-Lever:
Patented Feeling Control System (FCS) which changes the lever contact point!
Flip-flop lever design…are you Euro…or just Moto?
Removable lever clamp – no need to remove shifters and grips for lever removal.
Patented inline open system reservoir which makes for a super compact lever design.
Polyester braided hose for increased expansion resistance.
Nickel plated fasteners for increased corrosion resistance.
-Caliper:
Post mount style calipers w/adaptors. No little shims to mess with: Quick and easy adjustments.
22mm pistons for the most stopping power of any 2 piston brake (testing done by Bike Germany in conjunction with a German University).
Quick and easy pad replacement.
Vented Caliper for increased heat dissipation.
Nickel plated fasteners for increased corrosion resistance.
-395g with 160mm rotors, IS adaptor and all fasteners included!
-Add 32g for 180mm rotor and 62g for 200mm rotors.
Read the Professional Review for the Formula Oro K24! Click Here»
Submitted by
Rqukrawler
a Cross Country Rider
from Central Coast, CA, USA Date Reviewed: November 19, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Anything with singletrack
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
Ebay baby
Strengths:
Superlight and compact, no brake fade, amazing stopping power, quiet, self adjusting, adjustable lever throw and modulation, split clamp on bar for removal without disturbing grips.
Weaknesses:
Bright white color... on a mtb? A bit pricey. Hear they are a PITA to bleed and the instructions seem to back that up, but haven't tried myself yet. Need a $30 kit to bleed.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano 525's, V-brakes, old canti's back in the day
Bike Setup:
08' ETSX-70; plenty of goodies
Bottom Line:
I'll need to compare these to my old Deore M525's... the only other disc brakes I've used. But wait, there is no comparison!
The formula's have zero fade, predictable modulation and incredible stopping power. I'm a one finger brake lever guy and even on the longest decents I'm still only using one finger. They installed in minutes and I have not had to adjust them once. Super compact. They unclutter the bars nicely. My buddies thought they were cable actuated because the levers are so compact.
My old Shimano's would fade on medium to long decents to the point of not being able to lock the rear tire. Half way down I'd have to start using 2 fingers to get enough brake. I had to adjust them regularly to keep them from rubbing the rotors. None of these annoying problems exist with the Oro's. I'd buy them again in a heartbeat.
Overall 5 flamin' chilis... I'm going with 4 for value only due to the relatively high price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mb323323
a Cross Country Rider
from Marin Date Reviewed: October 3, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Anywhere on a trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$330.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Excellent modulation w/o giving up power. Feel like power brakes. A monkey could change the brake pads it so easy!!
Weaknesses:
Somewhat pricey but certainly worth the money. Only color available was white. I'm digging for something here because they've been so good and it's my nature to critique things.
Similar Products Used:
Avid cable, Hayes, Magura Louise, Avid Juicy. Magura's best of this group but not as good as the K24's.
Bike Setup:
Turner Flux w/ Fox, etc
Bottom Line:
I wanted to just chime in after about a year of using these. I ride 5 days a week and the ride usually includes a 2500 foot decent. The K24's are literally superior to all other brakes I've used.
Also, I've gone through some brake pads (they usually last 3 mos) and I like the organic pads best. I felt they have the most stopping power.
These brakes have very little if any fade at all during my 2500 foot decents.
Also took the bike to Downieville this Summer and had no fade problems what so ever.
I can be very critical of the things I buy for biking but these have been very good and I just don't have anything negative I can say about them.
5 chilis for overall and 4 for value just because $330.00 for bike brakes is insane. Isn't it?? I bought though so, oh well.
MB
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
beatfarmer
a Cross Country Rider
from Appleton, Maine Date Reviewed: October 2, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Snow Bowl
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$260.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
This forum was a major factor in choosing these brakes to replace the BB7's that my bike's previous owner installed. I love these brakes. Installation took about 15 minutes for rotors, calipers, and adapters. I love these brakes. As other reviewers have noted the power and modulation are exceptional. The only time they've made any noise is when the rotors are wet, though it's only ever been a light squeak and stops within a couple seconds of braking.
The FCS system is pretty nice in getting the front and rear to a similar response.
Even with an Alley Cat trailer with my 6 year old, the combo of which adds about 100 pounds, these brakes effortlessly stop the bike.
Positioning on the bars is great with Sram X-9 triggers. The split clamp is a great design feature. Levers are great in that I brake with my middle finger and have them mounted inboard of the shifters. Very comfortable set up.
Weaknesses:
I'm not sure if this is unique to Formulas, though I need to be very careful when putting the wheels on the bike to not catch the pads with the rotor. If I do they come out of alignment and rub. Not a huge deal since it only takes an allen wrench and about a minute to realign the caliper.
Uses DOT, I was really hoping to be running mineral oil since DOT fluid is so toxic.
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mini, BB7, Juicy 7
Bike Setup:
Turner 5 Spot, King, Fox, Sram, etc...
Bottom Line:
These brakes are awesome, especially since I got front and rear including rotors and adapters for $260. Hopefully they'll stay this nice, be easy to work on, and the pads won't wear out too quick.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
wenisman
a Weekend Warrior
from london Date Reviewed: September 28, 2009
Favorite Trail:
all single track
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
great modulation, lever feels positive and tracks fingers well, easy setup, loads of power.
Weaknesses:
levers are a little long (i crushed my fingers with 1 finger braking, so back to 2 fingers), parts...
this is going to be a comparison between the hope mini monos and the formula k24's as i bought both at the same time and they are about equal in terms of price paid and features offered.
the fitting of the k24's was alot easier than the hopes had been, this is due mainly to my fault as the hope were standard mount as i mis-ordered. that said the formulas really are a 15 minute fitting job if you have the right tools and know a little about bikes. but all post mount brakes will be this easy.
the first test came on the trails, the formulas and the hopes both performed an admirable job on the trail. both brakes have awesome stopping power and will pull you up as required, but the formulas do seem to have that little extra bite and control which is really only noticable in the muddy or rocky off camber corners. after a while the hopes started a little squeally grumble but this was due to a little damp and once reshimmed the grumbling stopped. the formulas did remain quiet and responsive and worked flawlessy for well over a year... really did fit and forget them. but the hopes did that too excluding the shim to stop the squeal.
i found the formula levers a little to long, so that if i used 1 finger to brake i would end up crushing my fingers. no amount of playing with the lever adjust or the grub screw fixed this, however the hope levers worked beautifully and i never experienced the finger vice as i did from the formulas.
the ultimate test came when i took my rocky etsx away for a long rough trip... and the abundance of parts and how easy they are to maintain came into question. after one particularly natsy crash i bent a lever, but on the forumlas these were not easy to get new parts and the process of replacing them was actually a little painful. also the pads are tough to get a hold of, i ended up having to hack and file some hope mini mono pads to make them fit until i could get real formula pads. again these are also my fault but should be a consideration when buying...
