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Afternoon all,
Anyone who saw my recent thread on [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/steel-hardtail-with-v-brake-bosses-help ]steel hardtail frames/v-brake bosses[/url] will have an idea of where I'm coming from with this enquiry but for those who haven't - here's some background:
I recently snapped my On-One Inbred and so have bought a Cotic Soul to replace it.
This means that I can no longer run v-brakes (unless I get some bosses brazed/tig-welded on).
So.....I'm in the market for some disc brakes but know nothing about 'em and am looking for some advice on the millions of options available.
Here's my criteria (in order of importance):
- Minimal faffing/set-up
- Easily serviceable myself
- Not crazy expensive
- High stopping power
So far I've looked at:
- BB7's - which are cheap and apparently work well but require constant (on-trail) dialling-in and the pads don't seem like they last well and aren't so cheap to replace.
- Hope - brilliant but really expensive.
- Shimano XT's - I've been told they're amazing and are reasonably priced for what they are.
- Magura Julies - On the cheaper end of things but I don't know about the quality/longevity.
If you guys could pipe-up with your thoughts and experiences then it'd really help.
Thanks in advance.
Gairy.
Have a look at the new Magura MT6 or MT4.
Alternatively see if you can get a deal on any old stock Marta brakes
For me the choice would be between
BB7s
+ve familiar to you as they are cable operated. reliable.
-ve - can be a faff, clunky and chunky,not too cheap
Shimanos
+ve fantasitc value and work well
-ve spares not abvailable. Pad wear can be high
Hopes
+_ve - great spares back up and service - OE pads last well, rteliable
-ve - cost and can be faffy to set up
Shimanos can have a very hard lever feel, hopes a soft lever feel - the hopes give you more modulation but at a expense of initial bite ( not outright power tho some would disagree)
personbally I would get a second set of older hope minis and service them myself.
I'd get some shimanos as they are cheap, easy to bleed and never need servicing. Although as tandemjeremy points out, theres no spares (so if a seal goes caput in the caliper then you need to buy a whole new caliper, but these are cheap anyway)
thanks for the input so far!
there seems to be quite a few sets of Hope brakes on eBay - I'm just not sure it's a good idea spending the same amount as I would on brand new XT brakes (I can get a full set-up for 170 squids) on 2nd hand Hope ones but I do love Hope kit.
I once had a set of Hope Mono Minis and they never once gave me a second of hassle (they're the only discs I've ever owned/used) and so I am tempted.
hmmm.....
has anyone else had experience of buying used Hope kit???
shimano really are fit and forget.
Ive had a number of sets and never wanted for a spare part so that aspect really isnt an issue compare to the faff factor of Hopes as an alternative.
You'll find XT or even SLX perfectly good units and great VFM from some online suppliers.
Dont forget to check whether the brakes you buy come with rotors, whether those rotors are 6 bolt of centrelock, and then obviously get the right kind of new wheels with the rotor fitting on the hub
Set up can be faffy until you get to understand how it all works - and they are all basically exactly the same concept, it's just things like materials and sizes that are different.
Grimy pads are the biggest cause of loss of power imo. And that affects any brake. I have Hope Mono Minis, Hope V2s and Shimano XTR on different bikes. The power and consistency seems inversely proportional to the amount the bike gets used!
Keep an eye on the classifieds and you should be able to pick up a decent set of Deore / SLX for around £100, or XTs for around £120.
I got my XT's off there when they were less than a year old and been running them for approx 3 years with no issues (apart from bending a lever in an off, but it gently bent back.)
Been thoroughly unimpressed with my SLX brakes. Caliper leaked and you need to get a whole new one to solve the problem. Not an isolated incident either, it seems leaking calipers are a bit of a problem as the seals don't like cold weather.
Before that though they were good. An old set of deores lasted me 5 years with zero maintenance which is why I went back to Shimano. They are cheap though and I've seen front and rear for £120, deores less.
avid elixir 5's from merlin or on one £130 posted a pair and pokey as anything.
BB7 or 5 on trail maintenance? Not needed. Pads same price as other brands.
Hope-plenty of complainers...
Shimano very good
gairym - Memberhas anyone else had experience of buying used Hope kit???
Me - I have 5 sets of hopes all bought secondhand. All fine. I think I have been riding with them for about 5 years ish? I have put a new seals in two callipers and one master cylinder in that time.
You should be able to get minis for around £60 an end. There was a pair of the very old style minis in the classified here a day or two ago.
I prefer them so much that I took the brand new shimano deore brakes off a bike sold them to replace with secondhand hope minis. I faar prefer IS mount to post mount as well.
I find them easy to set up . easy to service and from what I can tell the pads seem to last much longer than other brands. I do a decent amount of miles as well on the bikes
there has been quite a few folk with blown seals on shimanos on here recently