Combined with the convenience of being able to use your existing levers & standard cables, and not ever having to deal with messy fluids or leaky seals, the Deore Mechanical Discs are a great upgrade for recreational riders looking for improved stopping power. Fits international standard (IS) disc mounts. For Manitou forks with direct-mount posts, please note you'll need to order the Manitou-specific front brake kit.
Submitted by
debusama
a Cross Country Rider
from Spokane, Wa Date Reviewed: March 29, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Riverside State Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
They will lock if you squeeze hard enough, low maintenance (no bleeding)
Weaknesses:
They don’t really have the stopping power that a disk brake should.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Sole, XT v-brakes, avid BB5.
Bottom Line:
I have XT rotors that came with my new wheelset when I upgraded. I’m not sure how much difference it makes. I find the stopping power to be similar to quality v-brakes that I’ve used. You won’t get the stopping power that you might get from a hydro brake, or even an Avid BB 5/7, but you do get the benefit of not having your breaking surface covered in mud if you go through a puddle. I’ve had no problem locking up the wheels, but I do have to squeeze pretty hard to do it, which gets tiresome on long descents.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jxcrider
a Weekend Warrior
from CA Date Reviewed: January 19, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Performance Bicycle
Strengths:
grabs through rain or shine
Weaknesses:
i have the previous model which arent different other than looks and the pads are easy to wear away at need constant adjustment
Similar Products Used:
none
Bottom Line:
if your just looking to find sturdy brakes quick and you need 'em fast i reccomend these
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MArtinGC
a Cross Country Rider
from Mexico Date Reviewed: December 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Las LLantas, Chiluca
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
transvisionbike
Strengths:
cheap, better than low level Vbrakes, easy setup and alingment
Weaknesses:
for long downhills it's hard to hang the handle, but is the same with V's
Similar Products Used:
Deore V's
Bike Setup:
Alubike 0.2, Marzocchi 44 Tst2, Deore LX and TX dereauliers
Bottom Line:
I'm 158p, so no big deal for this brakes I'm gona up to hidraulics, but set this on other Vbrake bike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ktse
a Weekend Warrior
from Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: August 20, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with the bike.
Strengths:
Brakes work in rainy and muddy conditions far better than the typical rim brakes. Good consistent modulation in all conditions. Very smooth operation, no gritty feel while on the muddy trails.
Weaknesses:
These are weak in comparison to rim brakes in the dry possibly due to the resin pads. The brakes have no catch and are require a lot of effort to slow down. I cannot get these brakes to lock up on the front brake and will often result in brake shudder under threshold braking. I have bedded and adjusted the brakes correctly, but the results are still disappointing.
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB5's, generic rim brakes
Bike Setup:
Stock 2008 GF Wahoo Disc
Bottom Line:
Not a true substitute for good V brakes unless you intend on riding in wet or muddy conditions a lot. On typical rim brakes I can easily lock up the front and tip the bike forward because of the catch; these brakes lack the power to do such things in the dry.
Save your money and buy Avids if you want good mechanical disc brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jim
a
from NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: May 4, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Robust, durable, low maintenance, multiple adjustment points, good modulation for mech brakes, stylish, cheap
Weaknesses:
Heavy, less-than-easy adjustment due to unimaginative design - they require an allan key through the spokes to raise/lower the pads from the INside, compared with Avid BB7s which have a tool-less dial on the OUTside.
I've commuted 1500km on these and they're still good. Overall Avid BB7s are better because they weigh less and don't need tools to adjust. Otherwise they're much the same, with similar braking power, modulation and multiple adjustment points.
These are good mech brakes for the AUD$60 I paid for them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
O2
a Weekend Warrior
from Canberra Date Reviewed: September 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
stromlo
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
supplied on Merida
Strengths:
Cheap and effective. Need shimming to set clearance.....clamp breaks onto a few sheets of paper and then tighten the tension screws. Simple and they stay good for weeks. Tension adjustment fast and no bleeding ever needed.
Weaknesses:
hmmm well thats a tough one
Similar Products Used:
done with v's
Bike Setup:
Merida with Deore groupset.