then somehow after 18months they had an air bubble in the system... i really should have bled them previously but they still worked flawlessly and my hopes worked without a rebleed. but this actually incurred another expense, the bleed kit was not cheap and i had to get an avid one. the bleed process is straight forwards, again takes a little bike knowledge however i personally find bleeding the hopes to be an easier and more drip free task. plus i dont need to buy a specialist bleed kit, i just need a little plastic hose, spanner and my allen key.
my overall impressions of the formula is that its a great system, easy to fit and will work extremely well in all conditions. but if you do get these brakes (or any formula) you will need to plan ahead. get spare brake pads, buy a bleed kit, and if anything goes wrong with the lever or caliper you are going to need to send them back. if you can live with a little less modulation and power but easier maintainence and hope provide possibly the best service known to man... then hope is the brake for you. all in all if you ever do a long distance trip where you will go days without visiting a city get the hopes... the forumals will last but if they go wrong you are gambling that you can fix it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MFranzen
a Weekend Warrior
from Tampa Date Reviewed: August 18, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Rollercoaster
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Great modulation, great lever feel, strong, relatively light, good looking, and very easy to set up.
Weaknesses:
I'll let you know if I think of one.
Similar Products Used:
XTR disc brakes
Bike Setup:
2001 Klein Adept with original fox float rear, and all new 2009 parts: Reba, Deus XC crankset, Hope II Pro / mavic 717 wheelset, XTR RD, XTR casette, LX FD, Sram Attack shifters, K24 brakes, Thomson elite setback post, laser v pro saddle, Bontrager XXX lite stem, Pluto carbon handlebars, King headset.
Bottom Line:
Excellent brakes, much better in every facet than the XTR disc brakes they are replacing. Modulation is much better, as is overall power, lever feel, adjustability, and ease of installation. Very happy, especially for the price of $200 per set (ebay)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
spaaarky21
a Weekend Warrior
from Omaha, NE Date Reviewed: July 22, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
- Great, smooth modulation
- Strong
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 7, BB7, Hayes So1e
Bike Setup:
Full suspension XC
Bottom Line:
I was sort of hesitant to spend the money for these, even for my "dream bike" but it was worth it. They are absolutely perfect. Very powerful but with nice smooth modulation. Nice shorter style levers. I usually brake with one finger for cross country riding. I also took these on the downhill style trails at Winter Park in Colorado and they handled themselves great. If you are on the fence about these brakes, buy them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SYDgilligan
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, AUS Date Reviewed: July 5, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Single
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
ebay? i forget
Strengths:
Power and quality.
Similar Products Used:
Standard hayes hydro.
Bottom Line:
Using the K24's on 7' discs front and rear on my Ibis Mojo... amazing power from this setup and NEVER need more than one finger on the lever to pull me up. My favorite riding is tight technical single track which i ride with my index fingers on each lever and the feel is just superb. The feel of the lever through its stroke is very smooth alowing for very precise power control. Very nice build quality. Have never heard them squeak even after a soaking and no signs of leaking. In my opinion Formula brakes are worth the higher price tag as once set up they will provide you with many miles of high performance, trouble free service. For me it has been a case of set and forget.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
guy on internets
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver Date Reviewed: July 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
the win
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Online somewhere.
Strengths:
Quiet, don't fade, great modulation.
Weaknesses:
Burn through pads quickly.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX Mags, Avid BB7 and Juicy.
Bike Setup:
Turner 5 spot, K24 brakes, King hubs.
Bottom Line:
Coming from Avid and Hayes brakes, I thought I'd try Formula K24s out on one of my bikes. I wasn't unhappy with either the Avids or Hayes hydros, but all I can say is I was missing out before. The formulas are incredible. They are a notch or two better in virtually every category than the Avid Juicy's, which are better (or at least less finicky) than the Hayes I have. My only complaint is the pad life, which is much lower than Im used to. Seems like I get more life out of my HFX-Mags pads on my DH bike than I do with the stock formula organic pads on my XC bike. This next set of pads Im going to try sintered. I don't live in a wet area (colorado), so Im used to even organic pads lasting a season anyway. Oh, and the replacement pads are more expensive than my other brakes. Ouch. Well worth the cost in the end though. 4 chili's because of the pad replacement expense.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kagey
a Cross Country Rider
from Durango Date Reviewed: June 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Depends on day and location
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Good price for a very nice brake
Good weight, about 420-430 gms each f and b including all hardwear and 180f and 160r rotors. Don't believe posted weights on any disk brake. In general I have found them very unreliable. Actual weights are usualy quite a bit higher.
Good adjustability, solid lever feel, quality all around
Could care less but white seems to go with everything.
useable adjustability (some brakes just have too many dials and knobs for my liking)
easy set up
Real Brake Fluid to manage heat better than mineral oil
Banjo fittings for adjustability
Weaknesses:
Hmm, will wait to see. Levers are a bit long but I use my middle finger to brake so not an issue.
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mini
Avid Juicy
Bike Setup:
Trail bike, leaning toward XC.
Gary Fisher Hi Fi XT level compenents about 27 lbs
Bottom Line:
Just bought these after very extensive research. Personally I really liked my old Hope Minis which I have used for about 6 years. More recently I have been using Avid Juicy 3s that came on my new bike a Gary Fisher HIFI.
Anyway, I always have prefered simple things that work well and according to most people who have tried them, the Formula K24 was the shisnit.
Unfortunately Formula does not get specd as OEM on new bikes so I never got a chance to demo or try them and I had to make this decision based on reviews and personal preferance based on specs.
spec wise, real hydro fluid, nice weight, adjusters for lever and feel, easy maint, adjustable banjos, clean design. Frankly I don't like all the knobs and dials on some brakes, ie newer HOPEs and AVID. The lever feel adjuster is almost hidden on the K24s. Also I never understood the need for a dial to adjust your lever reach, this should be a set it and forget it thing and small allen bolts work just fine. Anyway, formula does a nice job of making a very clean design that still has good adjustability without looking like the latest carnival attraction. . .
Install was straight forward, I got the smaller hose lengths and they fit my bike almost perfectly. Good enough that I don't plan on trimming hose until my first bleed, but even then I am talking about an inch at most. Bolt the adapters to the frame and the calipers to the adapter, spin the wheel (with rotor installed of course), hit the brakes, tighten down the caliper. Wow, compared to the hour of shimming it took to install my old Hope Minis, this seems too easy to be true. It is comparable to the avid system which is also very easy to set up but compared to the simplicity of the Formula I have to ask what the conical washers on the avids actually do; make up for poor tollerances?? Also be aware that the lever is a bit longer than usual and if you mount your levers outside the shifters it is more comfortable to one finger brake with your middle finger (which I do) instead of your index finger.
