Need a bit of advice if poss.

Got enough parts to do a ht build except brakes. So plan is to buy a decent set of brakes put them on the FS and put the slx brakes on the ht. which ones though, seen a great price for the k18 brakes but not listed as the oro ones, or should I wait till they come back into stock on the flower bike shop?

Oros are very good, but kinda ancient now (though still much better than some brand new, expensive designs!) but the M785 is also very good… Can’t go too wrong really.

Oros can make a great used buy, btw- the silly-cheap new price drove second hand prices way down.

Don’t get the Oro’s! The XT’s are way way more reliable. My Oro’s rotted away.

4 sets of Oros here, the oldest is as old as Oros can be, the newest is at least 3 years old… None of them’s ever given any problems at all. Though the levers on the older sets are pretty wobbly, since they’ve been used so much that the pivot points are worn, but that’s just long use.

Meanwhile my XTs (old M775) went wrong almost immediately. Though were still good brakes I have to say, and the new ones are better still.

Hmm can pick up a set of formula the ones for £170 posted ( though they are the 2010 ones)

What about them

you can get a set of xt 785 for £170 from Merlin

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/mtb-parts/brakes/disc-brakes/shimano-disc-brakes/shimano-xt-m785-disc-brake-set-front-rear-silver.html

I’ve had both, and trust me on this; buy the XTs.

I can’t comment on the XTs, but fwiw I’ve been running K18s since 2008. Bought new, stuck straight on the bike and never fettled since; I’m wondering whether I should bleed them – more because it’s been 4 years than because they feel like they need it. They work well, reliably, and with pretty good modulation and plenty of power.

Have had the Oros since 2009. Great brakes for the most part, however on both levers the aluminium insert in the lever which the rod from the master cylinder threads into oxidised and became soft allowing the thread to strip, with the lever pulling to the bar. I quickly found out that this tiny insert and associated rod cost about £15 each side. Parts aren’t cheap.

I’ve bled them once in three years and they work well. Good feel and power. Not tried XTs for comparison, but have used Hope M4s and prefer the feel of the Formulas.

Oro’s are the only brakes where the seals actually rotted away. They leaked, squealed, rubbed all the sodding time and the bleed process is a bitch.

Hated them. Truly hated them. Get the XT’s.

I have no idea how you can make such hard work of bleeding Oros tbh- it’s very simple (and identical to most Avids incidentally, you can even use the same bleed kit).

ryreed – Member

I quickly found out that this tiny insert and associated rod cost about £15 each side. Parts aren’t cheap.

To be fair, that’s actually a horrible bit of design and Formula know it too- they changed the design towards the end of the run, to use the lever off the old Mega with a different rod.

It was easy enough to actually bleed them, but getting a good bleed was hard. Maybe there was something wrong with them out of the box.

That or user error!

Ah now to be fair I should retract what I said there, because I know exactly how to screw up bleeding Oros, since I did it myself- I kinda ignored the instructions and did it how I thought it should be done. That always works…

ashley: I’ve had both. Both are really really good brakes.

Both had problems within warranty (I seem to be hard on stuff).

If I had a choice – and they were the same price – and if I got on with the feel of both – and you know the shimanos are heavier: then I’d go with – well actually either.

Recently I’ve got more used to the shimanos as faff free. But the initial lever pull doesnt do very much – while the oros are more “little pull-little braking – big pull big braking”. The shimanos are little pull – NO braking. Middle pull – little braking. Middle pull plus a smidge are good braking, plus a tad more are ‘will the tyre grip’, sort of progression. Sort of not linear – but it becomes intuitive inside a day.

My cash – Shimano: 2 year warranty with Madison (that I’ve used and is pretty good!) – no brown pants failures, but there are lots of reasons for Oros too.

Ah now to be fair I should retract what I said there, because I know exactly how to screw up bleeding Oros, since I did it myself- I kinda ignored the instructions and did it how I thought it should be done. That always works…

Got any ninja tips for the old style ’09 The Ones? They are doing my head in as well.

Nah, just follow the instructions tbh! The only thing is, make damn sure you get all the air out of the reservoir- otherwise it’ll go back into the pressurised side at some point.