Bottom Line:
These are great. 3000 km on set #1 pads and they work fine. Use a decent low friction cable liner so they release with a snap. How can you complain about these...set them up and they work a treat.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff Pendergraft
a Weekend Warrior
from Colton CA, 92324 Date Reviewed: July 8, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Weaknesses:
Brakes have almost no stopping power
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7
Bike Setup:
GT i-drive pretty much stock
Bottom Line:
When I bought these brakes on ebay the price seemed too good to be true, and it was. They have no stopping power. I put them on and thought that they needed adjusting or to be broken in, but they still wouldn't stop right. Spend the extra money on Avid or Hayes, I am much happier now with the Avid BB7.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
aventado69
a Weekend Warrior
from the Inland Empire Date Reviewed: November 15, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
these brake are simple so they last with an adjustment or two every so often
Weaknesses:
none specially for the price
Similar Products Used:
brand new juicy 7s for a week then the thing leaked eveywhere so back to mechanical
Bike Setup:
surly instigator orange sm with deore eveything, hubs, cranks, the whole package salsa bar and psylo fork with rhino lytes now with haro escape frame L
Bottom Line:
so now i've had them with the same pads for four years and i ride hard for a few hours on the weekends and bike to school to take my daughter for excersize in the mornings for a few miles at 6' 2" 300 lbs and they work just fine. they were a little weak but now i just replaced the pads and got adaptors for 203mm 8" rotors and if they stopped before with 6" rotors they have incredible stopping power with 8" discs. it was hard to get used to them, they brake so hard they almost threw me over a few times!! there is also less stress on them with an eight inch disc and could lock em' up with one finger!! for the price they beat the competition by $-hundreds-$ with the same result!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nelson Hurd
a Downhiller
from Whistler Date Reviewed: September 1, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Crack addict
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$116.00
Purchased At:
summit
Strengths:
the disk it self is stoung and wont bend easy. they look bad.
Weaknesses:
the pads wear down fast, the ajusters will snap if their hit had enough, the leavers are dry and creaky, the wire at the caliper will frey and slip i would never buys these again if u want a disc set up just go with hydrolic.
Similar Products Used:
hayes 9, saint
Bike Setup:
oryx dho1, deemax, minion dh, mrp,
Bottom Line:
not that great at all after u have used them for a while, they look bad u probably wont stop in time if u have to.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cobym
a Cross Country Rider
from San Juan, Phils. Date Reviewed: August 22, 2006
Stumpy HT - singlespeed, thudbuster, mavics, AVid vbrakes Heckler - sun ringle/mavic, hones, race face, SRAM shifters and RD, thomson and kendas
Bottom Line:
These went on my HT singlespeed for a while. These brakes suck. They are really cheap, though. Funny thing is the rear brake has some stopping power, but the front had zero. I could not even get the front wheel to lock up no matter what adjustments I do or how hard I cranked the lever. I checked and re-checked the cables and even swapped them. Still no go.
I did not even take them for a ride. I took them off immediately and reinstalled my trusty avid v-brakes. Bingo. I could stop.
Maybe I got a bad batch. But a non-stopping brake shouldnt be a component you should be taking risks with, dont you think? Negative chilis if possible
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from SLC, UT Date Reviewed: June 30, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
price
Weaknesses:
little power, heavy, squeals like mad on downhill descents or after heavy use - even if just pumping the brakes and not riding them constantly.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 7, Hayes HFX-9, Hayes MX-2
Bottom Line:
A waste of hard earned money! The rotors are bottom of the line and easily warp/rub with use.
Go with Avids or at least Hayes mech. if not hydraulic
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike
a Weekend Warrior
from new brunswick canada Date Reviewed: May 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Archers arrow
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Cheap, reasonable strength, No fade no bleeding no etc. that comes with hydro bakes. and they seem to be pretty tough
Weaknesses:
not as strong as hydro brakes and don't have the same modulation.
Similar Products Used:
hayes mag9's avid bb5 avid juicy 5 many rim brakes.
Bike Setup:
juicy up front and deore in the back
Bottom Line:
There were some pretty harsh words for these brakes in the reviews posted lower down the page. I have owned two of these and they worked fine. The complaints about not being able to eliminate rubbing and pads wearing out should be ignored. Also the guy that took sand paper to his rotors to get better braking should not be copied. If you read their reviews and don't know why their complaints are silly, do yourself a favor check with your LBS about what brakes are good for you and let them set up and service them. bottom line these are much better than rim brakes but less than hydros they are cheaper than bb's and I don't notice much difference in their stopping power compared to the BB's they just require a little more effort to set up and service.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shaun Bush
a Weekend Warrior
from USA Date Reviewed: February 23, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$80.00
Strengths:
Cheap, strong, the 2003 model got a longer arm and is strong than previous models.