First couple of rides are about 10 miles, 5 up and 5 down with 2000' elevation gain/drop. Fortunately the first ride it rained on the way down so I got to really bed these puppies in with a little grime.
One finger braking all the way down. No noise, no grunting (gobble), no fade. Just consistent stopping power when I needed it. Honestly I don't know if I actually needed to break these in since they seemed to work extremely well already. By the second ride I would have to say these are bedded in as I can't imagine they would need any more power.
Frankly my previous Juicy 3 had tons of power and are comparable to the Formulas on full braking mode, but they had very little modulation, they were on or off. With the formulas you can go from easy to med to hard with one finger, and the transfer of power is noticable and very controllable. Modulation is incredible. My older Minis had great modulation as well but lacked in overall power. The Formula seems to have both the high end stopping power and the finely tuned modulation I seem to have always been missing.
A noticable difference in modulation came on a certain section of downhill where at speed you approach a couple of back to back loose off camber corners that lead into an even more loose switchback. Basically you need to work the brakes softly through the off cambers and then slam them hard as you enter the switchbacks. In this section I have had a few near misses and one serious crash due to the off/on power of the Avids locking up the front wheel, with the formula I was able to control my braking power enough to rail through these sections without any concern of loosing traction. It was eye opening, and a tribute to what this brake is capable of.
The front brakes makes a very cool humming noise as you put the power down (I have the lightweight R1 rotors). It is actually soothing and not annoying at all. It also helps to calmly warn uphill trail users of your approach.
This is just my first couple of rides with this brake so obviously you can take my review with a grain of salt, but having ridden disks for the last 7 years and having tried a few other brakes on demos, including Shimanos, avid elixir and hayes, I am very impressed and extremely happy with my decision to buy these brakes. Frankly I am amazed that Formula is such an unknown brand with such an apparent level of quality and high performance. Goes to prove again that big names are not always the best.
For now I have to give this all flames a go. Though I may be back to re-review after more experience with durability and servicing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
knottshore
a Cross Country Rider
from Maryland Date Reviewed: June 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
The one I' on
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Internet
Strengths:
Excellent Quality, Great Lever Feel, Light weight
Weaknesses:
Shifter Compatibility
Similar Products Used:
XTR STI, Avid Juicy 7, BB7 etc...
Bike Setup:
Always Changing-
Bottom Line:
THIS IS AN FYI FOR COMPATIBILITY ONLY I CAN NOT ATTEST TO ANYTHING ELSE
08 Model-
I was super excited to install my Formula Oro K-24's and as I was putting on the levers they did not play nice with my XTR shifters (970 series). At first I thought oh, well change the set up to shifters inboard.... nope. I flipped them around 7 ways to Sunday and still could not find a mix that worked for me.
I know everyone has a set-up preference but the shape of the clamp along with the shape of the lever blade on the Oro K24's does not allow them to mesh well with the XTR shifters(even with the slide adjustment on the new XTR's). If you run the brakes outside your shifters the lever is way too far to the end of the bar, you are gripping above the intended area, vice versa and the shifter body has to be twisted like 30 degrees down from the brake lever-
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RJG
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz, CA Date Reviewed: February 12, 2009
Favorite Trail:
There are no trails here
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Ebay, some shop in C
Strengths:
Braking power, feel, modulation, adjustable reach and contact
Weaknesses:
Original pads
Similar Products Used:
BB7's
Bike Setup:
Titus Racer X
Bottom Line:
I was a former fluid-a-phob but I am sold on these bad boys. Believe the hype. I'm sure when it comes to maintaining them and bleeding them I may have a different review. For now I'm loving these brakes. I love the BB7's and have them on another bike but I'm ready to switch.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Reschke
a Downhiller
from Edmonton, AB, Canada Date Reviewed: December 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Silverstar Bike Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
RVCNS
Strengths:
Weight, power, modulation, clean looks.
Weaknesses:
Flimsy plastic FCS adjuster, watch out for factory bleed.
Similar Products Used:
hayes 9's, Deore's, Juicy 3's
Bike Setup:
2006 Giant Faith 2, 888 SL ATA, Formula Oro k24's, e.13DRS, X9 Gripshifts.
Bottom Line:
These brakes have good, steady, reliable power. 1 finger braking is easily achieved. Zero brake fade. Overall great performance. Only beef is the flimsy plastic contact adjuster. I bought a pair, and one of them was broken right out of the box. Also, watch the factory bleed. My rear brake was burning through pads on one side, turned out to be a partial airlock, causing imbalanced forces on the pistons. Oh, and when it came back on warranty from trying to diagnose that problem, it came back with another broken adjuster! Argh! Other than that, pretty good brake. I'd give it all fives if it weren't for the bloody flimsy adjuster.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
clvlc4door
a Downhiller
from Greenville sc Date Reviewed: October 1, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Greenslick
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$109.00
Purchased At:
aebike.com
Strengths:
Super light weight, easy to set up, easy to change pads, VERY easy to bleed, great feel, SO MUCH POWER!!
Weaknesses:
I have been running these things for over a year now and I still would not change a thing on them.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano disk brakes
Bike Setup:
Knolly DT, pike 454, dt swiss wheels, yada yada
Bottom Line:
Buy these brakes and dont think about any others. This is one of the few brakes that is used on super light XC bikes and on full on DH big bikes that tells you alot.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Iwan Kemp
a Weekend Warrior
from Cape Town, South Africa Date Reviewed: September 28, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Tokai / Harkerville and Jonkers at night
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Factory Store
Strengths:
Light
No heat build-up
Great feel
Adjustability
Value for money
By far the best brakes I've ever had on a bike. They are stronger for longer than Avid's with no drop in performance. Levers are the perfect shape for my fingers and the feel is great.
Not sure about out there, but in SA they represent unbelievable value for money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
alvincaesar
a Weekend Warrior
from St. Lucia Date Reviewed: September 13, 2008
Favorite Trail:
All
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$404.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat and Masher
Strengths:
Light, easy to set up, powerful
Weaknesses:
has anyone noticed any yet?
