It’s not about cooking…you can cook any brake if you’re braking incorrectly….

I wouldn’t trade my V2s for anything except V4s, R0’s or maybe Zee’s/Saints (SLX and XT are a step down in power despite what people say, the lever design just means theres less modulation and so they come on quicker) for long descents/days in the alps or scotland….for the sole reason that I want as much power as possible with the least amount of effort when my arms are starting to give in.

The fact that I can just give my V2’s a light dab and come to a screeching violent halt compared to previous trail brakes (oro’s, mini’s and M4’s) that I’ve run, boosts my confidence to hit stuff at speed massively.

Ha ha, that old review. I hated my codes, they were fiddly and needed regular bleeding and then the failed suddenly and without warning. I see loads of brakes and although we don’t do DH we do thousands of meters descending each week. We have lots of Avid issues, hopes have a few issues, usually if they’ve “just been serviced”. With shimanos we don’t see many issues. Formulas have also been good. I personally run XT with 203mm rotors and they’ve been brilliant. Fit and forget. I’ve been using XTR on another bike and have had to bleed a couple of times in 5 months, once because I changed the hoses from euro style to the right way. That’s smaller rotors though!

Most brakes are decent these days but the thing that has the most impact (in my experience) are the pads. Obviously this takes a lot of experimentation. My Formula Megas are ridiculously powerful with Formula pads but the EBC sintered felt rubbish. That said, They felt brilliant in my old Juicys. Hope OE pads were simply awful, but lasted forever and Shimano seemed very sensitive to initial prep’ such as a few really hard pulls to bed them in.

Use the same set up I use on my Trail bike.

Avid Juicy Ultimate levers with Dangerboy levers.
Code calliper up front with 185mm rotor.
Elixir CR calliper out back with 160mm rotor.

40lb bike 200lb rider.

Hope OE pads were simply awful

Funny the Hope sintereds are the best pads I’ve tried for V2s and X2’s. The organics are shite but EBC’s were no better and brake authority aggressive compounds were shit!

Anyway, so far I’ve only had to do one bleed with my V2’s in a year. Going to bleed them with castrol srf next week.

I went from SLX back to Avid elixir 3s and I’m much happier! Just something I really love about the avid lever feel and bite point. Shimano levers feel too skinny and the bite point is miles in. The shimanos felt less wooden though but I’d rather have the comfort of the lever. Power is about the same as well.

mk1fan – Member

Use the same set up I use on my Trail bike.

Avid Juicy Ultimate levers with Dangerboy levers.
Code calliper up front with 185mm rotor.
Elixir CR calliper out back with 160mm rotor.

40lb bike 200lb rider.

Have you had much time on them recently?