Just been looking at these,
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=67737
for a frame with no disc mounts at the rear. always been a bit curious about them given the bikes got a reasonable disc on the front do people think these are worth the money over a well set up rear v brake (xt v brakes at present). It's just for single track / Surrey hills type stuff nothing radical. (Ever since knackering my back a couple of weeks ago I seem to be tinkering with old frames and buying odd bits and pieces)
Have you been to www.retrobike.co.uk? Tinkering with old frames and buying odd bits and pieces is a part of their mission statement!
As for Magura rim brakes, I've got an old pair of Racelines and they still work fine. Can be a bit on/off, but for sure stop you. And cause your seat stays to bow!
HS33's, awesome bit of kit!
I've got a few sets. TBH I don't think they're actually any stronger than a well set-up V brake. I've got a set on my tandem (HS66) mostly because the stretch in the long rear cable was annoying me - hydraulics feel much more confidence-inspiring. I'm not sure it'll actually stop much quicker than it did with cantis, but it _feels_ much better.
The other two sets are HS33s on unicycles, so not really relevant here.
There are plenty of HS33s around second-hand if you don't want to spend silly money - I paid about £50 on ebay for the set I've split between my two unicycles. The HS66 set I bought new when they still existed (real shame they discontinued those...)
Ooo hs66 if you ever feel the need to sell give me a shout 😉
hs33s = awesome - miles better than Vs.
depending on the frame you could poss get a disc mount added for similar cost
but whether the discs are better than HS33s is another matter.
Mud clearance and rim wear (which is better than with Vs) are the only real issues, otherwise you have effectively a 26 rotor and much more adjustability. Plus no squealing from HS33s, even when wet.
Can I be next in line for the 66s please?
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A set of HS33s are far superior to any cable disc and very reliable. Had a set on my SS for years (and they were old when I bought them, always loads on fleabay) Didn't have disc mounts on that bike but have gone to hydo discs on it's replacement.
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Would love some HS66s for the road hack bike though.
You could buy an A2Z Brake Calliper Bracket for a non-disc frame at approx £22, then fit the other half of your disc brake kit.
If you do not have a disc-hub wheel, then HS33s are the business, with lower maintenance than Vs.
Sold my HS33s when all my frames had disc tabs....wish I hadn't now as I have an old Inbred without them...doh!
They were very powerful, definitely need the boosters even on a Merlin Dual-Slalon frame with seatstays as thick as the chainstays, and very light to operate.
Excellent piece of kit, and +1 for what was said of the HS66s with drop-bar levers....someone get the tooling out and make some more.
PaulD
If I was going to buy a set of HS33's today, would try and get an older set with the TPS dial on the front.
Having used the current, and previous 2 generations, the on-the-fly adjustment of the older verions is better than the current ones.
The best thing with the 2011 models, is the brake booster (evo2) as the rear is now shaped better, and if you are running a frame with a low brake mount, it won't catch your calfs unlike the older / front version.
For performance, once setup, they are better than v's, never used mechanical discs off road, so can't compare, but if you can use discs, would go for them over rim brakes any day. saying that, once you are using them, and know their limits, you adapt your riding to them, so the stopping performance becomes less of an issue.
Wow, so cheap these days! I just buggered an HS33 due to shearing a clamp bolt off in the lever, almost not worth bothering fixing at that rate!
Pair of HS77 on eBay right now.
Magura rim brakes are nice and smooth compared to cable, and have good feel. They stop the bike nicely too. 🙂
A set of HS33s are far superior to any cable disc and very reliable
that's not actually true - I ran HS33s on my bikes from very early on - and since then I have had two pairs of hydro discs and have now settled on avid BB7s/rideon cables/ultimate levers and am as happy as when I had the HS33s, apart from the initial squealing when they get wet which I haven't solved yet.
I never had stopping problems with my HS33s, I just didn't like the rim wear in gritty mud.
I would be as happy with them as with a disk if I didn't spend so much time in gritty mud.
I just didn't like the rim wear in gritty mud.
strange as I rode in the mud lots when I had them - enough that I had one of those crudclaw things on the rear cassette.
Maybe I didn't brake so much then - mostly banging round bridleways to keep fit - nowadays I mince down singletrack as well.
With the right pads and a decent brake booster, they can be awesome. Theres a good reason why trials riders still favour them. They take a bit of fiddling to set up correctly, and they dont need a great deal of maintenance. Bleeding is a doddle. If you can get pre 2005 HS33's the levers are a little longer.
Ha, no chance of the HS66s being sold I'm afraid 🙂
Don't know why they stopped making the drop bar levers (AFAIK that's the only thing that's different from the HS33) - just not enough of a market I suppose. I'm always a bit worried about breaking a lever when we're out touring...
I should have bought more when I had the chance - could have sold them on at quite a profit now I think!