Weaknesses:
Pads wear quickly, but i got a set a jagwire pads and theyre awsome!
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Hydros, Avid bb7, Hayes mechanical
Bike Setup:
DBR full downhill spec.
Bottom Line:
I love these brakes. I have them front and rear. I recently bought a Manitou sherman slider, and needed to get an adapter. Pricepoint has an A2Z adapter that converts 74mm post mount to 51mm IS, it also requires a 170mm rotor. Well, i ended up getting that but i went down to my local hardware store. I got some 7mm spacers and longer mounting screws so now i run a 185mm rotor. I'll tell you, the front brake isnt as good as avid or hayes, but honestly for the price, and with teh upgrades its pretty nice!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Calum
a Downhiller
from Guildford surrey Date Reviewed: February 9, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
were quite good when first bought!
Weaknesses:
RUBBISH STOPPING POWER BRAKE PADS WEAR QUICKLY
Similar Products Used:
HOPE MINI MONO
Bike Setup:
identiti dr jekyll frame, marzocchi drop off bombers, truvativ hussefelt cranks, dmr v8 pedals (red) amoeba borla downhill set, specialized enduro tyres, goldtech chain device
Bottom Line:
these brakes arnt very good and i wouldnt reccomend them to anyone!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Popip
a Cross Country Rider
from Philippines Date Reviewed: January 6, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Durable, Great stopping power
Weaknesses:
Rotor bends easily, pad wear out...
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB's, Hayes MX's?
Bike Setup:
Schwinn, Shimano Deore, FSA, Mavic
Bottom Line:
My cousin sold his bike & this unit came with it although he doesnt used this because its very heavy on his bike...and i think its been 2 yrs already but its still in good condition...the bottom line is it has great stopping power that i nearly had an accident...one thing is the rotor easily bends especially the front rotor...and the pads wears out easily...but i haven't tried it yet on wet condition...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nuno Machuqueiro
a Weekend Warrior
from Setubal - Portugal Date Reviewed: December 30, 2005
Favorite Trail:
arrabida
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Raposo
Strengths:
great stoping power, no fade,no rubbing , no mecanical failures , five stars for such a cheap produtc
Weaknesses:
so far so good. they are a bit heavy but my bike still ride good with .5 kilo mor or less.
Similar Products Used:
hayes hidraulic
Bike Setup:
dual suspension , 130 mm front and rear. ligth free ride
Bottom Line:
Sram 9.0 sl levers , bbb pads , new cables every 6 months 2 minuts of adjustement . some friends says it as more power and modulation than their hidraulics. yesss good cheap power
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aaron Collins
a Cross Country Rider
from Broomfield, CO, USA Date Reviewed: December 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Sovereign, Moab
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
Bike Nashbar
Strengths:
Good stoping power, modulation, and setup
Weaknesses:
Weight
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB5
Bike Setup:
Rock Lobster SS convert, FMF crank, WB XC-4 fork, King HS, Avid FR-5 levers, XT/Sun Sub IV wheelset, Surly Singlator, Supergo CR-1 carbon riser bar, Race Face evolve stem, Titec cabon seatpost, WTB Speed V saddle
Bottom Line:
Great brakes for the money, easy setup and work for XC use. Wouldn't recommend for DH/Freeride, but functional.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve B
a Weekend Warrior
from Downingtown Date Reviewed: November 13, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
local shop
Strengths:
close to none but you do become a faster rider when you don,t have brakes
Weaknesses:
fade on any down hill,no power,mine rubbed up front from day one. I used sand paper on them before ever ride to make sure they were perfectly clean any dirt or wear and you have no braking at all
Similar Products Used:
Avid
Bottom Line:
Save your money dont buy these brakes
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris russell
a
from uk Date Reviewed: August 23, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$80.00
Strengths:
does the job
Weaknesses:
lack of power
Bottom Line:
good if your short on cash and cant spend much. Works good on the back but dont know about the front. good power for a cable and a small disc.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cole Seely
a Downhiller
from Coeur d' Alene, Idaho Date Reviewed: July 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Silver Mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
Wheelworld.com
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
Resin brake pads, 6 inch rotors, You have to re-adjust the caliper about everyother mile, brakes lose power after the slightest downhill section.