Similar Products Used:
was using Avid BB7's before
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper Expert 06 with lots of goodies
Bottom Line:
Truth is, I've been using Avid BB7's for the past few years and didn't see the need to upgrade because of how easy and reliable they were to use, despite the constant fine tuning. Recently I got the urge to go hydraulic and after intensive searching on mtbr reviews and forums to find the best I decided on the K24's. I should point out that it is imperative that I get what's very reliable cause I'm no where near the U.S.A. and I don't have the option of running to the LBS to get stuff fixed. Enough about other stuff! Did I say they were easy to set up? The manual makes things very clear and straight forward. After installation i took it to the nearest paved hill and begun to burn it in. Damn, after a few pulls of the lever you begin to feel the power. I had this grin all down the hill, man they're impressive (not fully burned in yet) You could fly down the hill and wait for the last moment, pull in the levers and almost instantly you've slowed down. Please tell me what was I thinking using that mechanical disc for so long? I know I made the correct choice by choosing the K24's, they're not cheap but you got to pay to play and I think it's worth every cent. I'll post updated review when we spend more quality time together. For the moment I'm more than satisfied with my purchase. Formula makes the best brakes hands down! Anyone looking for the best? Look no furthur!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Date Reviewed: July 15, 2008
Favorite Trail:
All of em
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
Great power and modulation
Weaknesses:
Organic pads wear out really fast
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Shimano, Avid
Bike Setup:
5 Spot
Bottom Line:
I switched from and Avid mechanical 8 inch and the 6 inch Oros have about twice as much power. The FCS really makes a difference because they can be set so that the brake will not lock out the wheel unless you squeeze extra hard. They are quiet, the adjustments are a snap. I don't think about the brakes much anymore which is pretty much the ultimate compliment. I have been able to handle very tight switchbacks and steep rocky sections with confidence. Buy some and you won't be disappointed.
The organic pads only last about 2 months but the sintered pads last 6 months (for about 8,000 feet per week downhill on average). The organic pads are little smoother and modulate a little better but not enough difference to change pads every 2 months.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ian oliphant
a Cross Country Rider
from england Date Reviewed: June 6, 2008
Favorite Trail:
elan valley, wales
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
velocitycycles
Strengths:
all round power, weight,looks, modulation
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
magura marta sl,hope mini
Bike Setup:
mountain cycle fury with pace rc40 fighter. 180mm front, 160mm rear-carbon levers
Bottom Line:
came as stock on cube ams pro (100mm travel) marathon bike,switched onto my mountain cycle fury because they were just too good/strong for a lightweight marathon build. On my MC Fury they rock!!!!fit, ride, and keep on riding. Can handle top descents with ease -no fade or drag
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Lafferty
a Downhiller
from Clayton, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: April 14, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Diablo
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$175.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Easy to set-up. No spnggy feel. Excellent modulation: You can grab a ton of stopping power but easily keep from locking-up. Very precise feel. They run Cool Cool Cool No noise other than the faint sound of the rotor holes going by the pads (I like that one).
Weaknesses:
None that I have found. Perhaps a little pricey.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 3 (not a happy thing)
Bike Setup:
Iron Horse Hollow-point MKII Comp. I'm using the K24's with 203 rotors.
Bottom Line:
These are an excellent brake for long steep decents. They have outstanding feel and control. I've pushed these real hard on 4000ft decents with no overheating, noise, fading or any other problems like experienced with other brakes. I ride most days so even though these have only been on the bike a month, it's a lot of hard ridin'. The last set of brakes showed the weakneses in a mateer of a week or so. Buy 'um and forget about 'um-like brakes should be. Now I can just ride. Yes!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a
from Asheville, NC, ASU Date Reviewed: December 8, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$175.00
Strengths:
Totally reliable and smooth with perfect modulation...smooth as butter!
Weaknesses:
Nobody uses them, so if you're heading off to a foreign country to race through 50 kinds of mud, replace your pads with the metal ones, and bring about 4 extras.
Similar Products Used:
a bunch of others
Bike Setup:
frame, wheels, seat, crank, etc.
Bottom Line:
Rode La Ruta with these this year. When my pads wore down to the metal coming off of Mount Irazu in a torrent of mud and cow manure, I couldn't find a soul using these brakes. I was stupid on two counts: a) not bringing extras, and b) not using metal pads. Troy, Tinker's Mechanic, helped me hustle together a new set, using some LX pads and a hacksaw, while it got dark, in a barn, on a coffee plantation, on the side of a mountain, in Costa Rica. He's a genius. I'm an idiot. The brakes are wonderful. On my return, the brakes were the only part of my Turner Sultan that didn't need rebuilding. The only reason I don't give it a 5 chili rating is the difficulty imposed on me by the rarity of these brakes (I had three people hand me XTR and XT brake pads...and I just sat there with my thumb up my butt unable to do anything with them). Again, if yer goin' off into the wilderness, bring extra pads!!!!! I could easily have dnf'ed without the lucky assistance of Troy and Tinker Juarez.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from Hong Kong Date Reviewed: December 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light, powerful, good modulation, quiet, very easy to set up
Weaknesses:
Bleeding procedures not as simple as Shimanos/Hope.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes El camino, Avid Juicy7, Hope mono, Shimano XTR
Bike Setup:
Nomad, Roco Air TST, Fox 36 talas RC2, XO stuff and other goodies.
Bottom Line:
I replaced the XTR by it and I got to say this is probably one of the best brake I ever have so far. Just tested it last weekend in China for a 3 days' trip. Lots of ups and downs, muddy rides. The power just didn't fade and remain quiet even after non-stop descent of half and hour. Now I'm waiting for coming of "The One" and the other set of XTR on my Ibis mojo will also have to go.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin
a Cross Country Rider
from Indianapolis Date Reviewed: November 5, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Light, quiet, solid levers, huge stopping power
Weaknesses:
What?
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy, XT etc.
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper w/ full x.o, crossmax, stylo carbon cranks
Bottom Line:
Don't waste your time shopping around. Just pick up some K24s and you'll be happy. I won't ever put a different brand of brakes on any bike I own.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don Jones
a Cross Country Rider
from Auburn Date Reviewed: September 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Easy to install. The stopping power is very good even with the smaller rotors. The lever feel is excellent and they are quiet!
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
The old hope mini's
Bike Setup:
Turner 5-spot
Bottom Line:
I finally got tired of my old brakes. They modulated well and the stopping power was OK, but they were never quiet. The formulas are better in all aspects. Power is quite a bit better. They were way easier to install, no washers. I am always waiting for the squeal to come back, but it doesn't. Overall excellent product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marcin Marek
a Cross Country Rider
from Poland Date Reviewed: August 27, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$425.00
Bottom Line:
Very best !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steven
a Cross Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: August 7, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Cannock Chase
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Chain Reaction Cycles
Strengths:
Power, modulation, build quality, reliability, simple to setup, look great, comfortable lever design, lightweight, mostly silent when braking, haven't noticed any fade in power during descents, competitive price (same RRP as Avid Juicy 7 in UK).
Weaknesses:
The lever for my front brake is a bit wobbly, but it isn't at all noticable when riding and the rear brake lever doesn't wobble at all (which has slightly newer manufacture date).
Occasional squeal when the rotors get wet, it's not especially loud though and they never make a noise in the dry.
Spares aren't so easy to get hold of in the UK, but you can find them online without too much problem (Chain Reaction Cycles have a good range of parts for formula brakes). Hopefully this will get better as Formula's popularity increases.
