For the last year or so I’ve been using Juan Tech R1 Hyd/Mech calipers connected to my SRAM Force 22 shifters. They’ve been OK, not brilliant, but OK.

Midway through this morning’s ride one of the seals blew and they spilt their oil load all over the disc. While I’ll look at repairing and bleeding them I’m tempted to just to bite the bullet and go for a full hydraulic system.

Setting aside the cost and the bulbous hood shape that only the Mekon’s mother would love, what is the Rival or Force hydraulic disc system like to live with?

My only experience of SRAM disc brakes were two sets of Avid Juicys about ten years ago. While they worked initially the reservoir seal was always leaking and they were a massive pain to bleed. When I ditched them for Shimano it was like seeing the light!

So have Avid/SRAM disc brakes got better over the years or would I be doomed to a eternal purgatory of tapping air bubbles out of a syringe full of DOT 5.1?

SRAM brakes are way better than the Avid of old. Full stop.

The road disc brakes are awesome, better than Shimano IMO. Lots of power and modulation, and despite the looks only a mother could love, the bulbous hood shape is a revelation once riding, it genuinely gives you another usable hand position (that being the Cancellara TT on the tops style position) and the control they afford is brilliant.

Pads were a PITA to get hold of as it was a new shape, but the aftermarket boys have cottoned on and the new Level brakes use the same pads in the higher end calipers too.

In short, I can’t recommend them enough. Initial bleed is the fiddliest part of course, but even that’s way less fiddly than Avid brakes of old.

I have the sram and they’ve been great, much much better than the juin tech which are on my old spare cx bike. Not had any issues with them whatsoever. As Mboy states pads were a bit of a pita to get a while ago but all good and the hand position from the odd shaped hoods is quite good.. Not bled them as yet.
Mrs kilo has the shimano they’ve also been good but suffer from really loose lever hoods

Love my SRAM Force that came on my Sonder. Haven’t had to touch them since early autumn. Not a squeal out of them, and easy to pull rolling stoppies, which is enough for me!

Had rival hrd on my london road for a year, pretty good. On a par with the alfine I had my pompino which was a re-badged xt brake.

My SRAM Rival hydros are excellent and been maintenance free thru 18 months of CX racing.

Only negative is they have a SRAM shifter built into them, which are IMHO complete pants.

Cheers guys.

They’re be going on a frame with internal hose routing. Does the Avid Connectanmajig make it easy to disconnect the hose without loosing a load of fluid, or will I still need to do a full bleed anyway?

I’ve had the 10spd HydroR brakes/ levers on my Fargo for 18 months now. They’ve been fine, they did need bleeding after a year, but since then all good. Modulation is good and the hoods are actually nice to hold and give some extra positions.

I have SRAM Road hydros (my first road discs). I’ve been riding on them since August and they’re great, no issues.

I also quite like the hoods. Nice and chunky to hold onto.

I gather that after the Juicy/Elixir debacle SRAM had a major redesign and things are much better now?

Only negative is they have a SRAM shifter built into them, which are IMHO complete pants.

This. Brakes are just fine, shifter is just like a rubbish version of a Shimano shifter.

Compared to Shimano road hydros, they’ve got less free travel, but the flip side of that is that they’re harder to keep from rubbing.

Used to really dislike the looks, but now it doesn’t bother me and they’re actually pretty comfortable.

I have the rival HRD on my cross bike and i have to say they work brilliantly. Certainly a different (spongy) feel to the level compared to shimano but all good really.

Mine are fine although pad choice is still not the best. Thankfully they don’t have that shite Shimano shift mechanism whereby the brake lever moves!

Have the rival version on the cx bike for about 10 months so far theyve been excelent couple of pad changes is all ive needed. Got some aztec pads in them now that work just as well as the originals. Havent tried the shimano equivilent as i preffer the sram double tap shifting.

I’ve got the Force 22 hydros and they’re better than I’d thought they’d be, the hood shape is better to use than I initially gave them credit for, however, I’d much rather have the Shimano R785 di2 shifters that my wife has on her bike, light years ahead and braking quality is a lot better IMO.

Ive got sram red 22 on my new cx bike (bike was in a sale). I cant seem to get the brakes balanced, the rear brake pulls closer to the bars than the front. I’ve had them bled twice too and i havent even ridden it yet. The other thing thats going to take a bit of getting used to is making sure I know when I’m in the largest sprocket (28t) on the cassette. If i think I’ve got another sprocket to go and push the shifter the double tap system will drop to the 25t!

Sorry to go against the trend , but I am not a fan of my Rivals. After six months of very light use one pad is worn out the other untouched because the Pistons move so unequally. Neither is stuck but in typical Avid/SRAM fashion they just can’t even approach an equal response. My mates have Ultegra on a couple of bikes and they are far superior in feel and reliability. I’m sure in usual Shimano fashion the lower grade group sets brakes will be just as good but a nads heavier.

I gather that after the Juicy/Elixir debacle SRAM had a major redesign and things are much better now?

Not judging by the Guide brakes on the Stumpjumper I built up a couple of weeks ago. Complete shit!

If i think I’ve got another sprocket to go and push the shifter the double tap system will drop to the 25t!

Strange. Mine (Force 22) doesn’t do this. If you’re in bottom gear you can do a sort of half shift and end up back in bottom gear.

pdw, thanks for that. I’ve just checked the rear mech limit screw and loosen it a bit and now mine works like yours!!! I do love stw.

…and STW loves you too plop pants