So what are the best disk brakes for UK trails? I’m Unsure what to buy, share your opinions please.

Formula R1 Racing are the most expensive I can find, so they’re probably the very best that are available at the moment.

I prefer Hope’s because I’m not made of money 😉

For UK trails? Then Hope because the parts are easy to get and servicing by Hope is quick and relatively cheap. People will say Shimano but judging by how many people are whinging about them I’m glad I’ve used Hope all my life (bar a foray into Formula which included K18’s, K24’s and 09 The Ones…all of which were shite)

Soooo I’d say… a Hope M4 Race Evo front and a Hope X2 Race Evo Rear for the best all round power to weight set up.

The new Shimano xt are superb

I would say there’s generally more whinging about Hope than Shimano…

SLX here.

Wait till the seals go or you have to bleed them…..buohahah

The seals will go if you bleed them the wrong way 😉

shimano – had them 5 years plus and they just work ™

Hope for me. Yes they do seem to take a little more fettling than the xt ones I used to have
But if they go wrong spares are easy to get and any shop you stumble across while away should be able to get you going

Shimano are good for fit and forget but I do love my Hope brake which are also fit and forget. I’m currently selling my V2 special edition so I can buy V4 instead. And yes, I do use them for trail riding.

“For UK trails” is completely meaningless.

I’ll say the current model Formula The Ones, partly because they’re one of the first class brakes, but mostly because they’ll never be the wrong brake no matter what you want to do with them. They’re lighter than most XC race bikes and have great feel, but are more than powerful and durable enough for downhill. Just vary rotors to suit.

And the lever feel’s not too divisive either, unlike say Magura or Shimano (and it’s very tunable, if you get the FCS). Very reliable, and parts are easily available from CRC

They’re not good value though- tbh no brake this expensive could be.

So the Formula importer have sorted out their customer service? My old man still hasn’t got his 09 The Ones back from them yet after what must be getting on for four months. They told him about 2 weeks ago they had been sorted as well.

Happy with avid elixir.
Bit of a a ffaf to bleed but once sorted plenty of power

Never struggled to get a hope spare.

Shimano XT here.love em.

+1 for Hope. Used mono minis on my FS and HT for the last 8 years with no problems and spares are always easy to get.

Hope for me too. I’ve got mono 4 Evo’s and they outclass every other brake I’ve tried. That includes Avid BB7, Juicy 3 and 5, Elixer 5, Shimano XT 2011, LX 2008, SLX 2010. They also outshine Hope’s own mono 6 Ti.

All brakes are ‘powerful enough’ but it’s how that power gets delivered I reckon. If you want to feel the brake then get something that’s progressive rather than ‘on/off’.

Good luck with your choice OP!

This ones easy:
Brembo or AP.

Especially when used with ductil iron disks.

bwaarp, that story’s changed since last time you told it. A person might be forgiven for assuming you’re making it up.

I’d asked him about them, still hasn’t got them back! I thought he had by now! If you really want, I’ll post the paperwork when they come back through and see if he still has the Royal Mail receipt.

Shimano Deore

Own two pairs of SLX…and as Tony’s says…theyrrre great!

Hope Race Evo M4. If there’s a brake out there with better feel then I’d like to try it! Power’s never a problem with modern disk brakes and with appropriately large discs for your weight neither is heat management in the UK – being able to decelerate a bike whilst holding both tyres right on the edge of locking up is what it’s all about. I’m no great rider but it feels like I have ABS when following other riders and watching them skid all the time!

killwillforchips – Member
This ones easy:
Brembo or AP.

+1 for AP all the way 🙂

my hardtail has a 9 year old set of hope minis on it that have had literally no maintanence and work as well as the day I got them.

which to be fair is not great, I prefer my shimano

Brembo actually made MTB discs.

http://www.oppracing.com/category/469-brembo-high-performance-mountain-bike-brake-systems/

They’re basically early Hope brakes but five times pricier.

Garibaldi anyone? Kettle’s boiled.

Used hope for as many years as I can remember… maybe 1 or 2 too many!!

changed to shimano xtr… nothing comes close!

ok, now I need brembo brakes for my bike. They would have to come with bright red calipers though

Hope V2 or the new V4’s. Oodles of control and power, really easy to strip and service and all the spare parts you may need with great back up from the British manufacturers.

Hope all the way !!!

Hope m4 tech evo
Work. Last can be fixed. 3 good reasons.

I’d like to say hope but new shimano XT are the best I’ve tried by miles.
Don’t worry too much a bout spares, you won’t need any.

Don’t worry too much a bout spares, you won’t need any.

Yeah, you’ll need a whole new brake set!

There’s also the moral argument against Shimano brakes

1) They’re disposable items – Hopes are probably greener because you can make them last for longer.

2) You’re supporting the British economy instead of Japan/China’s.

I am surprised no ones mentioned Avid BB7s….

Just ace brakes – even if they are heavier and cable.. but they dont suffer heat issues in the same way as hydraulic… trail fixable and easy to live with – other than that my retro xt 4pots….

paul

So the Formula importer have sorted out their customer service? My old man still hasn’t got his 09 The Ones back from them yet after what must be getting on for four months. They told him about 2 weeks ago they had been sorted as well.

Sounds about par..

I’ve got some ’04 hope minis that just won’t die, but I prefer the shimano ones on my other bikes.

A good trick for winter with shimano brakes is to gaffer tape over the hole in the top of the rear calliper. It’ll stop as much shite from dropping down behind the pads onto the pistons.

I am surprised no ones mentioned Avid BB7s….

Just ace brakes – even if they are heavier and cable.. but they dont suffer heat issues in the same way as hydraulic… trail fixable and easy to live with – other than that my retro xt 4pots….

paul

You don’t get heat issues if you bleed the lines with Motul 600 or Castrol SRF.

Or use Shimano 😆

Or use Shimano

And get the equivalent heat performance by buying 30 quid finned pads every few months and expensive icetech rotors which you can melt on an Alpine descent because they use aluminium core rotors.

Real brakes don’t need any of that because they use proper motorsport fluid instead of mineral oil.

Shimano everytime.