Bike Setup:
I'm using these for the front and rear brakes on my Giant XTC 07 frame with Rockshox SID Race forks and Mavic XC717 disc rims on Hope Pro 2 hubs.
Bottom Line:
I bought the front disc brake almost 4 months ago and was so pleased that the next week I rushed out to get another for the rear. Since then I've done over 900 miles and they have been 100% dependable all the time, not even a hint of a problem. They're simple to install, the rotors did require a slight bit of truing as they weren't 100% flat when new, but that's to be expected and since truing them, they haven't warped at all. I use them with Shimano Deore trigger shifters, which work fine with the brake levers.
I use my index finger for shifting and my middle finger for braking, which allows me to use the gears and brakes at the same time, and only having to use 1 finger for braking helps to keep a good grip on the bars. People who like to use their index finger for braking will probably struggle to get a comfortable position though, as the display on the Shimano shifters prevents the brake lever from being moved inwards enough, apparently SRAM shifters fit better though.
They have a dial to adjust the amount of lever travel required to use the brakes, which is located snugly at the base of the lever, well out of the way but easy to use.
I run 160mm rotors front and rear for XC riding, which provides plenty of stopping power for my weight (I'm 59kg and my bike is 11kg). Once you get upto around 25mph (about 40kph I think), they start take a fair bit more pressure if you want to stop in a dramatic fashion, but upto that speed it's 1 finger braking with a nice grabby but modulated feel.
Overall, these are highly recommended to XC riders and a very well deserved 5/5.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake Date Reviewed: August 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Modulation Power Looks Very quiet Weight No fading
Weaknesses:
Spendy
Similar Products Used:
Avid mechanicals
Bike Setup:
Titus Racer X
Bottom Line:
I made the switch Avid mechanicals to shave weight and to improve performance. I really liked the Avids but I really wanted a better lever feel that hydros offered and wanted one finger braking. I liked the return action on the Formulas compared to other hydros; although I did like the feel of the XTR's.
I ride cross country and have 160's on both the front and rear. I have never felt the need for a larger rotor. I hate noise on the trail, and these brakes are pretty quiet and yet strong. Depending on the terrain, you can hear a "zzzzz" instead of grinding noise as many of the other brakes produce.
The Formulas have great single-finger stopping power. The modulation is excellent. The one finger braking allows me a better grip on the handle bars, and this has improved my descending. I have not noticed any heat fading even on a 4.5 mile descent.
No regrets on this purchase- just smiles. These were spendy but they were simply better than the other brakes I looked at. The Oro's are a perfect compliment for my riding style and bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russell Norman
a Weekend Warrior
from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa Date Reviewed: July 14, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great looks, Decent weight, Awesome lever feel and brake control, Unbeatable stopping power, Stupidly simple to install.
Weaknesses:
Plastic piston in the lever broke so ALL the power went. I believe that Formula have replaced it with an aluminium one on their new products and the dealer warranteed mine within a week with Alu pistons in both levers. (Although only one broke.)
Similar Products Used:
Magura Julie, Shimano XT, Formula mechanical
Bike Setup:
Morewood Shova, Fox 32 Talas,
Bottom Line:
These brakes really are fantastic. whatever riding you do, BUY THESE!!! Choose the correct rotor size for your riding style and go for it! I have 160mm rotors front and rear, and I have never needed more power on even the gnarliest of descents.
When Honda were speccing brakes for their proto DH bike they spent ages testing every brake on the market and settled with these. Greg Minnaar even has his own signature model. Enough said.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ted W
a
from Eagan, MN, USA Date Reviewed: July 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Lebanon Hills, Eagan MN
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
This brake has great modulation and power. The lever feels solid and so smooth.
Weaknesses:
None yet except they can be pricey.
Similar Products Used:
BB7s and XT hydros with DC levers.
Bike Setup:
Ti single speed with a Reba Team fork
Bottom Line:
I really love these brakes! They work great and are so smooth. The best part is that there has not been one squeal, chirp, garble, zing, ping, shudder, or skreach out of these brakes.
Braking just seems effortless and is so controlled.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ragnar Schaa
a Weekend Warrior
from Germany Date Reviewed: June 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
downthehill.de
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
w/bike
Strengths:
hmmm, everything you could want from a brake + optional lever clamps to integrate X0/X9 shifters....
Weaknesses:
maybe the price for adapters and the 220mm floating disc
Similar Products Used:
Julie, GustavM, Hayes
Bottom Line:
am running the optional 220mm floating disc up front and 200mm rear. this is the ace setup for loads of vertical descent without fading etc. stopping power and modulation are on a par with the GustavM I rode for 4 years and 30% less weight. the optional lever clamps to attach X0 or X9 shifters directly put the icing on the cake and make for a really clean layout on your bar! will handle FR/DH use with ease...BUY'EM
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will Carragher
a Weekend Warrior
from Cumbria, U.K Date Reviewed: June 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Glentress Black
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Chain Reaction
Strengths:
Endless power, very well controlled modulation, easy and obvious to attach adjust and work. Very Light!..., nicely made like a real work of art, totally dependable, even red hot the rotors don't bend, warp or cause pump up or fade...and that's a fact!!
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 7, Hayes HFX 9 XC, HMX-1, Hope Mono Mini, Magura Marta SL.
They seem to have endless power with the standard XC set up of 180/160, very good modulation gives these brake the edge over everything I have used to date and as I have said the power is peerless. Add to that easy and obvious to attach adjust and work on, very light indeed, and you have a really excellent brake set up. I have been using these for about 15 months now, often in appauling conditions, and they have been first class. Cannot understand why they are not seen on more bikes, but I am not complaining because with this sort of performance and weight it just makes them exclusive.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dene Davis
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton, Canada Date Reviewed: May 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Cypress Hills
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Internet sales
Strengths:
Stopping power, modulation, weight, finish, ease of fitting and use, reliability, looks.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mono Mini, Hope M4, Magura Julie, Magura Marta SL.
Bike Setup:
Kona King Kikapu etc.
Bottom Line:
After the maintenance issues, lack of power, warped rotors and pad drag that I have had with my Hope brakes...this Formula system has come as a refreshing change. The stopping power from a 180x160 system is stunning and coupled with the excellent modulation and superb lever "feel" makes this one top brake. I set this up in minutes and adjustments have been a breeze. No reliability issues at all. I have not had to touch them in a year. By now Guys with Hope brakes will be picking their jaws up off of the floor.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Delaney
a Weekend Warrior
from Upper St. N.Y. Date Reviewed: April 17, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Spectacular power delivery with exceptional modulation. Very light but with a good engineering base that ensures a real quality finish. Plenty of rotor choices.
Weaknesses:
No Caveats
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Magura, Hope and Avid.
