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How do,
I've got a set of Magura MT8 brakes that are utter rubbish. Not only are they poor performing, they're also poorly made and are a total nightmare to bleed. Bit gipped if I'm honest, £600 brakeset and they're useless. So I want to replace them with something that works.
I've never had good results with Avid and Shimano are a pain because they require mineral oil rather than standard brake fluid. These will be used on my XC race bike so lightness is a requirement.
Any ideas?
Mineral oil should not be a critical factor in deciding what brake to use
Budget?
Shimano are fantastic value for money especially lower down the range
Hopes are beutifully made. For a race bike maybe get some secondhand hope minis and send them to hope for refurbishment( which they do for a reasonable price. £100 - 120 an end should get yo an as good as new set of hopes minis
Formula - I love mine. Yes, they may be a bit picky with maintenance BUT very powerful, well made and light (and they use DOT!).
R1 or RX for XC.
Erm dont MT8's use mineral oil?
Mineral oil should not be a critical factor in deciding what brake to use
I see your point TJ, but its a royal PITA when I can't bleed my brakes because I haven't got readily available access to mineral oil at 8pm on a Saturday night before the race on Sunday (which is normally the time I decide the brakes need a bleed). Normal brake fluid is far easier to come by and means I can use the same stuff in my motorbike that I can in my pushbike brakes. Nicely...
I'm thinking formula's, I had a set of R1's and they were ace if a bit overkill. Maybe the RX's might be a better bet.
Erm dont MT8's use mineral oil?
Noooooooo they use Royal Blood or something. Also known as Mineral oil. I'm sick of them to be honest, they don't perform very well at all and are so high-maintenance/delicate that they really don't suit a cack-handed idiot like me.
If money's no object and you need Dot fluid brakes then the Formulas seem the obvious choice (although the new Hayes range looks interesting). Personally I'd go Shimano SLX or XT though and make sure I buy a bottle of mineral oil (I'm assuming it doesn't go off quickly like Dot fluid?). I like my current cheapish Formula K18's but next change will be onto Shimano.
You can buy mineral oil in any car parts shop - citroen LHM from halfords for example
I've used Shimano, Hope, Hayes and Avid brakes extensively over the past few years. My favourites? Easily the Tech Evo Hopes on my AM bike. They're easy to set up and the feel is second to none.
My hardtail has a set of Hayes Stroker Trails fitted, which are surprisingly powerful. I've not had to bleed them yet so I cannot really comment on what they're like to maintain, but on stopping power alone they're very impressive. They're not the lightest but they do the job.
I'm very surprised by how good Shimano brakes are these days.
Formula
I've got several sets of Stroker Trail's. Cheap because they've never been fashionable and don't look all that pretty but perform superbly. Bleeding's not the easiest but not too tricky. Prob not what the OP is after though, I'd guess
Hi,
Gotta be a set of Hope Race Evo.Superlight,easy to bleed,Dot fluid and easily available spares.Got a pre Evo set which have performed faultlessy.
Thanx
Max
Formula
Royal Blood = Mineral oil = same as what Shimano use.
I've not tried the MT8 but have Magura (Louise) brakes on all my bikes. Why are the MT8 so hard to bleed? The older Magura like mine are a piece of p*ss especially compared to the faff of e.g. Avids...
Sounds like either formula's or shimano then
I've not tried the MT8 but have Magura (Louise) brakes on all my bikes. Why are the MT8 so hard to bleed? The older Magura like mine are a piece of p*ss especially compared to the faff of e.g. Avids...
Its mainly down to a) the reservoir screw being made of plastic which rounds off easily. It's basically a disposable item every time you bleed the brakes b) the carbon lever body threads stripping when you screw in the bleed kit and c) the feel of them even after a 'good' bleed is rubbish - lever pulls all the way back to the bars.
Just because its a pretty blue colour doesnt mean its not mineral oil, it would just void your warranty if you used lets say shimano mineral oil.
What the hell's wrong with mineral oil??! As above, widely available from Halfords, car spares etc... also know as LHM, Liquide Hydraulique Minerale, as a lot of it will be sold for citroens...
Don't Magura brakes have a five year warranty? I've had Magura's in the past and while they haven't been my favourites, they have been the most faff free brakes I've ever used...Formula, Avid and Shimano's.
Saying all that, R1's are my favourites but if you're ham-fisted maybe they're not for you. The torx bolts are made from gorgonzola!
I have 2 1/2 sets of hayes stroker trails/carbons. Fantastic brakes. Easy reach adjustment and as others have said great power and I find the feel is pretty good. My hayes stroker rydes were like pulling a level/caliper made of wood though. avoid them bad boys.
FWIW I'll give you half a bag of jelly babies for the MT8s when you're done with them. Heck, I'll make it a full bag. Not even opened.
There's some tips for firmer feel with MT8 here: [url] http://www.support-english.magura.com/index.php?showtopic=5053 [/url] Worth a go?
Formula - I like my K24s.. they are a bit tempremental sometimes but get them set up right and they could stop a freight train..
My old formula k24s were light as feather, but never really made enough power for me to be happy with. I changed to the new XTs and they're much better with the same rotors, but a bit heavier and still mineral oil, so you probably wouldn't like. If it has be be DOT, then an expensive formula for lightness and decentness, just be prepared to spend a lot if they break, or some hope race evo X2s.
what do you want for these rubbish Magura brakes?