Just wondering, as despite modern brakes being mostly pretty darn good out of the box, I always think the plastic lines look a bit naff and that braided hoses would surely takes their efficiency to the next level?

Is it worth the investment?

I always do. Just because they look good and only cost about £10 extra per brake when buying new hopes.

They’re heavier than nylon hoses and they look awful imo so no, never

I never bother, in my experience the improvement is incremental rather than ‘next level’. Also depends on the brake surely, if you’re talking Deore @£30 an end it would be hard to stomach almost the same £ again on the cost just on a hose kit, different matter if it’s the other end of the scale brakes at > £100 an end.

If/when I break a hose then I’d consider replacing with braided, but so far that’s been about 3 times since 1998…

No unless you are awesome

I use Hope brakes and always would fit braided – but as it happens I recently needed to replace a cable for a longer one and went back to nylon. Ever tried fitting a braided cable yourself? What a faff. Difference in performance is negligible.

I have them on my bikes but it adds nothing to performance and I am not that sure it looks more bling than coloured hose personally

I would not try to buy braided again but wont be put off.

I used to but mainly because braided lines are a bit more “supple” and so cause less frame rub – and they can look snazzy. I’m not convinced there is any practical performance benefit.

Easy enough job though (at least it was with Goodridge)

I always used to as a matter of of course having always done it on motorbikes where it makes a big difference. Don’t bother these days though

Braided hoses made a difference on some old XTR brakes I had 10 years ago. I think the new shimano hose is much better and suffers less from the stretching problems that braided hose helps to fix. So I don’t bother any more.

Bit noughties aren’t they? Brakes have improved so much now, I don’t really see the point.

Also heavier, so not very Enduro.

I imagine they’re most popular with Orange owners who’ve Hope-ed up their steeds and possibly tricked them out with some sick custom decals.

Most std brake hose IS braided! It’s just nylon braided under an outer overmould rather than steel braided. That makes it plenty strong / stiff enough…..

Braided hoses these days are biggest way to throw money at your bike for absolutely no improvement whatsoever, except for making the inevitably badly tarted up anodized mess of bike they happen to end up on look even worse.

Bit noughties aren’t they? Brakes have improved so much now, I don’t really see the point.

Also heavier, so not very Enduro.

+1, ‘plastic’ hoses are usually braided now anyway with PTFE liner. The main reason to get goodridge or hel etc hoses was to get the better liners and braided outer back when hoses were made form re-enforced rubber (My MG midget for example has goodridge hoses). These days the stock plastic hoses are pretty good.

Braided hoses these days are biggest way to throw money at your bike for absolutely no improvement whatsoever, except for making the inevitably badly tarted up anodized mess of bike they happen to end up on look even worse.

+1, they kinda looked good, then they just looked tacky. I guess because bikes generally got lighter and parts tend to be carbon, or smoother forged shapes rather than square edged blocks of bare/anodised CNC’d metal.