I've got an old set of Hope XC4 brakes, which I'm thinking of upgrading. One thing I really like about the XC4 is the big silver dial on the top of the lever that moves the pads closer or further from the rotor. This allows me to have the pads nice and close for maximum power, but if the pads start to rub on the trail (due to mud etc) I can easily back them off a bit. I assumed that the BPC adjustment on the newer Hope Tech levers would work the same way, but I've read some things that suggest that it just adjusts the amount of free or dead travel before the levers start to push the fluid through. I can't really see the point of this as you can already set the lever to be where you want, so why would you want it to do nothing for the first bit of the stroke?
Anyway, if somebody who has Tech levers could try adjusting the BPC dial and look to see if the pads move I'd be most grateful.
Cheers,
Andy
The BPC does indeed just change the lever geometry and does not move the pads in any way.
I was a Hope C2 user for many years and loved the adjustability however having run mono m4s for 8+ years i'd never go back, i prefer a bit of temporary trail rub noise over the oh sh1t moment when you've forgotten to readjust the top cap and end up hauling on handfuls of nothing, the self adjustment far outweighs the rub.
Ed
What Ed said.
I've got X2's on my SS and it's barely halfway through a set of pads. those pads wer on it when I bought it at the start of last winter! The muddy tsss-tssss-tsssk-tsss-tssss-tsssk doesn't wear the pads out (or offer any noticeable friction), braking like a nonce wears pads out.
Thanks folks. I wondered whether the move to self adjusting brakes would mean the end of that manual adjust ability. Shame, but I'll take your word for it that it is better overall. Still not sure why you would want any "free stroke" on a brake lever. Is it just to allow the fluid to expand at it heats up on long Alpine descents or something? Either way, I'm not sure I can see a big advantage to BPC adjustment, so may go for the neater, sleeker and supposedly slightly more powerful Race lever instead.
Now I just need to decide on X2 vs M4 for All (Scottish) Mountain use. I know M4 is the traditional choice, but with the Evo system supposedly being more powerful is an X2 now just as powerful as the old M4 system?
I think the BPC is a bit a fad really. It the brake is setup properly I just don't see the point.
For mountain use I'd go M4. Very little weight penalty and more power. If you want to save a little bit the m4 front, x2 rear, both using 183mm discs (though you then have to carry 2 different spare pads).
I remember my old C2's being really powerfull, but then it's probably rose tinted. My (with the old mini lever) X2's are best described as adequate. They wont set the world on fire, but the modulation is in the right range for off road use and there's plenty of power to lock the wheels up. I presume the newer levers are better again.
So, the need to carry an extra set of pads would reduce the already marginal weight loss from using an X2 over an M4 caliper on the rear. I think I'll stick with one type and it sounds as though M4 still offer a worthwhile increase in power over X2.
Cheers,
Andy
correct, its just lever geometry thats changing. AFAIK none of the systems actually change the pad to rotor relationship on the fly.