My riding seems to be improving and I am wanting to improve my existing hydro set up (combined shimano gear brake things lx callipers 160 rotors)looking for the best real world improvement against cost was thinking 180 rotors?or and better callipers or is it better to save for a whole new set up
the LX calipers are great IMO.
180mm up front and a new caliper adaptor is all you need initially.
Do you really find your brakes lacking? Are you going that fast?
My (controversial) opinion is you should use the smallest rotors you can get away with as it means the brakes will be in their best working temperature range more - easier to bed pads in and longer pad life as well as lighter.
Go bigger if you find your existing ones lack power ( or fix 'em)
what do you want to improve?
perhaps a bleed and a new set of pads, perhaps a different compound.
are the pads contaminated/glazed - give them, and the rotors a quick sanding and bed the pads in again.
or do you crave adjustability of lever reach and bite point as well, or just the wow factor of something blinging, braided and floaty rotays
not that fast but it is quite steep in calderdale.I agree with minimum and am anti bling/hype I am getting the best out of what I have got, system working well ,I like the lever feel just looking for more power finding that heat build up and glazing pads have been an issue in the last month nothing wrong with kit its just me asking more of the brakes
Glazing pads is a sign of the brakes not getting hot enough / used hard enough [i]if[i] glazing is actually what happening!!!!!
I have had this issue before and messed about / wasted cash on new pads, rotors etc, changing the brakes worked a treat to a whole new set. Also depends on the age of your brakes, new designs are somewhat better than a few years back. And braided hoses, changed mine a lot, as they dont expand like normal hose... set of goodridge / HEL etc should help a lot with power.
TJ, can you back that up please, i've always been under the impression that pads glaze when they're overheated, so bigger rotors would fix that.
mine 'polished' going down hill dragging the brake whats that called ?(other than fannying around or bad technique)
I am open to learning but need more information
When they're in stock [url= http://www.mtb-direct.co.uk/cgi-bin/index.cgi?item=MERGE080515170751 ]THESE[/url] are very good. I fitted a pair of 180/203's w/ adapters to my old Deore's & they made a big difference. Failing that sell yours & pick up some Juicy 3/5's.
Sobriety - Hmmmm - I have gone and had a read up of this around the net and its not altogether clear and perhaps what I was thinking was not 100% correct
I think the term may mean different things to different people. Perhaps what I was referring to could be described more as polishing?
True glazing is from over heating pads- but perhaps from overheating by gentle dragging of the brakes rather than by using them too hard if yo see what I mean.
I used to get bad glazing on the pads on my motorbike due to my riding style of gentle dragging of brakes into corners rather than braking hard. I lent it to a friend who rides in different style - it came back with the brakes working much better.
On the tandem again I tend to drag the brakes gently. Sometimes the brakes become less effective and squeel (as a result of glazing???) Using them hard for a bit cures it.
Perhaps there are two diffenent things going on - low temp / gentle draging " polishing" of the pad surface which I deffo have had happen and overheating glazing????
Being the season it is at the moment, I've not had the opportunity to test TJ's hypothesis since my brakes are working fine and pad wear is perfectly acceptable at the moment.
The reading I've done suggests theres something in it and come the winter, I will be Downsizing my front rotor from 203 to 180mm to see if theres any difference.
If TJ's thinking is right, I should get better wear rates and better braking since the brake will be hotter more often.
Thanks TJ. I've had a look around the interweb, and i'm none the wiser either!
Dale, if your going to up the disk size, go straight to 200mm, why mess about.
I also picked up some old style XTR calipers a while back for £25 each they were a lot better than the 525's I had but I did need new hoses too.
Science officer - please let us know how that comes out.
On my solo I have hope minis with 160 rotors and sintered original pads. Either wheel can be locked with gentle one finger pressure. Now from the lore on the MTBforums hops should not behave like that - everyone says they lack power. Mine certainly do not.
bear in mind I don't ride fast or steep very often but these brakes set up as I have them provide more power than I have tyre grip - even on good surfaces and even at the highest speeds I get to. I attribute that to the pads working in the optimum manner from being in the correct temperature range. Not glazed or polished, not too cold and not too hot.
My belief is many many people do not have their brakes working to the optimum. what actually is happening tho is very complex and not clearly understood - even by the experts let alone us punters
More research needed
TJ - I'd agree with what you're saying when applied to Hope(less) brakes. I found mine very fickle to set up and they had a habit of glazing pads too. I sold them after they faded to nothing but a nasty burning smell for the second time....
think I will try a 180 or 200 rotor up front see what difference it will make