I've got some new Avid Code 5's, some new Avid Elixir 3, some newish Elixir R and thinking I might need some XT M785 or Formula K18 K24 instead.
I'll be doing a few months of lift assisted riding, France, Switzerland, Italy using an Orange 5 and a Zed8 2Stage.
They currently have Avid Juicy 7's on that are coming off. Great brakes, but not for the Alps.
I generally like very clear and specific questions.
As much for a bump as anything : I've used k18s and 24s XTs and Ive and been to the alps a few times but sadly my missus won't let me on a bike there much (we walk a bit). When I do - it's a hired usually with avids.
I'd personally like the physics behind the bigger pads in shimano. And finned pads.
Anyway- a bump as much as anything from me.
What flavour of uplifts? And what sort of torments do you put your brakes through? Every brake can cook up if you drag it enough 😉
I haven't done alpine uplifts, however I've done endurance downhill and pyrenees uplifts with Oros and they were faultless- not a hint of fade. I haven't done the long, sustained high speed descending that comes with some resorts so couldn't comment on that though. They're solid brakes IMO.
(on my first run at fort william, I dragged the rear the whole way down out of terror, and it was about as long a run as you can get without stopping for a nap. Proper drawn out torture for the lil' 160mm rotor I had on. It went all sorts of funny colours and you could smell the brake from across the car park but it didn't stop working.)
I used a K18 as my rear brake for a summer of Whistler. Never got fade but pad life was shit. Wore twice as quick as the front Juicy 5 and I learnt to stop dragging the brakes after a few days, tend to just brake hard and late.
In my experience, Avid Juicy 7's are brilliant brakes for the Alps; why do you say otherwise?
^ agreed, the juicy 7s will be fine for the alps.. Avids are great when they're bled and before the pistons start to stick!
I had 2 sets of 7's, one set a zed8 2stage and the other set on an orange 5. both had same problem, where at some point, well into the descent, I would release the levers and on the next grab they would go straight to the bars. Fortunately the first time it happened I had the sense of mind to pump the brakes and get some pressure back, but from that moment on, my only option was to either hold the brakes on or stop and let them cool down.If I released at all the next grab would go to the bars.
I would have to wait a few mins before descending again. Happened repeatedly, both sets and I learned to anticipate it. Scary! It might be urban myth but I had heard some resorts have banned them (Avid Juicy) and I can't verify that, just heard it in bar talk in the resorts.
Maybe I needed higher DOT spec fluid. Pads were Kevlar. I think it's fair to say I maybe cover my brakes too much, but I never had the issue with formula or XT when I put them on the bikes.
Uplifts? Ski lifts in Morzine/Pila and Verbier, shuttle in Finale and Garda.
K18's in Morzine on a kind of big day out lift-assisted XC type riding.
Sintered superstar pads were totalled in about 4 days. Had to do a roadside pad change to get back. Genuine Formula organic pads hardly touched, and way more stopping power.
i used oro's on my heckler for a week in the alps. shocking pad life, and when they get hot, they just don't work. terrible.
luckily i brought a spare bike with elixir 3s on, and i swapped - loads better.
Just got back from the alps the xt's/slx's that people were using seemed to be the best choice both for stopping and pad life and the 1 finger stopping power cut down on the thumb/finger pain as well,these would be top of my list
Currently out in the alps with a group of us racing the mega. So far the 3 of us running shimano brakes havent had to even change a set of pads yet. Whereas the 3 guys running avids have had 2 rebleeds, 4 sets of pads. Personally ive never liker avids, but thats just me 🙂