

It seems that their instructions are either in 57 languages in tiny print or some the obscure web listing by part number only.

Full dealer manual here:

si.shimano.com/php/download.php?file=pdf/dm/DM-BR0008-00.

Sadly I will have to do it solo as usual.

It was the tech doc where I found the one page referencing it.

Surely this makes internal cable routing a lot easier? I had some Formula brakes which had a similar system, although that was actually quick release. Seemed to work well and meant I didn’t need to bleed the brake after internally routing it.

I was referring more to the act of threading hoses, as my TCX has some funky angles to deal with, rather than the brakes themselves.

I fitted some of these a couple of weeks ago. Mine are R785 from CRC and were supplied in the same style. If you need to shorten the cables then it is a bit pointless really. I had to shorten both of mine so it still involved cutting the cable and then fitting the little insert into the end of the cable, attaching it into the ‘easy-joint’ fitting and then re-bleeding. With a bit of careful cutting you can re-use the insert, although they are probably only a £1 or so.

I also managed to slightly tear the white cover over the end of the cable as I was feeding it through the frame, so even if I hadn’t had to shorten the cable I would still have had to re-bleed.

Also make sure you push the cable fully into the fitting before you tighten. I had to redo one of mine as my assistant didn’t push it in far enough…

Overall I would prefer if they had been supplied with normal cables.

With the right bits the brake where very quick and easy to bleed.

Also don’t forget to put the rubber nut covers over the hose before you connect it up. They should by packed with the levers somewhere.

Overall I would prefer if they had been supplied with normal cables.

If it turns out I will need to shorten my hoses, small frame so it’s a possibility, then I will agree. If not, then I would probably still agree.

Also don’t forget to put the rubber nut covers over the hose before you connect it up. They should by packed with the levers somewhere.

I am fully prepared for the eventuality where I have threaded the hoses through the frame, connected them up, and realise I have forgotten to fit the rubber cover.

I fancied a set of RS685’s to replace the Sram Apex (10 spd), TRP HyRd setup on my Whyte Saxon CX, but talking to my LBS the other day it seemed like it would work out stupidly expensive. I thought I would get away a couple of new (smaller) discs and a new 11 spd cassette, but they said the chainset would have to go as well.

Why, 10spd and 11spd rings are all the same as the internal dimensions of the chains are the same AFAIK

They claim the spacing between the rings was different (Dyna Sys or something).

would get away a couple of new (smaller) discs

Why would you need smaller discs if you’re just swapping the calipers over?

I thought the Shimano used 140mm

Only if you want to

I thought the Shimano used 140mm

Your bike will be set up to use what discs are currently fitted, so just use your existing ones and swap the calipers. Otherwise, you will need to buy some new mounts as well.

My TCX will keep the 160mm rotors that are currently fitted. Although, I will swap the current TRP ones for some 160mm RT-76 rotors, so I can sell my TRP Spyres as a complete set.

This is getting cheaper by the minute 😉

I hadn’t thought about spacing the calipers, the 160’s do tend to turn blue on a regular basis I can’t imagine the 140’s would be any better.
That doesn’t overcome the need for a replacement chainset though.

That doesn’t overcome the need for a replacement chainset though.

True. but it’s essentially £40 off now you’ve saved on the discs.

…even more if you had wanted the ladeedaa SM-RT99-S 140mm rotors. Think they’re about £40 each.

…and centrelock. So new wheels as well 😀

Overall I would prefer if they had been supplied with normal cables.

After thinking about this some more, I am 99% sure I might pull the trigger on a set of regular hoses.

…looks like a bleedin’ bauble hanging off the front of the bike:

Although, I am probably lazy enough to consider it too much faff.

Slight divert but I’m interested in your spyres if you’re selling. Email address is steve _ main@ hotmail dot co dot uk. Ta

Do they supply the immaculately laundered and ironed rag as well?

I’d be well annoyed if my R785s had turned up with those big connector doo daas as I have my hoses routed internally in my bars along with inside the frame.

