Firstly, to carefully check what I order. After having trouble with my rear brake for a while I decided to upgrade from my XT M785s to the new Shimano four pots. I was a giddy kipper when the brake turned up. So I took the old one off, measured the hose, measured the hose of the new brake (didn’t cut at this point) and went for a test mount. Hmmm. Something wasn’t right. I’d only gone and ordered a EUROPEAN (I know, right???) right handed rear brake. That’s what you get for not paying attention to detail.

Secondly I learned that XT M785 levers work nicely with the new Shimano four pot calipers! Very much looking forward to getting on the steep stuff and seeing what the new brake is like.

Finally I learned that having a proper hydraulic hose cutter is essential. Never used one before, and thought the cuts I had done were nice, but the cutter has proved its worth.

Only joking about the European thing, staunch remainer, I mean remoaner, here.

Finally I learned that having a proper hydraulic hose cutter is essential.

Not really, a decent set of cable cutters are all you need.

Or a stanley knife.

Essential for me then!

I love continental brake set ups, probably because I’m French. Cheaper too based on CRC SRAM Guide at £90 the pair ready bled – I guess they buy OE stocks.

Always use “the wrong way” – dominant hand on the rear brake will always give you a better (and safer) control. (OTB aged 7 on a Raleigh Striker teaches you which hand will panic brake….)

When I used brakes I always had the rear brake on right hand.  Most bikes in my youth had rear brake only and then carried on from there (including road bikes)

dominant hand on the rear brake will always give you a better (and safer) control

But dominant hand on front brake will give you better control of the wheel which does most of the stopping and is most critical for control. Much safer.

Or a stanley knife.

I thought that and ended up ordering one of these while stood in the garage, wiping the blood from the screen of my phone. Recommended.

I use the Jagwire one and find it extraordinarily satisfying to use

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=jagwire+hose+cutter&_sacat=0

I use the Jagwire one and find it extraordinarily satisfying to use

Like chopping the end off a Havana every time you fit new brakes 🙂

Disagree totally with that hols2.

How did you get the barb down the hose?

I always end up tapping it in with a hammer, or something. I’m sure that’s not the best way to do it. A bike shop i used to work in had a special threaded widget that drove the barb into the hose.

How did you get the barb down the hose?

SRAM barbs are threaded and screw in, Shimano ones are bashed in (gently!) with a hammer. I typically clamp the hose in the vice with a pair of the yellow hose blocks with 10mm of hose sticking out and then pop the barb in. Usually only takes a very small wallop to get it in.

Disagree totally with that hols2.

And I disagree totally with that!  My childhood OTB experiences taught me about weight shifts and brake control.  A big old handful of rear brake isn’t going to do a great deal to help you out in most emergency braking situations.

A big old handful of rear brake isn’t going to do a great deal to help you out in most emergency braking situations.

I can’t comment about which way is best once you are used to it, but I can certainly state that having them the wrong way around compared to what you are used to is bloody awful!

Source: me hiring bikes in Slovakia and not giving it a second thought until half way down the first descent when I went to take a sharp left turn and went straight on instead, because my usual “kick the back wheel out” pre-cornering braking manoeuvre did something very different indeed…!

After a bloody experience when I was 5 (panic braking, steep hill, newly laid loose chippings) I’ve learned not to grab great big handfuls of any brake.  completely agree with hols and qtip.

There’s a fine line between braking hard and losing grip at the front or going over the bars, and your dominant hand is going to be better at modulating the effort and keeping you just the right side of that line.  Not about the strength, all about the control.

If you’re braking hard, the back wheel won’t have much weight on it and it won’t take much braking force before it locks up. If/when it does, you’ll skid a bit, but as long as the front is still pointing in the right direction, you’ll be able to recover.  Less useful, less critical: left hand job!

I can’t comment about which way is best once you are used to it,

But this is it, really.  I hired a bike for a week in Canada; trying to do some 2 foot high north shore stuff which needed a front pivot was pretty much impossible with the front brake on the left.  Thankfully this was yonks ago and I could pop the cable ends out of the levers and swap them over on the trail.

Grrr – lost my reply

What’s the reason for having different approaches to brakes? We don’t for motorbikes. I just realised the e fat bike I rented in Lapland had a UK lever set up…

I used my draper cable cutters to cut my reverb hose last night, worked fine

I always end up tapping it in with a hammer, or something. I’m sure that’s not the best way to do it. A bike shop i used to work in had a special threaded widget that drove the barb into the hose.

Jagwire WST026 needle driver is great for installing inserts, Avid used to make one the same, about £15 on ebay

Shimano make a hose cutter and insert installer, TL-BH62, but its RRP is £100!

I don’t think the “dominant” hand is that much better at modulation. The best set up is mainly the one you’re used to.

I typically clamp the hose in the vice with a pair of the yellow hose blocks with 10mm of hose sticking out and then pop the barb in.

Exactly what they are for

Yeah that’s the tool we used to have. Just felt really naughty tapping that brass barb into hose, on a nice expensive brake. Maybe i’ll treat myself to some brake tools when i next need some new brakes.

Thanks for the insight.

Very interesting point about the dominant hand being better for control. Makes a lot of sense. I’m left handed, so in theory the setup was appropriate, but I’m a bit ambidextrous and flip-flop between left and right handedness for different things – left handed for darts, right handed for tennis (not that I play either anymore). And seemingly braking, but that could very well be down to the ‘being what I’m used to’ point.

I bought the Radon hose cutter when I bought the brake, and the cut is lovely! I also saw that Shimano tool. The hose cutter was six quid, and the soft mallet I tapped the barb in with was about three!

Had my first little test of the four pot today, and it seems pretty good. Very typical Shimano feel, but going from Uberbike Race Matrix pads back to the organic ones that came with it gives a noticeable difference in the bite. Next up to test my incompetence will be the backer rod tubeless insert fun!