Bottom Line:
This is a definitive brake set-up and delivers spectacular power with exceptional modulation. The finish and overall quality is all that other riders have said here and the brakes exude confidence to any rider in any situation. There is a rotor size to suit any discipline of riding. Reliability and Dependability can be taken for granted and I can totally recommend these excellent brakes to any rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon Edge
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: April 15, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Ae
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Powerful and great modulation. Low weight coupled with power and superior build quality equals stunning brakes. Extremely reliable. Rotors do not warp and system does not suffer brake fade. Good price.
Weaknesses:
None at all.
Bottom Line:
Stunning Brakes. I too am amazed that this system is so efficient. Low weight coupled with power and superior build quality equals stunning brakes. Total reliability coupled with ease of fitment and adjustment make this a confidence winning brake. Still find it hard to believe the power, and you get no brake fade even when the rotor is glowing. One totally sorted brake.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Mathews
a Weekend Warrior
from N.Wales Date Reviewed: April 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
The Marin
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Chain Reaction
Strengths:
Very powerful. Very light. Very good modulation. Easy to install. Very reliable. Can take a lot of heat and not pump-up. Really nice to use.
Weaknesses:
No Weaknesses
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy Seven. Hayes HFX. Hope Mono Mini. Magura Marta SL.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler/Fox RLC Forks.
Bottom Line:
They have got to be the best brakes on the market. Never ridden anything so competent. To fit them is straight forward.....which for me is a sign of good engineering, and the power and feel just is something else. Very dependable with a good wet weather performance right up there too. I am very glad I got these and I have tried many brakes. I really think they are the best on the market. Oh....and I use 180x160 and they have masses of power.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nicky Fallander
a Weekend Warrior
from B.C. Canada Date Reviewed: April 9, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Fabulous design and finish and very low in weight. Sturdy rotors and tons of stopping power with great modulation. Nice lever feel and easy to both install and adjust.
Weaknesses:
They are so amazingly good that I ride too fast because I know I can brake late and hard. Makes me wonder if I'll come off.
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mono Mini (Pain)...M4 (unreliable) Hayes HFX Mag XC(Lacks modulation) Magura Julie (cheap but good)
Bike Setup:
Kona king kikapu 06
Bottom Line:
Excellent Brakes. Still can't believe that I had to go buy and use so many poor brakes before I finally found ones that did everything that a modern brake should. This is an awesome brake and the sheer power is well above what it should produce but with a boat load of real useable modulation! Beautiful quality finish and a pleasure to use and own. This is the kind of kit that makes your riding better, your bike look great and your confidence rise.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jonathan sykes
a Weekend Warrior
from Ayase, Japan Date Reviewed: April 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$474.00
Purchased At:
www.ride-this.com
Strengths:
light weight, impeccable craftsmanship, power, modulation, easy installation, set up, and break in. did i mention power and modulation. oh, and they a f-ing silent.
santa cruz chameleon, fox 32 vanilla rlc, hope pro II's laced with dt swiss to ex823's, hope skewers, formula k24's, thomson stem/seatpost, saint cranks/e-13 bash, xt drivetrain, evolve dh bar.
Bottom Line:
i love these brakes, the modulation is so good that i can ride an endo, they are so strong that i can do said endo using only one finger. the fact that they are completely silent makes me giddy like a school girl at the prom. they are beautiful to look at. no overheating problems. i had them installed and set up in minutes. let me put it this way, these are the only brakes that i will trust, i simply will not ride anything else. i would have gladly paid more and i would definitely buy these again, and again. don't skimp on the most important components on your bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
W
a Cross Country Rider
from Skagit County, WA Date Reviewed: March 23, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Modulation, stopping power, weight, looks
Weaknesses:
Absolutely none
Similar Products Used:
Juicy 7, Hayes 9 Carbon
Bike Setup:
Turner Flux, Fox F100RLT, Stan's NoTubes w' King hubs and Nevegal tires, Sram X-9 drivetrain, Race Face Dues XC Cranks
Bottom Line:
Buy them. They are the best hydraulic disc brakes on the market for the price. Stop on a dime with perfect modulation. The K-24's have made brakes a no brainer. Better modulation than the both the Hayes and the Juicy's - and they don't make that ridiculous tinker-toy sound that the Juicy's make.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Reg James
a Weekend Warrior
from Scotland Date Reviewed: March 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Glentress Black
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Really powerful and well modulated brake. very light weight. easy to install. good stock pads. bed in quickly. very adjustable even the bite point. high quality construction and finish. don't overheat.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Hope/Hayes/Shimano/Avid
Bike Setup:
Ibis
Bottom Line:
What a stunning brake this has turned out to be. Ludicrous amount of power for a xc brake, this can out freeride the freeride brakes. More powerful than Hope M4 in the 180x160. Tons of feel and no weight to them at all. But I like the fact that the rotors are strong and don't just bend easily like some light weights. Great design that looks real top notch quality. I've roasted these, in fact incinerated them on the Les Gets runs in the French Alps ...like purple rotors.. and they have never faded!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Crabbe
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: March 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Glentress
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Chain Reaction
Strengths:
Power. Weight. Modulation. Simplicity. Ease of adjustment. Reliability.
Weaknesses:
None at all.
Similar Products Used:
Hope, Hayes, Magura, Shimano.
Bike Setup:
Spec FSR
Bottom Line:
Very impressed. I cannot get over how powerful these brakes can be. I have 180 X 160 and they are probably more that I need. Modulation is excellent and they were easy to fit and adjust. There are so many nice little touches to these brakes that shout out quality. Really nice Italian design to them too which doesn't really matter but is a nice bonus! But most of all great power, modulation, ease of use, very good price and immensely reliable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tkul FoxyR
a Weekend Warrior
from Lisbon Date Reviewed: March 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Sintra - dh
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Madrid/Getafe
Strengths:
Power, reliability, adjustment, ergonomic, weight, easy to maintain and adjust.
Weaknesses:
Paint in the lever came of after 2 year riding (this isn’t a weakness… it’s normal!).
Similar Products Used:
Hope, Magura, Hayes, Avids.
Bike Setup:
Mondraker FoxyR, Marz. AllMtn1, XT, etc.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a REAL disc brake buy it! The only thing that matters is disc size:
I don’t think you will need 200/200… but I will leave that to your judgment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dean Holden
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K Date Reviewed: March 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Marin
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Light weight and amazing power. Plenty of mopdulation. Very reliable. Do not overheat. Stock pads are first class. A really well designed and made brake system.
Weaknesses:
Absolutely none
Similar Products Used:
Loads from Hope, Hayes, Magura and Avid.
Bike Setup:
Marin Mount Vision.
