Looking at upgrading the brakes on my sons bike – Lapierre pro race 20 (this one).
The original “ALHONGA HJ-811AD7” (!) brakes appear to be made of cheese and have not worn well over the winter. Both the levers and vbrakes are in poor shape. Only really need to replace the rear. Pricing up some avid fr5 levers, digit5 brakes and cable set comes to about €40 on CRC.

Shopping around and cant find much choice for rimbrakes. Then I stumbled across this – magura hydraulic rim brakes for €40 (for the rear). Is this a crazy idea? The idea of maintenance free brakes with light(er) action appeals to me. Any reason it wouldnt work?

Braking power is constantly an issue. The odd time we do uplifts he struggles to brake at all by end of the day with fatigue. He really struggles to get enough braking power on steep red runs. This would possibly be sorted with any sort of brake upgrade, but hydraulic sounds better to me.

Any other suggestions? I’ve have had a look around for 2nd hand shimano lx/xt vbrakes and nothing has come up locally.

Deore always got better reviews than XT:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-deore-t610-v-brake/rp-prod107375?gs=1&gclid=CNe-qo34_soCFUieGwodTFABhw&gclsrc=aw.ds

Then gets some junior levers:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tektro-ts325a-junior-mtb-v-brake-levers-pair/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=5360493438&ci_src=18615224&ci_sku=5360493438uk&utm_source=google&utm_term&utm_campaign=UK_PLA_Components&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid%7csHfu7CorG_dc%7cpcrid%7c71714705102%7cpkw%7c%7cpmt%7c%7cprd%7c5360493438uk

I’m going through a similar process at the moment on an Islabike Beinn. Think it’s on its third set of Vs now (some nice old SRAM ones), but it’s the levers that always let it down. I don’t think even the junior levers get the leverage/stroke right for little hands – certainly for sustained braking on anything remotely interesting off-road.

At the moment I’m heading for disks (Deore 2-finger levers are fantastic for little hands), but if that doesn’t work out (and there’s various reasons why it might not!) then he’s getting an old set of Magura HS33s I’ve got on another bike. They’re the older type lever, but I’ve checked and they adjust down plenty small enough. They are great brakes – lots of power and modulation. It’s ages since I’ve done it but shortening hoses and bleeding them was always pretty easy IIRC.

Deore or Avid levers on good Shimano or Avid v-brakes of yesteryear, on really good pads and clean cables.

Wind in the adjustment screw.

Thanks for replies. Definitely considering the deore v’s. Bit frustrated with the prices when decent disc options (e.g. full set for €45) are so cheap and plentiful these days. Deore levers seem particularly pricy.

His next bike will definitely have discs! If only so I don’t have be to be adjusting the damn things every 5mins.