[Closed] formula brakes - are they really that good?

Formula R1's here...best brake ive ever used. Never had to bleed them, did a week in the Alps last year, incredibly powerful. I was an Avid fanboy until i got the Formulas, and now would never go back. If i could afford id have them on all my bikes.

They're alright, but other brands are good too. I've had a few pairs and found them about as reliable as other makes.

Stock pads do wear very quickly, but when replaced with superstar kevlar or sintered and they seem to last better.

I have a set of The One's and they are superb, however my mate also has a set and he's had a few issues with them.

R1's here, very good but the lever bolts keep coming loose, not funning when you hurtling down a hill at full speed.

This is possibly a couple of years out of date now but...

I had a pir of Oro Biancos on my Soda. Light, powerful, really nice feel. Fantatsic in the dry. In the wet? Pad life could be measured in a couple of hours. That was trying a variety of makers.

I also bought a pair of old style Ones. Other than being light, I never, ever managed to make them work properly, consistently. Constant rebleeds, unreliable lever feel, and they never felt as strong as the Oros, even with bigger rotors. Pad life in the wet was also appalling - although I generally could get 2 rides out a set rather than one. Getting hold of spare pads was also an issue, although that has improved.

I've now moved on to Hopes, and am very happy - heavier, but they just work, and I'm getting a minimum of 6 months per set of pads. I understand the R1 style levers have improved things, but I can't be arsed with faffing around any more finding out.

but Ive heard mixed reviews about them

and then others say they are the best ... ever

That's pretty much true for pretty much any bike component.
I ignore all user reviews (and some magazine ones) - everything is both the dog's danglies and complete cheese at the same time.

No issues with my Formula Oro's, and Formula RX are 1st on my list for the next bike. Not had any lever bolts come undone. Spose I ought to bleed them at some point, but if it ain't broke...

edit: oh and there's 1000km on the pads, and maybe 75-80% of the material left. Superstar sintered were a minor pita fitting (must be infinitessimally fatter than stock pads), but they soon bedded in.

They are as good, and as bad as any other brake out there.

I've had a set of original Oro Puro's which were awesome, a set of the '09 The Ones which were utterly gash in every way, and a bike I bought had a set of the '10 The Ones (newer lever) which have been great.

My K18s are good but the stock pads are gash. Now using SS ones.

I like their modulation, weight and power.

I don't like their inability to auto adjust for pad wear (leading to different lever throws for each side and lever creep without constant adjustment to keep it right) and lever feel compared to my Magura Louise FR. The new RX/R1 design feels much nicer.

They aren't difficult to bleed but they aren't the easiest either.

+1 for the K18s. Had them on my old Cube. Got XTs on the Pronghorn, but I often wish I had kept the Formulas.

I have a set of 09 (I think) The Ones. Dunno if I just got lucky, but thus far (after a bit of faffing, they do seem very sensitive to setup) they're spot on. Pads seem to be lasting fine, hugely powerful, decent modulation... And they look pimp 😀

I've had K18s and now have 09 the ones (which have been flawless). I've also ridden/owned; Hope tech M4s, Avid Elixirs and Avid Juicy.
The tech M4s had the nicest feel, the ones are (by far) the most powerful and the Jucies were just dreadful all around. the elixirs were OK.
Padlife with the ones has been fine in the welsh grit with superstar sintered. The stock organics only just lasted 1 ride though.

I had K18 then bought some Shimano Saints when they gave up after a couple of years use. The K18 were good but after a year required lots of maintenance and were never quite the same.

Had the Saints for a year and they have been superb.

I have some Oro K24's and they are really underwhelming compared to Deore, Juicy 3 and Strokers, which is a shame as I thought they'd be an upgrade.

Have oros - std pads lasted 3 seasons. They required a warranty fix to update the lever piston.

Very happy with my 'The Ones'. But they did need bleeding from the box and do require careful alignment. Great feeling brake though and very, very powerful. Bought from ebay at quite a bit lower than the UK RRP.

I've been using my K24's since 2006 and they have been bled once. Lovely modulation and power but terrible squealing and pad life on Formula pads (much better on SS sintered). Only major criticism is the made of cheese nature of the fixing bolts for the levers and pad retainers - I've rounded them all off and have now cut slots into them - anyone got any spares?

Would buy another set of rotors in a heartbeat when my K24's give up, although checking the prices maybe not.