still cant make my mind up on brakes..

i used some Formula out in the Alps and they were spot on,but i was told they’re bad on parts etc?

i want some nice brakes for all round use here that are Alpine friendly.

suggestions help welcome 🙂

cheers.

Saints? XT/XTR?

I’m starting to think shimano are the only brakes worth getting. Like my avids, but they’re just not as reliable as I’d like.

xtr no different to the xt new 2012?

bump this for the weekend shift 🙂

I have over the past yr shifted away from Hope and Avid and now running Shimano on all 3 bikes – 2 with 2011 xt, 1 with 2011 slx. I simply cannot fault them. They are faff free, easy mineral oil bleed -just fit and forget.

The 2012 icetech ones have even more power…if you need it, but there are very good deals around on the 2011 stuff

Not avid I reckon. Unless you like fiddling with brakes. I end up fixing a lot of people’s brakes out here… Shimano’s seem best although Hopes don’t cause too much problems either. Avids are the ones that result in a visit to the bike shop to buy new brakes the most often!

I’m going to get a set of SLX’s or Saints next.

fed up of hope and avids too.

i did use formulas out in alps this year they felt ace and worked a treat,but few people have said theyre not good for parts if owt goes wrong with them?

They’ve changed their distributor in the UK, so you can get parts at CRC etc. quite easily.

Running oros on my bike, and can’t complain at all

can’t fault my slx brakes.

I’ve heard good things about the newer Shimano brakes. Depends what kind of bike you are wanting them for. Personally I like Avids – Elixr 5s are reliable. I’m still using Hayes HFX 9s though – so reliable and powerful if a little heavy.

Hope X2s are so easy to get parts for, designed beautifully but at the end of the day just aren’t that powerful.

wharncliffe,peaks lakes,alps. if that helps.

im still thinking the new xt’s are looking the contender at the mo

Running 985 Xtr’s after 10 years of hopes…..simply awesome.If you want ripyerfaceoff power mix xtr levers with saint calipers.If the new xt’s are half as good as my xtr’s they are the ones to go for.You can’t get spares…but they hardly ever need them!
Was sorely tempted by formula but they eat pads and are a bit fragile.
Hope seem to have lost their way a bit of late,over complicated,underpowered and a bit heavy.
Avid,inconsistent and poorly built.And I will never forgive them for the abomination that was Juicys.

Can’t fault the Hope Tech M4’s I’m using and look lovely too. Easy to bleed – not that I’ve had to and pads seem to last way longer than Avids

I was going to ask this question, I like Rorschach (Mr K’s) suggestion, light weight and rip your face off sounds great 😀

If its good enough for Gwynny and Gee its good enough for the likes of us!!And you can buy levers and calipers seperately.

just ordered the new xt’s 😀

just need to sort rotors out now, i have some hope floating but dunno if i should use the shimano rotors?

cheers

has anyone tried the new hayes prime brakes?? i’m looking to upgrade from my old nines, and basically have been dead happy with hayes performance so fancy sticking with them.

The hopes will work fine….although you may have to take a tiny bit off the caliper or the rivets on the disc carrier touch them (well they did on mine)

Another vote for Shimano – I’ve got a pair of Deore (not the best for alpine use but fine for UK) and I love the fact that apart from an occasional top-up, I’ve never had to do anything to them. Like all Shimanos, they’re mineral oil too which is much safer to play around with than Dot fluid.

Shimano. I run Saints and XT without any problems. CRC are doing Saints at less than £100 each end, less if you have any vouchers.