[Closed] PSA: Formula RO Brakeset £103 at Planet X

Awesome price. Thanks! Worth the £30 extra I was going to pay for SLX

Edit: hang on, says brake set, but they actually mean one brake, right?

Not sure, but to me, brakeset is a set (front and rear). Also there's no option to select front or rear (I know it's a flip/flop lever, but the hoses would be different) from the list, so I'm assuming it's a set.

Just spoke to their customer services, they were unable to confirm immediately as not linked to warehouse but said they also expect it to be a full set and they offer full postage refund if returning, so I guess I'm going to risk it!

£103 for brakes that powerful.. That's sweet

Hang on, just noticed it says brake hose 85cm... Hmm. Not sure I can be bothered with another PX gamble after all.
CRC has them at £149 each.. £103 for a pair seems to good to be true.

£103 for a pair does seem too good to be true. I paid £280 for mine from Merlin 2 ½” years ago, including discs and mounts, and that’s about the cheapest I’ve ever seen them in the UK.

weight 349g, hose 85cm.
No mention of a rear hose in there.. 🙁

Two pics in the description one front and one rear

If that's a pair it's awesome value tbh. But it's PX so who knows.

Two pics in the description one front and one rear

That is true..

Sod it, I've hit the button. Shall report back when they arrive. Fingers crossed its a set!

Just ordered thanks. Still prefer my ancient Megas to the Shimanos I'm currently running.

If it's single brake it'll be going back...worth a punt.

I spotted this yesterday and asked PX if it was a pair, just had a reply and unfortunately not, it's just for one brake.

FFS.

Off to cancel order.

Punters have no chance on their website. How are you supposed to specify a front or a rear??

Is the RRP of a [i]pair[/i] of these brakes really £480?

It seems so, from the era when top end brakes were [url= http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/components/disc-brake-systems/product/review-formula-ro-12-46051/ ]really expensive[/url].

It seems so, from the era when top end brakes were really expensive.

I see your £308 (RRP) 430euros per brake (actual selling price)!

http://www.trickstuff.de/en/products/cleg4.php

Apologies Gents.

I'll check the hose lengths on those. The 85cm quoted is just Formula's standard measurement unit for their weights and measures. It's not an indication of whether they are actually FR or RR units. I'll comment on them being singles as well once the warehouse gets back to me.

Apologies for any confusion.

Just off the phone, initially confirmed it was a brakeset, but when I queried it he went off to ask around and it is a single brake.

I'll find out soon enough though, apparently they're (it) is in the post already.

I've just had the warehouse guys pull a set of the RO and the C1. they are definitely front and rear pairs. Can't imagine these will last long at these prices... i'll update the content accordingly in a few minutes.

C1-BLK
Front 850mm
Rears 1500MM

RO-BLK
Front 840mm
Rear 1470MM

[i]FFS.

Off to cancel order.[/i]

oops.

Damnit I wish I needed some brakes

Thanks! I needed an excuse to replace my ancient Hayes.

Thanks! I needed an excuse to replace my perfectly good M8000 XTs 😀

WTFF!!?

So here's hoping they haven't managed to cancel my order before shipping out to me! Can't believe this

I've ordered but despite going through the checkout fine - got email to say out of stock... 😥

I have been running one set of these for over 12 months. They are a great brake.

Oops, really sorry for causing more confusion but that's what I was told by planet x. Will order myself a set if any are left now.

Cancelled mine earlier to find that they are indeed a brake set and now out of stock. Would have been perfect to get a set of these

I ordered a set and have order confirmation email but tbh really don't need them so may let them go at cost to one of you guys if I have to buy new adaptors and discs different to what I use with my tech m4s

Stevelol I'm in real need of a set, there's a drink in it for you!

I've got the confirmation email too. However I got so excited ordering them I forgot my shifter is ispec b so won't bl88dy be compatible with the brakes. I'd probably let mine go at cost as well if/when they turn up if anyone's interested

Hi Wilko, if possible I'd be happy to take them off your hands. I'm in need of a set as my Hope X2 brake is completely gone now.

My order has been shipped...

I still won't be surprised if it's just one brake tbh 😛

Despite earlier being told I couldn't cancel as they had already been shipped, the shipping confirmation only actually turned up today. Working in Manchester until Thursday, so no idea what will be awaiting me at home.

This is the [i]most[/i] planet-x post evah. Cheap bits, clamour to buy them, uncertainty of what you actually get, sizes stated not accurate, people ordering them anyway and then being told out of stock, people cancelling them and then being told they've shipped, people deciding they don't want them afterall before they've even turned up. No one really sure what it is that they've ordered.
Genius.

Its like midnight on Black Friday 😀

Got the lady of the house to send me a photo.

Behold: [img] [/img]

No rotors by the look of things, but it's not an issue for me.

Good work OP.

Nice silver caps too. Tidy.

