SRAM Code RSC – What are they actually like?

Evening all,

On the back of a recent PSA in the (previously) stickied thread I’ve been considering buying front and rear Code RSCs to replace the Guide REs which came stock on my 2020 Orange Five.

Reason being that I’m suffering from awful brake fade on long Lake District descents and wondered if the Codes would reduce this as much as a search of the internet suggests they should. I could also invest in some more nerve and stop dragging the brakes so much… Rotors are 200 front and 180 rear.

The codes are currently pretty cheap (£260 for F+R) and I already have the SRAM bleed kit and a fistful of spare pads which will fit the code calliper.

Would this change be worth it for the money, or am I better off spending a chunk more on some Hope V4s etc?

Thanks in advance,

Dicky

I have code RSC as does sweamrs. I’m 170lbs and running 200 F+R. I definitely get brake fade after 300+ m of descending in one go (I’m in western Canada so have plenty of steep and long descents).

It’s not so terrible that I’m thinking of changing them as I like the overall feel and modulation (compared to previous Shimano XT) but if I was buying I wouldn’t get them (if that makes sense).

Sweamrs is running 200F /180R and has no issues but she’s 125lbs.

Weeksy08 uses them for DH Racing, having tried many other braking systems. They never fade, never let us down, they just work.

We’re running DOT5.1 in there and Galfer Green (Pro) pads and they’re an utterly superb system.

I run them on my Status at Dyfi/Antur/FoD and have no issues at all with them even though i’m a lot heavier than him. Again, no fade/issues.

Unless something comes out at a reasonable price and superb stopping, we won’t be changing.

Is the guide re not the old code caliper? Will the pads fit?
I like them, they work well for me. I dislike the ‘large’ amount of lever throw, but I can reduce that at the next bleed – my previous bike had them and has a preferred amount of lever throw. New bike needs them adjusted and I’ll do that at first bleed.
Apart from the lever adjustment, I’m unsure what benefit you will get, but the lever adjustment is handy.
If you can try to drag less, you may find an improvement…but that isn’t an instant thing to fix.

Have had Code RSCs for several years and have used them in the Alps many times, as well as pretty much everywhere in the UK, quite a bit in Spain, and they have been very good. Occasional sticky pistons but relatively easy to sort out.

I’d recommend.

I changed to Code RSC from M6000 Deore (kept the same rotors). First ride at a trail centre I figured I’d wasted my money as there was no discernable difference, but then I took the bike on a “proper” ride with sustained descents. Big difference in lack of fade, consistent feel/bite, and improved modulation/control.

Were they worth more than double the price of the Deore 2pot? Probably not, but now that I’ve got them I don’t regret buying them. Great brakes.

On all our bikes. Bought from Pinkbike or classified from folk that take them off new bikes as they prefer Shimano.
Bleeding edge tool is a great addition and I’m finding the 2mm Magura MDR-P discs are a step up from the Centreline and fit the caliper well. They are thicker and floating whilst not too spendy.

Having boiled Dot 4 fluid, the RSC’s using 5.1 seem to handle heat better too. Well worth watching Doddy’s Youtube bleed video as he makes some very good points on lever adjustment position needed to get the perfect bleed. It does make a difference.

I’ve CODE RSC on my stumpy – running 200/180 Hope floaters with them.
Fantastic – nil to complain about!

DrP

Ive got them on one of my bikes, I like them, Ive never had any fade even on long steep descents. I prefer the magura mt7 that I have on another bike ,but the code rsc are a decent choice

I picked up some Code RSC’s in 2018 pre a Morzine trip and they’ve been faultless since. I’m around 85kg so not the heaviest rider, but went 220 rotors front and rear few years ago, the rotors also have a 2mm thickness and it made them even better feeling for modulation an bite, I wouldnt go down in rotor size now.

Even picked up a secondhand pair to go on an aggro hardtail I built last year (also about to big rotor this bike).

My pad of choice for them is the Uberbike E matrix pads (both bikes are analogue)

I’ve Code RSC on my Capra Core 4 which I think are better than the Guide RSCs. However, after a week in Morzine, it wasnt even that hot, the pistons on one side of the rear caliper now bind on the rotor. I have removed the rear wheel, SRAM sintered pads and pushed both sets of pistons back at least 6 times with no discernable improvement. Noting SRAM say not to use any type of grease/oil on the pistons it looks like a full caliper service, which on the 2nd bike is disappointing.

The Hope Tech3 E4s on my Orange Stage Evo which I use 80% of the time, including steeps, have no issues as long as I apply Hunters Silicone oil to the pistons every 6 months.

Vs the Guide RE I don’t think there’s a huge huge amount more power on offer, but the RSC has a much bigger lever master cylinder (so more fluid) and the lever is much nicer. Definitely a good upgrade.

Equally you could go bigger on the rotors – my Sentinel is running 220mm front / 200mm centrelines – although the newer hs2 rotors are meant to be better. I’m not descending alpine passes but have used them at Dyfi / Bike Park Wales / Off piste in South Wales and never faded them.

We’ve been running them on both our e bikes and enduro bikes for the last 3+ years.  They’ve coped with big uplifted descents without any serious fade (I’ve had a bit of a different lever feel at times when they’ve got really hot, but they’ve always retained useful braking).   Pistons can get a bit sticky but that’s about it.

I really like the modulation and they’re pretty quick and clean to bleed with a good bleed kit (the sram pro kit is worth the money).

On the downsides the old style lever sticks out a long way so theres a lot of leverage on the clamp in a crash. The clamp isn’t very wide and once they’ve been crashed a few times it can be difficult to it to the right ‘tight but moves when it needs to’ state.   The bite point adjust wheel is prone to jamming.

