Mono M4s on my HT have been playing up for years… Good brakes, but the amount of tinkering required has become much worse over the last 12 months, to the extent that my "favourite" bike has done no miles in 2010…

Carry on tinkering or replace?

Always fancied some Juicy Ultimates for this bike – but even sale prices are £300 per pair…

Elixir CRs look ok, but the "R"s look like a bargain and are lighter too.

Other options?

I'm considering the same question (except my Hopes are working fine at the moment), so I might add a little value.

Elixir (R or CR) both seem a cracking option, and prices on Merlin make them very attractive.

Shimano SLX are worth checking out as well – same cost as Elixir Rs.

Magura Martas are meant to be top quality, but top price as well.

Obviously each have their pros and cons, so I reckon it basically comes down to preference. Elixirs are prettiest (in my eyes) so I'll probably wind up with them.

Elixir Rs are great got some 5s too and they have been just as good. They can need some tinkering. My Rs needed 3 bleeds and eventually a goodridge hose to get the rear one to be right. The first test with the hose is tomorrow so fingers crossed all will go ok. But they have still required less attention than my Mono M4s did and were much easier to set straight. I would buy another set.

Oh and I found that the Elixirs were more powerful than my Hopes even with 180/160 as opposed to 203 floaters both ends on the Hopes.

Had another play with the front Mono M4 last night.
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It feels like there is too much fluid in the system – the lever is very hard to pull, and also there is no bite to the brakes as the pads contact the rotor.
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Cleaned the rotor with acetone and sanded off the pads – both were dirtier than they should have been – but that doesn't explain the wooden lever action.
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Close inspection of the caliper shows that the pistons are advancing at different rates – and not small pair / big pair. At least one of the smaller pistons is sticking in the bore. Won't pump out, and then when it does, doesn't want to retract.

Brakes were installed in 2004, but the levers and calipers have been rebuilt over the last year. New seals in the caliper bores have made no difference and neither have phenolic pistons.
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Is it possible to polish the inside of the bores?… and would it make any difference?

Suggest servicing the caliper, and re-assembling using silicon lube on the pistons and seals, it should make a big difference.

Can't comment on the Juciy ultimate, but my wife's Juicy 7s have been a right pain compared to my 2004 vintage M4s, forever needing to fiddle with them to stop them dragging.

Elixir CRs are £199 from Merlin. Just had a pair fitted and they are superb. Get some!

If you don't like tinkering or repeatedly sending your brakes back for warranty then don't buy Elixir CRs.

Maguras are stupidly reliable in my experience.

coatesy – Member

Suggest servicing the caliper, and re-assembling using silicon lube on the pistons and seals, it should make a big difference.

Or red rubber grease. Properly set up they should be fine. 5 sets of various hopes here all working perfectly

Or return to hope for a service. They do this a a bargain rate

Shimano SLX are superb brakes