Nice!! When did you order? Mine were shipped today despite the email saying they were on Saturday, which came BEFORE my order confirmation email, it all makes such perfect sense.

The solid rotors were/are in the stock liquidation too so I ordered a pair for £10 shipped, lols

I ordered on the 6th.

Now I have a spare pair of SLXs, guess I'll need to build a bike to put them on 🙂

Arrived, installed, very nice they are too! No time for a test ride.

Mine arrived today, well pleased, now have to work out which bike to put them on

Vorlich; how much do you want for the SLX brakes?

First ride on the RO's this morning, very very nice!

After bedding them in I was getting an upper body workout trying not to go OTB on the steep road I was using.

They're very similar to my Tech M4s; lots of modulation, but the power on these keeps on coming, pull them as hard as you can and you are definitely going to lock something up or go OTB.

If they can be as reliable as my Tech m4s have been then I'll be very impressed. I've just serviced my tech m4s with brand new seals and a new (black) Goodride hose kit, and have some one ride old (!!!!) Hope 203 and 183 black floating rotors that'll be going up for sale in a few days, very sad to see these brakes go but it's nice having a change now and again.

Managed to grab hold of a set in the end! Well chuffed.

Will ne bedding them in tonight, fitted them yesterday and trundle around my street revealed lots of lever range, but desperate to be bedded in correctly, stupidly, I think there may have been some muc-off left on my rotors so I may need to throughly clean them and sand pads.. Or change pads... Hopefully a 40mph decent will burn that crap off nicely!

[URL= http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae168/keepitsteel/72DACCF5-63BE-4A8C-BDD9-764FDBF750F5_zpsfpasoyxe.jp g" target="_blank">http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae168/keepitsteel/72DACCF5-63BE-4A8C-BDD9-764FDBF750F5_zpsfpasoyxe.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Took mine out for a test last night and I'm getting a lot of brake judder on the front. Headset and the caliper bolts are tight so I'm going to swap rotors tonight to see if it cures it. Anyone else having any probs?

If they can be as reliable as my Tech m4s have been then I'll be very impressed.

Prepare to be unimpressed I'm afraid... There's a reason they were selling for a fraction of their RRP!

Like all Formula brakes, the first 3 rides they're incredible, then performance rapidly deteriorates. New pads will bring the performance back briefly, but throwing pads that are less than 50% worn in the bin continually starts to grate! Then the lever will fall apart on you on a descent (ally bolt snaps or works itself loose usually), then when you inevitably break a lever (rather easy to do compared to most) the price of a replacement is more than a new set of SLX brakes will set you back!

Enjoy the performance (which to be fair is exceptional) whilst it lasts... Cos it won't last long!

Like all Formula brakes, the first 3 rides they're incredible, then performance rapidly deteriorates.

Maybe not all, matey. My 'the ones' from 2011 are still running superbly after being on my main bike since new. Was going to bleed them last winter, but as they still didn't need it, I didn't bother.
The only possible complaint is that (in combination with the 'Calder/Mordor grit') they seem to eat sintered pads, but pads are cheap and it is a small price to pay for the power and consistency that mine have.
Would have loved those r0's, but missed the boat!

Enjoy the performance (which to be fair is exceptional) whilst it lasts... Cos it won't last long!

Well aren't you a ray of light!

It does, however, sum up my own experience of Formula brake ownership in the past.

Prepare to be unimpressed I'm afraid... There's a reason they were selling for a fraction of their RRP!

Like all Formula brakes, the first 3 rides they're incredible, then performance rapidly deteriorates. New pads will bring the performance back briefly, but throwing pads that are less than 50% worn in the bin continually starts to grate! Then the lever will fall apart on you on a descent (ally bolt snaps or works itself loose usually), then when you inevitably break a lever (rather easy to do compared to most) the price of a replacement is more than a new set of SLX brakes will set you back!

Enjoy the performance (which to be fair is exceptional) whilst it lasts... Cos it won't last long!

pretty much my experience with Formula... i say my experience, but i was fortunte enough never to buy any.

my friend's K24s were great when new and it got to the point where i bought him a set of SLX for hs birthday as i couldn't be doing with his moaning and the brakes squeaking on every ride.

then there was the customer whose rear caliper seized with the pistons out whilst on a Transalp tour. had to open the grub screw and let out some oil till the pressure dropped off and the pistons could be forced back into the caliper.

and the guide who had "mended" his lever with a chunky cable tie as the pin had fallen out during transport.

Contrary to pretty much every long term review then I suppose.

My only other experience of Formula was a set of R1s that I didn't touch in 3 years of ownership - they were great, and light!
Transalp tour failure sounds like air in the system to me.

Worth a shot at £103. Happy to have egg on my face and switch to SLX/etc if they end up being duds, fingers crossed they go and last as well as the reviews claim.