Bottom Line:
Formula have got to be the best MTB Hydraulic Disc Brake manufacturers on the market. Oustanding performance and feel coupled with the legendary reliability and superb Italian styling makes this a brake un matched.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
d.ten
a Weekend Warrior
from Highlands, scotland Date Reviewed: January 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
strathpuffer route
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
bikepath (US)
Strengths:
simple to install, look great, leaver adjustment is ace, easy pad removal
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
hope mini's, Magura
Bike Setup:
turner 5 spot, RS revelation, king/D>T 5.1 wheelset, SramX9, raceface atlas, LP bars and post etc
Bottom Line:
I used these for a month and had the bite adjust at full. changed the hoses for a set of Goodridge and WOW what a difference. These will stop a truck. Basically IMHO the best brake system available at the moment (skip the puros, get the K24's and fit some goodridge hoses)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR Date Reviewed: January 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Ape Canyon/Smith Creek
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
I didn't win the Downiville XC
Strengths:
I have tried Hope Monos and Avid Juicy 5s and the Formula K24s are by far the best disc brake I have had. The hopes and the avids both had their drawbacks, mainly non-reliable and poor modulation. The K24s have great stopping power and dont stutter like my avids did. They are also very easy to setup.
Weaknesses:
The first pads I had in these were the organic ones and they squealed quite a bit, it was unbearable. However, one quick call to the guys at FormulaUSA and they gave me a set of sintered pads to try. Problem solved, no more intense squealing. Yes they do squeak a bit in wet conditions, but nothing like my avids or hopes.
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mono and Avid Juicy 5
Bike Setup:
Carl Strong custom Ti HT Frame with lots of cool stuff on it.
Bottom Line:
The best brakes I've tried so far. VERY happy with these. They look great, stop on a dime and I have yet to experience any kind of vapor lock. Even though I didn’t get a free pair for winning the Downiville XC race, I would highly recommend these to anyone.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike V
a Weekend Warrior
from Littleton, CO USA Date Reviewed: November 12, 2006
Best brakes I've used or tried. Power is unbelievable, yet modulation is also very good. Easy to set up and maintain, no noise. Overall good quality. I would recommend these brakes to anyone, simply the best brakes I've used (or tried). Virtually no noise, couldn't be happier. Any product this good deserves serious consideration & 5 full chilis across the board.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wes
a Cross Country Rider
from Gifu City Date Reviewed: November 5, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Mt Yoro Japan
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Chainreaction cycles
Strengths:
Adjustabiltily, Ergonomics, Price
Weaknesses:
Parts can be hard to find, clamp size is quite big, gets in the way of trigger shifters
These are the best brakes I`ve ever used for the riding I do and I was lucky to pick them up cheap, I run 6inch rotors front and rear which are ample for xc and touring. One finger braking is no problem. I`ve taken these brakes on 10 Km downhill trails with no problems and the modulation is adjustment is great, 6 inch rotors doing there job well enough. I would like to change the rear hydraulic line to kevlar etc as it does feel a squishy compared with the front. My main problem with these brakes is trying to get parts here in Japan ( all parts in general! )
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Mountain View, CA Date Reviewed: October 28, 2006
Favorite Trail:
007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with Bike
Strengths:
Quiet Good modulation No noise No pad rub (like XTR) Everything just works
Weaknesses:
Hard to find Pads
Similar Products Used:
XTR disc brakes (ok) Hayes disc brakes (crappy) Magura Gustav M (also good) Deore Disc brakes (ok for the price)
Bike Setup:
Blur XC sram X0
Bottom Line:
Best disc brakes for single (non tandem use) that I've tried so far. They get the job done, and you don't think about them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jake
a Cross Country Rider
from Ada, Oklahoma Date Reviewed: September 7, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Strengths:
Stopping power.
Weaknesses:
None as far as performance. Product is marketed as including rotors and adapters, however, they are seperate.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 5
Bike Setup:
2005 Giant XTC
Bottom Line:
These brakes are awsome to say the least. I originally purchased a set of Juicy 5s new with the bike. From the get-go I had nothing but problems with the brakes from loud squealing to harsh vibrations that got worse with pressure and heat. On top of that the rear brake consitantly got soft as if there was air in the system. After several bleeding atempts levers finanlly locked into an aft position and would not release. Avid said it was due to a weak return spring and would not warranty them out. They are not even a year old.
I read a lot on the Formula brakes and heard nothing but great reviews expect from the local bike shop who discouraged getting them and only swore by the Avids. However, I went aginst what they said and purchased the K24s. Right out of the box the brakes were great and as the system continued to break-in stopping power continued to increase as well. I know there are some who say it takes awhile to get used to the lever feel, however, it was my opinion that they had the best feel out of any other system.
The breaks did start to have a vibration that steadily got worse in the rear. I contacted Formula about the problem and walked me through a few simple trouble shooting procedures. In the end they sent out new rotors and a new sintered pad they are making for '07. They customer service was excellent.
In all this is a great braking system that is well worth the money if you are willing to spend it. The system will set you back between $190-$200 per set. However, the system is displayed as if it includes rotors and adapters but does not. Those will set you back an additional $35-$45 per set.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
D Line
a
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: August 29, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
ease of setup, power, simplicity
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
avid mechs
Bottom Line:
This was my first venture into hydros, and I think I stumbled upon a winner. I was looking at Juicys, but gave these a try, and am glad I did. I had some problems shortening the hoses, but I attribute that to inexperience with hydraulics. After bleeding and cutting hoses once, I think it'll be easier the next time. The post mounts make aligning the calipers easy, requiring no shims.
They work extremely well on the trial - 1 finger power a plenty. My hands don't hurt anymore from a long downhill. There aren't many gizmos to mess with, except the FCS, and it does make a difference in lever feel. Once you get them where you like them, though, you really just forget about them.
My hesitation in going to hydraulics from Avid Mech Discs was that the Mechs worked great, and didn't require much attention - they just did what they're supposed to. It seems the Formulas adhere to the same principles, so I'm a happy customer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Formula User
a Racer
from Europe Date Reviewed: August 20, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$250.00
Strengths:
very good modulation, looking, braking.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
hayes, shimano deore
Bottom Line:
The best brakes ever.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: July 5, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Anything Singletrack
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Formula
Strengths:
Light, good looking, no fade, easy set up
Weaknesses:
occasionally a little squeaky (in the dry). probably just some dust on the rotors
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT 4 piston
Bike Setup:
Asylum 29er set up for endurance racing
Bottom Line:
These brakes are far and away the best single purchase I have made for my mountain bike in a long time. They modulate very well, the ACS works great and they were easy to install. I used to constantly deal with rub on my XT's but never on these brakes. They have held up great in the endurance races I have done and I've even had people comment on my bike and the first thing they talk about is the brakes! Like I said they are really nice looking.
They were pre-bled right out of the box and have worked like a charm ever since. Definitely consider these brakes as an upgrade.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul B
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Barbara Date Reviewed: June 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Wissahickon
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$420.00
Purchased At:
Competitive Cyclist
Strengths:
OOPS i wrote $320 below, the set was $420..wishful thinking, but they're still worth every penny! the 160mm's are more powerful than 180mm Hope M4's!