The caliper size is a bit strange though, I ordered 140mm discs and they were patently too small, even though that’s what the Shimano calipers apparently needed at time of ordering, so I sent them back to swap with 160mm versions. However it’ll be a couple of weeks until I return to the UK and determine whether these are correct either!

Cheers, Rich

A glimpse of a Moots, it’s like a glimpse of flesh in a catalogue.

A glimpse of a Moots, it’s like a glimpse of flesh in a catalogue.

Yup; I was also thinking that I must have missed Jamie’s “I haz Moots- wo0t!” post. Now there’s another bike to consider alongside CFH’s Diverge.

That ain’t my Moot. Purely a pic to illustrate the dangly-ness of the ‘easy-joint’.

Pic came from this website: http://cyclepathnw.com/category/moots/

Oddly, they also have Moots with the same brakes, but no dangler.

Still a bit put out by it, but can only assume it’s now a thing with the RS685s. As all the new Giants seem to have them.

..although the TCX Advanced, only seems to have it on the rear:

If I did want to change the cables, do I assume I would just need 1x 1700mm length of BH59. As I can use the current 1700mm length, after removing from it from the rear caliper, for the front, and then just get 4x Olive+inserts?

My newly installed ones from Germany don’t have it either.

On a similar note has anyone experimented with other calipers with these levers as yet?, Or seen such shinanigans out there on tinterweb?

My newly installed ones from Germany don’t have it either.

Yeah, I had this confirmed by someone else who ordered from The Germans. Retail boxed etc.

Given I will have to trim both hoses, and didn’t really want the J-kit system, I’ve decided I am going to send these back to CRC. Wasn’t in a massive hurry to get them, as was happy to wait till January for UK stock, but saw CRC had them and took the bait.

Will either get some from the Germans, or leave my Evans pre-order, which I was going to cancel, to run and hopefully get some in about 6 weeks. Well, assuming the date doesn’t get pushed back for the 128493859 time.

Looking at pics of the new cdf30 they appear the same, with the connectors…

The connectors make sense for the OEM market. Not as much for joe public, especially if you’re having to trim them. It’s doable, if you can reuse or get hold of the specific insert*. Or fit new hoses…which is an unnecessary expense.

*Apparently it needs an insert with a tapered[/url] hole.

Mine are fairly hidden under the bars:

Internally routed cables in the bars too, so I had to redo the connectors into the levers as well…

I am pretty sure the rear one was almost long enough to fit without using the easy joint bit. I think it was only a few cm too short.

It seems to be an OEM thing, although no idea why?

Might still fancy those vouchers offa ya if ya do Jamie?

Sounds like the quick fit system is a pita then. More for ease of manf than owt else. Came to same conclusion with the reverb version too.

Caliper wise has anyone tried an xt (or slx) which is what the rs785 is reportedly based on. Would an xtr caliper work and is it any lighter than 90g?

It seems to be an OEM thing, although no idea why?

The only thing I can think of, is maybe manufacturers can place orders with Shimano for custom lengths. That way it would be a piece of piss to hook them up on new bikes.

…even that seems a stupid suggestion, tho.

so I had to redo the connectors into the levers as well…

Did you just use standard BH59 Olive/Insert? My levers have a J-Kit sticker on them, so didn’t know if this fitting was standard.

I reused the inserts, and I had some spare olives. The connections at the lever only took one pair of hands so were easier to refit than the ‘easy joint’ connection.

Confusingly there are now two different inserts for the BH59 line. One for the normal connection (at the lever), and one for the ‘easy joint’ connection. I think the easy joint one has a slightly wider opening. You would have thought that after years of making mtb disc brakes Shimano would have this sorted by now.

I gave the brakes their first real use yesterday – 100miles on damp roads, very impressed with them. Very little effort required to brake.

I gave the brakes their first real use yesterday

… so youre not returning them then !!

… so youre not returning them then !!

He’s not, but I am 😉

I gave the brakes their first real use yesterday – 100miles on damp roads, very impressed with them. Very little effort required to brake.

Good to hear. Evans are saying mid-Jan-ish* for the UK stock, so am happy to wait till then, for a proper setup, I reckon.

*Possibly