They do look nice, slimjim. Hope that they give you years of problem free service, but if they turn out to be crap, I will happily relieve you of your burden 😀

Northwind seems to like Formula and I've been impressed with his recommendations in the past 😛 (spesh tyres and Gussett BBs) I bet he doesn't even know he has a fan boy 😳

I ran some version 1 The Ones for a year of so and they were reliable.

P.S. 2nd ride on them this morning and they're still rocking, I best enjoy my next one as they're destined to explode apparently 😀

This thread is a journey unto brilliance.

Thanks, OP (not that I bought anything)

Problem-free user for over 6 years here - 2 sets. I know of another 4 sets over the same period that have been similarly reliable.

Well aren't you a ray of light!

It does, however, sum up my own experience of Formula brake ownership in the past.

Genuine 😆

Contrary to pretty much every long term review then I suppose.

If you believe journo's ever test anything properly long term (to be fair, I know the STW guys are a lot more thorough than just about anyone else) you're a bit naive I'm afraid. Enduro Mag were banging on about the Rockshox Reverb being the most reliable dropper post a while back, to which I pointed out to them that I've had 6 of my own fail (and I've had to warranty many more than that for customers) in the last 3 years. They admitted they had a fleet of 15 demo bikes though, all fitted with them, and that time was spread around the various bikes... So whilst they were testing the Reverbs, they weren't testing the same one time and time again through all conditions.

If anyone that missed out on the crazy priced R0's fancies a set of nearly new T1's for a bargain price, ping me a message... I literally can't give them away!

and the guide who had "mended" his lever with a chunky cable tie as the pin had fallen out during transport.

I can top that... Out on a ride one evening, nothing on my person other than my car keys as I'd gone out for a quick blast after work without a pack etc... Brake lever pivot bolt/pin fell out (I wasn't aware that upon receiving a brand new set of brakes, I was supposed to take them apart, service them before using!) and the only thing I had to fix it with was the keyring from my car key!

It worked well enough to get me down off the hills sheepishly until I could get a new bolt (£6.95, seriously!) for it... By this point though (I think the 5th ride) the brakes were almost useless anyway...

Over 2 years on my R0's and they are still as powerful as ever. Only had to bleed them once. Love them.

🙂

mboy - Member

Like all Formula brakes, the first 3 rides they're incredible, then performance rapidly deteriorates.

I'm using 3 sets of 2011 The Ones, between the 3 of them they've had 1 replacement part other than consumables, and they've been used a [i]wee[/i] bit more than 3 times... Oh and a decade old set of Oros on my commuter, they have incredibly flappy levers now but I could still take them and stick them on a dh bike and go racing, not many 10 year old brakes you could say that of.

OTOH every issue Alpin described there sounds a basic maintanance failure. So there's always that.

My The Ones have been reliable too. The pair replaced by the R0's have been on a mates DH bike for two years, he's still paying me in beers 🙂 , and another older pair are on my hard tail. No problems to report yet.

Enjoy the performance (which to be fair is exceptional) whilst it lasts... Cos it won't last long!

Not in my experience, my 2007 Oro K24's have outlasted Shimano Deore, LX and XT. They are fantastic brakes, just don't have the power of more modern brakes. Lever feel to die for and superb modulation though.

First proper ride on the R0s, took me several decents to get anything other than a horrid squeal out of them - then one loooong draggy descent got them really hot and suddenly they came to life. Bloody awesome. I've never felt that much control on a brake before - pure modulation to the point where you actually want to lock up - and then you can lock up at will.
Super nice feel on these suckers, and stopped my fat ass with confidence, here's to many happy descents!

Got out for a really short ride with mine on Saturday, did manage a shortish but steep descent though and was impressed, was able to lock up each end with ease. This is just what I'm looking for after needing to two finger brake my way off Knoydart hills on a loaded bike with the old brakes.

Both lever and calliper feels like quality in comparison to the SLX, which is a decent brake, but feels mass produced (no surprise there I suppose). Really chuffed with them, and if they last anything like my old Megas have, I'll be pleased.

Duckman, you in any rush? I'm working in Machester, so can't get you pics until Saturday at the earliest.

Enjoy the performance (which to be fair is exceptional) whilst it lasts... Cos it won't last long!

If anyone that missed out on the crazy priced R0's fancies a set of nearly new T1's for a bargain price, ping me a message... I literally can't give them away!

what pads are people using for theirs? I've got a set of R1x that will need a set soon and there's no way I'm shelling out £50+ for the formula replacements

I use these... [url= http://www.rahoxbrakes.com/rahox-formula-c1-ro-r1-rr1-rx-mega-the-one-disc-brake-pads/ ]Rahox pads [/url] really impressed by them.

Uberbike sintered. Tried the race matrix and just got too much honking from the rear.
Tried a few different cheap and nice brands, but prefer these. Cheap, too.

Those Rahox ones were good too.