A bugbear of mine with disc on road/gravel stuff is when pads start rubbing, either due to grit/muck getting in there, or due to heat build up and sticky pistons.
Trying to remember how Spyres work, could you set them up with pads further from disc, to benefit from more clearance? I don't mind extra lever throw, but would this result in the brake arm going past 90 degrees and losing power?
Just curious as considering a new bike with flatmount Spyres instead of hydros. I don't even mind a little loss of power, so long as they are comparable to decent rim brakes really.
ould you set them up with pads further from disc, to benefit from more clearance?
Yes. Brake power is reduced a bit, but you can tune to your preference.
In my experience, no - if the pads are outside of the sweet spot, there's a drastic drop off in power.
they are better than most rim brakes IME but I don't think you can retract the pads any further back. I didn't notice a big difference in power when they were worn and I'd wound the cable adjuster in though.
In my experience, no – if the pads are outside of the sweet spot, there’s a drastic drop off in power.
+1 for this, but you can always try and see how it goes for you. I went to a 180mm rotor up front and carry an allen key in my seatpack so I can adjust clearances - ie tighten them up - while out. My general experience is that the closer to the rotor the pads sit and the less free play at the lever, the better they work.
I used to use avid ultimate flat-bar levers with BB7s which was sweet as the ultimate levers were very adjustable and you could run a big gap and also brake well.
After some recent heavy pad wear, mine currently have the barrel adjusters wound well out and also have a stack of lever travel, so they're probably about as bad as you can get.
Personally I find the power is still fine. I seem to be a lot less sensitive to any supposed loss of power than to lever travel, which I am fussy about. I mean, the universal truth about brakes is that no matter (within reason) how well or badly they work, if you want to brake harder you just squeeze the lever a bit more, right?
YMMV though, and clearly many people's does.
To be honest I think I prefer BB7s anyway.
Bez - that's what I was hoping, have never wanted for power with rim brakes on the road bike, so hoping I could live with imperfectly set up Spyres if it meant more clearance and less gritty scraping in the wet...
My spyres rarely get any attention, I probably nip them up every couple of months to adjust for pad wear, the bike is a commuter so in regular use. There probably is a drop in power over that time, and I have probably nipped this up with the cable adjusters, but this is more mid ride and mainly as I don't like too much lever throw. They stop me fine.
My spyres rarely get any attention, I probably nip them up every couple of months to adjust for pad wear, the bike is a commuter so in regular use.
Mine need adjusting every three to four rides, having worn so much that the levers are too close to the bar. But it does get a significant amount of use off-road in all weathers.
I'm going to be the annoying person who says that while spyres are great - and they are genuinely good - if you're buying new then I'd try and stump up the extra for hydraulic brakes.
I agree with Joe.
Hybrid cable/hydraulic systems are the worst of both worlds.
I don't even know why they exist.
Yeah, but hydros cost more and weigh more for a benefit that I just don't need, I'd be buying a bike with rim brakes if there was any frame choice left on the market!
I liked Spyres last time I had them, just didn't spend any time fiddling or trying to get the best out of them.
Hybrid cable/hydraulic systems are the worst of both worlds. I don’t even know why they exist.
But… Spyres aren’t hybrids.
I wondered if there was a misunderstanding there also!
My bad, I was under the impression it was a hybrid system!
So they are just cable disk brakes then..
Yep, and for the record I would never have a hybrid system either.
Best thing you can do to Spyre's to boost performance is ditch the stock pads (junk) and fit them with compression-less cable outer. Improves them no end.
Best thing you can do to Spyre’s to boost performance is ditch the stock pads (junk) and fit them with compression-less cable outer. Improves them no end.
Yep, planned to use some Shimano Resin pads or Swisstop organics.
Had heard you could modify 785 pads to fit the calliper better than the 505 pads, and the 785s apparently match the brake track if the rotors better, something to explore..
I've had Spyres on my Giant Defy for a few years and I still think that they are absolutely fine. Keep the rotors clean and the pads free from contamination and they're more than powerful enough to stop a road bike. I tweak the pads with the 3mm allen key about as regularly as I maintain the drivetrain (which probably isn't regularly enough) but I always run them as close as I can as I prefer the feel of the lever.
I use these pads: Uberbike Race Matrix - TRP SPYRE
They quite often run discount codes to get 25-30% off which makes them very affordable. I run this compound on all my bikes and they provide excellent stopping power and long life.
STD Deore resin pads work best I've found. Need a proper bed in run down a hill and after that they're sorted. Run smoother with less vibration, good braking performance.
Setting them up properly flat helps with clearances, so many bikes have mounts that aren't fully flat and square. They do seem more effective the further back the lever arm sits and the least clearance you can get away with.
Got ripcord outer on mine, Deore resins and they're great. 2 weeks of loaded riding in big mountains recently and didn't get through a full set of pads.
I improved mine a lot with compressionless cables, and some kevlar pads from PlanetX. The pads are amazing for two quid!