[Closed] Avid Elixir CRs - any good?

I love mine, but only get them if you really want the red and black blingness. Else, get the normal Elixir Rs. They don't have the carbon blade, and they don't have the pad adjustment thing, which is just a stupid feature which doesn't work in the real world and is just another thing to break.

I use them for everything from hard flat training rides to downhilling in Italy. They've never let me down.

Ive got them and really like them, really like the red and black blingness too ;-).

They do squeal when wet though, as I guess most disc brakes do? I do agree about the pad adjustment though, never used it and doesnt seem to do much.

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They do squeal when wet though

Mine don't. Superstar pads, various rotors.

Yep, very good. Had them well over a year now and still working great...never needed to bleed them. Much better than the Juicys I also have and a lot easier to change the pads.

They do squeal when wet though

...neither do mine

Cheers for this. Not bothered about bling colours or pad adjustment - just want them to always work and work well. Sounds like the R might do. Anyone know the real-world difference between the Elixir Rs and Elixir 5s? Ta again.

I have the CRs and love them. 3498534985 times better than the Juicy 5s they replaced.

Rs are actually lighter than CRs but lack pad bite adjustment. I think Rs are a bit lighter than 5s - that's about it.

I've been looking for new brakes (currently on Juicys' and pissed off with the 'no-tool' pad replacement...).

Wanted Formula R1's, but having found I can get a pair of Hope X2's from my LBS for just over £200 (and not much more weight) - next month 😉

Mine don't. Superstar pads, various rotors.

Mine didn't until I used superstar sintered. Howllllll...

Elixirs are good. I wouldn't pay for the CR over the R.

I have them on two bikes and think they are excellent. Crs on one and R on the other, dont notice any difference apart from a bit more bling on the CR.

Had / have both. Bought the CRs as the bite points on the 5s went wacky after a few hundred miles - but then again, so did the CRs

I don't think there is any difference between the R and the 5s - Merlin have the 5's heavily discounted at the moment too.

Anyone know the real-world difference between the Elixir Rs and Elixir 5s?

Elixir 5's don't have tool-free reach adjust that the R does, but you can adjust the reach with a 'key. Seeing as though I tend to set the reach once, 5 looks the way to go for me.

I've got XXs, which are basically just CRs without some of the adjustments, and they've been more trouble than any of the previous sets of Avids I've had.

Power is great, but I can't bleed them perfectly, so the lever comes back to the bar until you pump it a few times, keeps getting a sticky piston too, been rebuilt twice to no effect. The quality on Avids seems to have really slipped this year, we're having loads more problems with them.

the lever comes back to the bar until you pump it a few times, keeps getting a sticky piston too,

Exactly the problems I've had with the 5s and CRs

the lever comes back to the bar until you pump it a few times, keeps getting a sticky piston too,

My hope tech M4s do this! Thinking of getting avids to replace them after being pretty impressed with some bargain avid juicy 3's

I've had several sets of Juicy Carbons, 2 sets of Ultimates and some Ultimate/Elixir hybrids, which have all been fine, but the XXs are rather annoying. Keeps you on your toes though, lay the bike down to go for a piss, ride off, brake for corner, absolutely no lever. Fun fun!

I'm using them, replacing Code's, both with 203 rotors. Very powerful, great feel but the advantage of the elixir's is that it's v. easy to change the pads. The adjustments on the CR's are fiddly and will break, very badly designed IMHO. The factory bleed is also known to be a problem (it was definitely on mine) but after a good bleed they work fantastically.

The pad adjuster winds itself back in on both of mine.

It wasn't such a problem as long as I remembered to turn the red adjusters to wind it out before I started riding. However, its now doing it so quickly that I need to adjust the pads by the time I get to the top of my local trails, 15 minutes ride away. Deeply irritating, and gives me no confidence in where the bite point will be on longer rides.

Am I missing something here? Give me some advice people!

Pad adjuster problems aside, they give plenty of power - more than on any of the Avid Juicys or Shimano 575s I had previously, and I've had no other problems in the last year. If I could sort the pad adjuster, I'd recommend them.

The pad adjuster winds itself back in on both of mine.

It wasn't such a problem as long as I remembered to turn the red adjusters to wind it out before I started riding. However, its now doing it so quickly that I need to adjust the pads by the time I get to the top of my local trails, 15 minutes ride away. Deeply irritating, and gives me no confidence in where the bite point will be on longer rides.

Am I missing something here? Give me some advice people!

Pad adjuster problems aside, they give plenty of power - more than on any of the Avid Juicys or Shimano 575s I had previously, and I've had no other problems in the last year. If I could sort the pad adjuster, I'd recommend them.

I remember reading a review and they said this is due to the fact that when you turn the barrel adjuster, its twists the cable too. This means that the cable slowly untwists itself as you are riding which winds the pad adjusters back out - their advice was to make sure you hold the top of the cable when you make adjustments to prevent this from happening.

I've got the R's and like them a lot, consistent and reliable. Took a while to get them setup without rubbing but that's more due to secondhand slighty wonky rotors.

I have the R's and they've been utterly flawless for over a year with no servicing. I don't understand how I can still be on the original pads though - maybe we have friendly mud round here (South Downs etc)?

Oh and powerwise I run 203/183 and can lock up either wheel if I want to, and modulation is very good.

Yes it must be, these lasted 3 hours of Swinley:

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HoratioHufnagel - If your thinking of getting rid of your Tech m4's let me know

rudedog - Member

The pad adjuster winds itself back in on both of mine.

It wasn't such a problem as long as I remembered to turn the red adjusters to wind it out before I started riding. However, its now doing it so quickly that I need to adjust the pads by the time I get to the top of my local trails, 15 minutes ride away. Deeply irritating, and gives me no confidence in where the bite point will be on longer rides.

Am I missing something here? Give me some advice people!

Pad adjuster problems aside, they give plenty of power - more than on any of the Avid Juicys or Shimano 575s I had previously, and I've had no other problems in the last year. If I could sort the pad adjuster, I'd recommend them.

I remember reading a review and they said this is due to the fact that when you turn the barrel adjuster, its twists the cable too. This means that the cable slowly untwists itself as you are riding which winds the pad adjusters back out - their advice was to make sure you hold the top of the cable when you make adjustments to prevent this from happening.

Thanks, rudedog. I'm already holding the hose as I turn the adjuster but that doesn't stop the 'unwinding' from happening..

here are some comments on the barrel adjuster:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/disc-brake-systems/product/elixir-cr-10-35358