So I’ve been looking to replace my brakes for a set that can take on the Alps (already managed to make my Deores fade).

I’ve had a quick play on guides and loved the feel but was put off by reports of inconsistency on long runs, Sram is now bringing out a Guide RE which is designed for E-bikes. It uses the code caliper and weighs about the same as a set of Zees! So that looks just the ticket! I’m not sure why Sram are just marketing these at e-bikers as Guide/Code frankenbrakes are being used by quite a few Gravity/Enduro riders.

How have people found the reliability of their Guides, in comparison to Hopes? I’m a little bit nervous about Sram products after maxle and pike nightmares.

No probs at all with mine.

My DB5’s are great, I think SRAM have really turned a corner in terms of brake reliability, my first set of elixirs 5 years ago were awfull, utterly useless. But my last two sets have been great and the latest set has never even been bled. Power on a par with or better than shimano too and the lever can be adjusted closer to the bars (I like to almost touch the grips with the levers).

What would the benefit be of code callipers over the guide ones? I assumed the guides were just the new codes?

The code calipers are gigantic, Sram sponsored riders are tending to opt to use the codes with Guide levers.

The advantages I’m guessing are increased stopping power and better heat management. The enduro mag tests slated the original guides (before the revised S4 caliper) for developing quite bad brake fade in their back to back tests.

To me, the Code/Guide lever looks perfect considering the weight is decent and now that I can buy them off the shelf without having to spend a tonne of money doing it myself – then I am sorely tempted by them.

So I’ve been looking to replace my brakes for a set that can take on the Alps (already managed to make my Deores fade).

New-ish Deores?

Maybe a bleed and upgrade your rotors/pads to Icetech?

I don’t think my Deores (came with a 2015 Reign) can take icetech pads – and I’ve seen too many melted rotors to go down the icetech route. But they are little too on and off for my liking anyway and I don’t like the lever shape.

Why not buy Zee?

If they’re 2015 (BR M615) I believe they can as it’s the same caliper style as SLX and XT.

But they are little too on and off for my liking anyway.

Fair enough. If you fancy selling the Deores, give me a shout!

Because, I hate the feel of Shimanos and can’t bring myself put a set of boat anchor V4s on unless I have to? The fade is just a nice excuse for me to get rid of them.

Pimpmaster, I may do – it will be a while before I get rid of them anyway. I might keep them for a hardtail build.

(Edited and deleted, already been said)

Brake fade is the pads though so new brakes can’t solve it unless they’re designed to dissipate more heat from the pad itself, the only thing the brakes themselves can do wrong is expand too much or boil, I.e it’s catastrophic and you’d have to bleed them or bin them if the seals have gone.

Fade is either reaching the ‘knee point’ on the temp/friction curve at which point friction drops off as temp increases further but should improve as they cool again. Or the pads have been glazed in which case the surface needs abrading off. Or both. Pretty sure that only organic pads do the former and only sintered should do the latter, but a lot of pads are semi-metalic which is a hybrid.

I’d assume that larger calipers allow the pads to dump more head into the caliper. I’m also assuming that a larger pad surface area is less prone fade than a smaller one, but I could be wrong I guess.

http://www.stoptech.com/technical-support/technical-white-papers/brake-system-and-upgrade-selection

Increasing the pad area will decrease pad wear and improve the fade characteristics of the pads but it will not increase the brake torque.

This would seem to support my assumption.

The caliper size would stop the fluid boiling, but I wouldn’t think it does much for cooling the pad itself, no evidence to back that up just that the pads bigger so the middle may well be hotter?

Phenolic and ceramic pistons in most brakes all but eliminate boiling these days anyway, the last brakes I boiled were hope minis with stainless pistons.

(Edit) fair point innthat article, big pads are doing less work per area so dont have to dissipate as much heat per area.

I’ve had a quick play on guides and loved the feel but was put off by reports of inconsistency on long runs

I’m confused by this. Who’s saying it?

I’ve been running guides in the Tweed Valley since September, and never had inconsistent feel. After a long decent, and lots of brake dragging – they will pump up a tiny bit, but way less than any Shimanos I’ve used.

They’re a great set of brakes. Forget all the prior angst over Avids, these are a totally different beast.

Well, you have me convinced. But they’ve also been accused of having high pad wear rates, something that the codes might fix. 😛

I think I’ve found my brake chaps! Now to wait until they are in stock! I’d be interested whether swinglink makes much of a difference? It’s not clear if they are bog standard Guide R levers or not.

Edit: It was the recentish Enduro mag brake grouptest….google my friend!

Edit II: Which Shimanos did you pump up? I’ve managed to do this as well. Had to get them serviced after.

they’ve also been accused of having high pad wear rates

Not seen that on mine. The sintered pads are far, far better than the organics they come with. I’ve tried SRAM and EBC – both equally good, I’m testing out some Uberbike ones very soon.

I’d be interested whether swinglink makes much of a difference? It’s not clear if they are bog standard Guide R levers or not.

The lever feels nicer in the RS over the R for sure. The RSC feels even better with the bearing instead of the bush, and they snap back better than the RS.

You pays your money, you takes your choice. The RS are probably the best value. The pad contact is pointless IMO.

Shimanos…… SLX, XT, XTR of the first short lever generation.

I went from an unreliable set of XTR’s which I never really liked the snappy feel of to a set of Hopes, which were nice, but basically toasted after 3 months of riding and racing in Whistler.

The choice to replace them with more was obvious but I rode a bike with some Guides and was amazed, they were like an even better Hope.

So I bought some, and they are great (RSC’s). Still can’t believe I actually paid money for some Avid/SRAM brakes. How times change.

New bike is arriving any day now with Guide R fitted, against all my better judgement, I’m going to give them a chance…..

RSC on my Fatty Trail seem pretty good to me.

I’m tempted by the Guide RSC’s over the new XT’s but have heard some stories re reliability, however, they are cheaper – are they really any better though or just different. Is their a matchmaker with an XT shifter?

Well, you guys have convinced me. I’d quite like the RSC lever, so now I’m going to have to go mental trying to work out all the part numbers I need for a Frankenbrake.