Hi,

How would you compare few sets of disc brakes.

Avid Juicy 5
Avid Elixir 5
Shimano SLX

or maybe something else…?
I'm tight with a budget at the moment – £150-160 tops (for a set)

I have just bought cannondale prophet 1 2009 and it has set of Juicy 5.
And I don't really like them…
I used to have old Hope Mini and that was a kind of brakes I liked.

Please advise.
many thanks

I guess you don't still have the Mini's? My friend bought a new bike with Juicy 3's and after a couple of rides stuck the Mini's straight on.

SLX for mineral oil and reliable cheepness, but see trying to get spare parts for them….. Hayes stroker trail for awesome power and feel – be prepared to maintain them a bit. No to avid for bleed and maintenance faff but they are good when they work. Hope for mechanical nakedness and simple maintenance – haven't experienced the recent offerings but IMHO old minis were below par on power.

Woody

IMO the most underestimated brake on the market at the moment is the Magura Marta (2009 version) I have a set which are light enough to race or stick some 203 Galfa rotas on and use it as a DH brake, I did this earlier this year in Les 2 Alps and had no problems at all. RRP is £169 but you'll get a deal on the net.

So you like under powered, squeely, wooden feeling brakes?
Not sure any of those listed fit your requirements 😛

SLX brakes are better than Juicy 7s, IME.

Very powerful, have decent modulation, reliable so far. And don;t make a horrible, horrible sqawking noise.

glenh: my Minis were just enough powerful with really good modulation and reliability
I don't know how about reliability and maintenance of Juicy 5 but power and modulation is really crap…

Are you sure the jucies are working properly? They are normally considered to have plenty of power and great modulation (but be made like shite).

sell the juicy's and buy SLX. they work a treat. shimano simplicity.

I'm pretty sure they were working properly
I don't like that long travel of lever – u need to really hard squeeze and even that blocking the front wheel is still almost impossible…

how about elixir 5?

Doesn't sound like they are working properly to me. My old jucies had plenty of power for locking the front/endos.

Still, it's not unusual for jucies to not work properly, which is a good reason to get rid of them.

My kid brother just bought some SLX and is amazed at the power over the hopes and hayes he tried before. If they're anything like other Shimanos they go on forever. I've got XT's, but if i was to buy again… i'd go for those SLX, great brakes!

I swapped my Juicy 7s for SLX and been very impressed. The Juicys needed bleeding a lot, pad change was often difficult. They were good when new but after two years felt sloppy and worn.

The servo wave on the SLX is very good, seems you get more power (non-linear) as the lever comes towards the bar. Superb so far but don't know about durability. Bleeding only needs a bit of tube and a polythene bag and is dead easy, plus mineral oil isn't so nasty to work with.

OK then
so at the moment I have Juicy 5
if I'll buy this:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?PartnerID=79&ModelID=28021

can I keep Avid rotors? do I need to buy anything else? would it work better than original set of brakes?

I went from Juicy Five to Elixir CR…much better brake: loads of power and good modulation plus easier to change pads than Juicy brakes. I'd suggest these….

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/mountain-bike-disc-brakes/avid-disc-brakes/avid-elixir-r-disc-brake-set.html

My SLX brakes have been flawless for almost a year now. i would deffo buy them again

I think SLX are something for me then
Could you pleas just tell me what else do I need to that set:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?PartnerID=79&ModelID=28021

will it work with rotors from juicy? or should I buy something dedicated to SLX (I wouldn't like to obviously)

Get the SLX. I did and have not regretted it. I also bought the Prophet and sold the Juicy 5's as they were powerfull but felt a bit wooden and lacked modulation compared to the SLX ones.

GEDA: how about rotors? did u changed them as well?

They will work fine with the juicy rotors (or any other rotors).

Not sure how elixir 5's compare to the elixir r's i'm currently using, but they're the best brake i've used yet. Haven't tried the new servo wave shimanos tho so can't compare, but they're certainly more powerful than the older type, and are a class above the juicy 5's.

I have just bought that:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/A-PAIR-Avid-Elixer-5-MTB-Disc-Brakes-in-White-RRP-240_W0QQitemZ290354635360QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR?hash=item439a7c2260

I hope I won't have any problems with them
Thanks a lot for ur help!

Elixir's are a big step forward in power over the Juicy's.

The awkward pad changing of the Juicy's is ressolved with the Elixir's. Still faffy to bleed though. But, as with the Juicy's, you just need to be methodical.

Juicy 5's should have an almost instant bite. If they haven't then they've been badly bled – although I prefer a bit of throw in the lever.

will it work with rotors from juicy? or should I buy something dedicated to SLX (I wouldn't like to obviously)

A rotor is a rotor is a rotor, BUT…

You need the correct diameter!

Avids run 203, 185 or 160. Shimano run 203, 180 or 160. You WILL NOT be able to run a Shimano brake designed for use with a 180mm rotor on a 185mm Avid rotor. And iirc the Prophet comes with a 185mm front rotor…

What I would do would be to buy 2 new rotors with the SLX brakes (hardly brake the bank anyway), and sell the Juicy 5's complete with rotors, which you'll get more money for anyway cos you're including the rotors! So you won't be out of pocket.

You WILL NOT be able to run a Shimano brake designed for use with a 180mm rotor on a 185mm Avid rotor.

Of course you can. You just need to add a couple of washers between the caliper and mount to space it out a couple of mm.