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Formula TheOneMy10s here, ridden for two years (3-4000 miles per annum) and all I've done is changed the pads and they are still as good as the day they were fitted. One finger braking, any more and you're over the bars 🙂
I've just recently bought some 2012 Avid Elixr 9 Carbons cheap from Merlin to replace my ageing Mono Minis, apart form the slightly ill conceived Tri- Align system they have been great in fact I have discovered what modulation really is.
BB7s not up to the riding you can do on a Soda? Genius.
Seriously, they address all your complaints. They're totally reliable and the lever bite point and modulation are both tunable. The only box they probably don't tick is "light".
Northwind - Memberjools182 - Member
Changed for formula the ones, felt ok at start of ride, by the end of the ride levers touching the bars
That just sounds like a bad bleed tbh- air left at the top of the system where it can get back into the pumped fluid. Did they recover between rides?
Nope, they didn't 🙁
Ok cheers again guy's.
I wont mock the BB7's until I have tried some off road. Having tried some on a commuter (admittedly with small discs) I just didnt feel that they would scale up well to some hard off road riding on challenging terrain with the kind of modulation and feel that I expect from a decent hydraulic. But hey I havent found a decent hydaulic at the moment so what do I know LOL. And Im not saying Im some crazed demon downhiller but the terrain and conditions vary so much in the Peak that you need a decent reliable all rounder wih plenty of power. In some ways even more so the fact that I ride a long travel hardtail.
Anyway pretty sure I have decided on the Hopes or then again the Magura MT6 if feeling brave. Will happily resurect this thread with my verdict as and when I get sorted.
Ta all really appreciated
And as for 'feel', I actually think it's better with the BB7s than my previous Hopes (mono minis). You can literally feel the pads on the disc through the cable, which cannot be said for hydraulic brakes where you just get vague 'squish'.
I know what you mean, they definitely have that sort of feel to them. I only have Juicy 5s to compare them to though.
Just to beat the BB7 drum a little further, I have two sets and am speccing another for a new build. I spent a lot of time reading this link:-
http://www.twowheelblogs.com/avid-bb7-disc-brake-set-and-tuning
It works, I'm currently using the speed dial levers but have used this setup with other levers with good success.
I have nothing to add to the hydraulic side, I have one set that work fine, Tektro Auriga Comp. But they are on a road going bike(so not really taxed) and, when they degrade beyond an easy fix/pad swap, then it'll be a fourth set of BB7s.
I've got the same set of old saints on my patriot from god knows when - 2006 or something - alps, spain, canada, scotland, wales, on and on. Had an occasional sitcky piston but always recoverable with a bit of TLC. I change the fluid about every 18 months. I've had a spare set of calipers sitting in the spares box since about 2008 and I've still not needed them. I've got another set of old XTs on the other bike that have been on a lot of bikes and were second hand when I bought them. So, I've got no experience of current brakes on the market as I bought shimano some time ago.
I've also had BB7s, which aren't really up to it IME on longer descents - I replaced them after riding at fort william in about 2002 I think with hopes, which looked great and occasionally worked.Had hope M4s and M6s but will never go back to hope - unpredictable IME.
One of my riding friends shimanos do the cold weather failing thing, but mine don't. I'd go shimano everytime.
Another 1 for Hopes here......By far the easiest to servive/get parts for. No probs with power or overheating, and i live in the North Lakes where we regulary do 2.5/3000ft decents. Only changed the oil in mine once in 2 years and using the sintered pads they barley make any noise in the wet, (belive me it`s been REALLY WET here latley).
Others in our group are on Avids...they have issuse and those that are on Shimanos are awfully noisey, especially in the wet.
However, i cant compare them to Avid/Shimano on a personal level as i`ve never used them
I've gone xtr trail after much deliberation.... Light and supremely powerful, way more bite than my tech m4s...
Going to Shimanos when I get a bike.
Used Hopes since day dot, and they never let me down in use with the exception of the retaining clips folding up and spuing out the pads. The big down side was that they don't like to be left idle and the levers rattle like ****.
My sons basic Shimanos are buttery yet strong. And whilst cheaper and heavier are a much nicer brake...to me anyway.
I've just sold two bikes worth of hope e4 brakes that were faultless. I'm replacing them with tech EVO v2 brakes. Great feel, reliable, long lasting and easy to work with.
I've run Hope C2's, Shimano XTs (755 I think), Coda, and Hope XX4s in the past. I've just changed to Hope X2s with the Tech lever and they are very, very good. I went with 183mm rotors at both ends because I'm old, fat and fearful of not being able to stop.
For what it's worth my thoughts on the older brakes:
Hope C2's = fantastic but very rattle levers
Shimano XTs = Good for about 18 months then gradually lost power and started to drag even when bleed multiple times
Coda = CRAP came with a Cannondale and fell apart on a steep descent resulting in my hitting a gate very hard
Hope XC4s = good but very, very underpowered (my mistake I wanted light brakes but I wasn't light enough myself!)
No Problems with formula R1s although mega pricey.
Shimano XT. Have had no problems with except when I fiddle with them and undo bolts that release the oil 😆 They have served me well and have shown no signs of wear in their functionality.