Anyone used 2.3mm rotors on Codes?

If your struggling with fade on the Guides I wouldn’t rush to upgrade to the Codes. I’m not suggesting their a bad brake, but I don’t believe there on the same level as the mt7/V4/dominions

We are running Saints, Code RSCs, Guide REs, Magura MT7s and a XTR Saint combo between the 4 of us

In order of my preference the Saints come out on top

RSCs and REs are a close second and I wouldn’t pay the extra to swap

We have MT7s on one bike. Been on from new and 2 years in they are by far the worst of what we have. They just lack power

Magura have had a go at them as have the local shop on a few occasions. If they were on my bike they would have been of after Magura tried  I don’t know why he perseveres with them. Next step is Oak Component levers. If they don’t work then it will be the spare RSCs

Previous bike had the thicker Sram rotors…are very good and the thicker rotor reduces the lever throw which is an absolute win for me. New bike has standard thickness rotors, but I’ll be replacing them when they wear out with the thicker ones. As much as they work better, I’m happy to wear out what I have before replacing as what I’ve got now is still very decent.

I think I’d look to the discs and pads first. Something like Sram HS2 rotors (if you’re currently on Centerlines) +20mm front and rear and maybe Galfer green pads? Even if they aren’t the ultimate solution, they’d transfer over to a Code setup in the future.

Love my code RSC, never had an issue with them in five years. I’m a heavy rider and they slow me fine on downhill tracks.

We have MT7s on one bike. Been on from new and 2 years in they are by far the worst of what we have. They just lack power

Next step is Oak Component levers

Off topic but…

I like my Maguras and I like the Oak Components levers but having read all that I would suggest you don’t spend the money on the Oak Components levers and instead stick a whole set of Shimano levers on.  XT levers with MT5 callipers are my total favourite brakes, If you like the Saint’s I think you’d like Shigura

All ready got the levers. Ebay find and half price

@scruff I use the 2.3mm rotors with my guide RSCs, I do have to push the pistons all the way in when bleeding. I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t work on CODES

All ready got the levers. Ebay find and half price

In that case definitely give them a go.  Only hassle is having to disconnect the hoses to fit them

I’ve had Code RSCs for years and always liked them. Recently I’ve tried the TRP DH Evo on my DH bike, having been told they’re better than codes by a friend who switched. Having just spent 2 weeks on the mountains with the TRPs, my conclusion is they’re maybe just better, but not really much in it. My conclusion is I’d be just as happy with Code RSCs.

I’ve used code rcs brakes on all my bikes since 2017, they are great. I’m a heavy rider, 105kg with 220mm rotors on my dh bike and they have no issues.

I have a spare set(my fourth!) sat in the garage that I could probably sell if the OP fancied it?

If you’re getting brake fade, I’d go for bigger discs first. Possibly HS2s.

Since switching back to only using genuine SRAM pads my Codes with  Guide RSC levers are great again.

The only issue I have is that occasionally do suffer from the pistons not advancing evenly, so end up with the caliper off centre to compensate.

I’ve just ordered my new bike with MT7s, I hope I don’t regret it.

We may have  just got a bad set.

Tried every make of pad on the market including Magura and Galfer green and now running Galfer rotors 223 on the front and 203 on the rear.

I’m not saying they aren’t powerful but compared to all our other brakes they aren’t anywhere near as good. It’s even more noticeable in the Alps where it’s steeper

Surely more power isn’t the answer to fade. More power = more heat = more fade.

I get that more power can mean less time braking but you say your a brake dragger so better heat management is surely going to be the answer? I say this as a fellow dragger. I find the Shimano Ice Tech system quite effective. I rarely get fade but when I do, the system seems to recover pretty quickly. My old (also shimano) brakes on Centreline discs felt like they took longer to cool down when you came off the brakes after hitting the fade point.

Anyway, bigger discs (gives more power anyway) will help. Thicker discs will help. Obviously, once they’re hot they’ll take longer to cool so fancy discs with alloy cores should help shed the heat quicker. Something like the Magura MRD-P or some of the posh Hope floaters in 220 perhaps?

Pads will make a difference but I’m very much a shimano person so can’t really help there. Again though, more ‘powerful’ pads generally mean more friction which is just going to be more heat.

DOT5.1 has a much higher boiling point so might help. If the fluid in there is old then just fresh DOT4 should make a difference.

DOT5.1 has a much higher boiling point so might help. If the fluid in there is old then just fresh DOT4 should make a difference.

DOT standards are just a minimum, some DOT4’s like i used to use in my track car(motul RBF i think it was) had a higher boiling temp than any DOT5.1

I had Code RSCs, came on the 2019 Stumpjumper Evo Carbon that i had at the time, prior to that i’d been on Shimano and then Hope Tech 3 E4s.

The difference from the Shimano/Hopes was night and day – the RSCs gave me more confidence on the steep stuff. With Shimano I’d lock the wheels up and with the Hope i felt like i had to squeeze the lever with the power of a thousand gorillas to stop. Riding gloveless with the Hopes was not pleasant on the old fingers.

I loved the modulation that i got out of the RSCs and the fact i could run the bite-point close into the bar. I ran 200mm rotors front and rear and a mix of SRAM sintered pads and Galfer Purple pads.

What i didn’t love was constant rotor drag and maintenance of 4 pistons in each caliper. I seemed to get them set up perfectly and then within a couple of weeks they would drag again, also DOT fluid is nasty stuff.

I switched to Formula Cura 2s last year and they provide all the power/modulation i need, which is amazing for a 2-pot brake!