Weaknesses:
none.
Bottom Line:
OOPS i wrote $320 below, the set was $420..wishful thinking, but they're still worth every penny! the 160mm's are amazingly powerful; levers are the best in the business.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PB
a Racer
from Plainsboro, NJ Date Reviewed: June 6, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Reliability, strength, build quality.
Weaknesses:
Modulation at a bit tricky at first; very "on" "off" feeling until you get used to them.
Similar Products Used:
Marta SL
Bike Setup:
Titus Racer-X
Bottom Line:
Excellent brakes; I am completely happy with them after getting rid of the very finicky and high maintenance Martas. Power is amazing and the lever feel is great - very easy to setup and they haven't needed one bit of attention in 1,000 miles of riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul B
a Racer
from Santa Barbara Date Reviewed: May 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Fulgore
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
Competitive Cyclist
Strengths:
great laydown of power. modulation is great. levers don't clack and are nice and stiff. super easy to adjust. extremely quiet(even when wet). Super easy to bleed.
Weaknesses:
Master cylinder doesn't mate well with Sram Rocket shifters. Other negative is, i've stopped searching for the ultimate brake(searching is half the fun). FCS(feeling control system) is a great addition.
Similar Products Used:
Hope monoM4, Shimano XT/XTR/Saint, Juicy 7
Bike Setup:
Intense Tazer VP/Pike, Intense 6.6/66, ASX/36RC2 with K24, XT brakes, and monoM4's, respectively.
Bottom Line:
Get them. I paid $320 for the entire set, front and rear with rotors and adapters.
Superb feeling brakes. The rotors seem to have been finished well: the surface doesn't take forever to burn in like Hope rotors, and clamp up great, and the edges are ever so slightly rounded making them a bit safer to handle.
Set up is a snap. power is on hand. truly a single finger brake. FCS, while somewhat vague, does help in adjustment, and is far and away a better and more reliable system than the Juicy's.
The stickers that came in the box rock too!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew Klauser
a Cross Country Rider
from Feldafing Date Reviewed: March 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
yes
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
www.hibike.de
Strengths:
Really made well and solid. Marzocchi-like finish: nothing is loose, good solid feel, perfect function.
Weaknesses:
None whatsoever
Similar Products Used:
Hayes
Bike Setup:
Hot Chili Zymotic Hardtail, Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3 fork, King headset, Thompson stem and seatpost, Mavic rims, tune hubs...
Bottom Line:
20cm rotor version. This is really IT. Perfect function, feel and looks. Optimal modulation, good power, no noises, easy to install (post mount adapter, so no proposition of Wittgenstein here). If disk brake, this one. Period.
Take care that you don't go to bed with it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Moeschler
a Racer
from Nevada City, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 13, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Palasades Creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Prize for winning Downiville XC
Strengths:
Light weight for the money, perfect modulation, perfect lever action (no sticky lever like the magura marta SL, or wobbly lever like the hayes), not noisy like avid. I also really like the brake lever stop adjustment. All others have the start position adjustment, but only formula and avid have a good stop position adjustment (by stop, I mean when you have pulled the lever twords the handle bar to stop.) The formula stop adjustment is better than avid because formula hid the adjuster in the back of the lever, while avid has theirs out in the open in the form of a big red knob, just waiting to be broken off. Also, with avids, you have to turn the lever stop adjuster many times to make a difference, but with the formula k24's, you only have the option of turning the ajuster one half a revolution, so to make a big adjustment, you have to move the lever very little. I also really like the shape of the brake lever on the k24's. I am a one finger braker, and that is all you really will need with these brakes, though the lever will work good with two fingers as well. The k24's deliver awsome performance in all weather conditions, and all trail types.
Weaknesses:
None. Zero. Zilch.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX Mag's, Avid Jucy seven, Avid Mechanical, Magura Marta SL's, Shimano XT and XTR.
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS C1 Carbon Frame, DT Swiss Hugi 240 Hubs on Mavic 717 Disc rims, Stans with a variety of WTB tires depending on the ride, WTB Rocket V saddle, Sram X.O. twist shifters and Rear Der, XTR ft Der, Race face Next LP isis cranks, FSA ti isis BB (which really sucks, but I have yet to find a good light isis BB that lasts long), WTB TCX seatpost, stem, and Handle bar.
Bottom Line:
Before I won these formula K24 brakes for winning the all mountain pro competition at the downieville classic, I was perfectly happy with my Hayes Mag carbons over all the other disc brakes I tried, even though they had a floppy lever, and very poor lever adjustability. For serious cross country racing, the hayes seemed to be the most reliable, and highest performance brakes out there. The formula K24's have addressed all of the issues I have with all of the brakes I have tried, and are by far my new favorite. I liked them so much, I just orderd up a second pair for my Giant Carbon Hardtail. I would recomend these brakes to anyone, whether you be a cross country racer, free rider, single speeder, or weekend warrior cross country rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kane
a Cross Country Rider
from Petaluma, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: February 28, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Boy Scout Camp
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
Website
Strengths:
The overall weight of the product is an excellent example of the design integrity, others include: Hayes style pin mounts instead of shims, large piston (22mm), Formula designed the Juicy Seven for Avid and on the Oro series they made incremental improvements especially the replacement of the vulnerable 'red knob' with a better protected lever etc.
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
Hayes for years
Bike Setup:
Turner, crossmax, 952 XTR, Formula (180 mm front), 160 mm rear, monkey bars etc.
Bottom Line:
There are a lot of very good disc brakes on the market, but Formula has a better mousetrap!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonny M
a Weekend Warrior
from Glasgow, UK Date Reviewed: February 5, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Ae
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
CRC
Strengths:
Went on no bother, looks the dogs baws, don't make much noise, light, not too expensive, also stop you on the proverbial dime.
Dead easy to get them dialled just right.
Weaknesses:
Spares may be a bit harder to come by in the local shoppe (Than Avid, Hope, Hayes).
Feeling control system makes a difference but not that much.
For some reason Formula chose to use 5mm and 3mm Hex bolts as well as Torq bits, why not just 5mm Allen key all over?
Similar Products Used:
V brakes.
Bike Setup:
Yeti Kokopelli with Fox float RLC100's
Bottom Line:
These brakes are great, levers feel exceptionally comfy, rotors and levers look super cool.
No maintenance issues yet (I have heard the pad replacement can be a tiny bit fiddly).
Plenty of power with no warming up period like some brakes. Have only ever stopped me powerfully and controllably.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russell
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax Date Reviewed: January 15, 2006
Favorite Trail:
northside
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
summit bikes
Strengths:
strong and smooth
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
blur lt
Bottom Line:
these brakes are awesome. they feel really smooth and well made, and obviously work very well too. buy them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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