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar XLT 2.0, Marzocchi fork, Azonic Outlaw Wheelset, Race Face Evolve Dh Cranks and bottom bracket, all easton components, etc.
Bottom Line:
Save your money for hayes nine. After replacing the pads, upgrading to 8 inch rotors and buying the adapters I had spent about as much as it would have cost to buy real disc brakes. These brakes can't hold up to the demands of even an amateur rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Carl
a Racer
from Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: July 21, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with bike (Kona Cindercone)
Strengths:
***Review for: Shimano Mechanical Disc (BR-M475) Stop well if you can get them aligned
Weaknesses:
Will not stay aligned, rotors easily bend
Similar Products Used:
Any rim-brake (much better, less headaches)
Bike Setup:
'04 Kona Cindercone
Bottom Line:
These brakes are not worth the headaches. You're better off buying a good pair of rim-brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kostas Williams
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Australia Date Reviewed: June 13, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Any - Still exploring!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Does stop. Came with the bike. Easy to adjust (remember to be very diligent, it's for your safety!)
Weaknesses:
Seems like they need adjustment often (weekly)
Similar Products Used:
First-timer with disk brakes. Shimano V-Brakes in previous MTB
Bike Setup:
Merida MATTS PRO 300 Disk
Bottom Line:
One of the front brake pads was catching on the disc. The service guys at the shop adjusted it for me quickly. A week later (approx 10 hours of riding) it started again. I adjusted the brake (fairly simple process). A few days later I had to repeat the process. They seem to be wearing in nicely though. There have been a few complaints here, so my therory is - could these brakes be supplied with different grade pads over time and across different region around the globe?... The manufacturer is certainly very reputable and this is a sensitive component; surely they can't afford to get it wrong!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Terrance
a Cross Country Rider
from Issaquah, Washington, USA Date Reviewed: May 16, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
wheel world
Strengths:
inexpensive, paid $90 USD for front and rear.
Weaknesses:
noisy, no stopping power, always seems to go out of adjustment
Similar Products Used:
magura julie
Bike Setup:
jamis dakar xc comp w/shimano disc
Bottom Line:
these brakes are okay for a road bike, comfort bike or touring bike. If you are a MOUNTAIN BIKER these are probably not the best choice. they seem to have problems fading and are constatntly in need of adjustment. they are noisy not only when it rains but on dry days too and they have no stopping power. Shimano xt rim brakes or avid rim brakes have more stopping power than these. seeing the rest of the reviews here maybe I just got a defective set but I don't want to take any chances I'm making the switch to avid ball bearing brakes. even though they were cheap I'm giving these brakes a value rating of one since you don't save any money buying things twice. You get what you pay for.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jassie kalsi
a Weekend Warrior
from Windermere,Florida, USA Date Reviewed: May 7, 2005
Favorite Trail:
razorback
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Orangecycle
Strengths:
none. they do what they are supposed to do, stop you
Weaknesses:
these shimano deores are not he best you could buy. all these brakes do is give me trouble. they fade, are noisy, and are always out of adjustment. every time to do adjust them the cables will strech. pretty much a waste of time.
Similar Products Used:
tecktro
Bike Setup:
Hardrock pro, mavic crossland wheels and panaracer fire xc pro tires
Bottom Line:
do not buy these brakes they are a waste of time. buy avid ball bearing sevens. buy these brakes if you put around your drive way.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hui Chuen Chuang
a Cross Country Rider
from Penang, Malaysia Date Reviewed: April 21, 2005
Favorite Trail:
anywhere
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
brakes well for an 80kg person like me...
Weaknesses:
heats up quickly...brake pads wear off quickly as well...
Similar Products Used:
none other than my old tektro v-brake
Bike Setup:
2005 trek fuel 70, manitou axel comp, rock shox bar
Bottom Line:
great product...not expensive...does the job well
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Grant
a Weekend Warrior
from Whitehouse Sta, NJ Date Reviewed: April 18, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$89.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
they brake
Weaknesses:
they took forever to break in, especailly the front. sometimes i feel like im pulling so hard im just stretching the cable more than stopping. not as easy to adjust as i would expect either.
Similar Products Used:
none, just v-brakes
Bike Setup:
K2 funky monkey, around 30lbs.
Bottom Line:
i've never owned any other disk brakes but i would imagine you could get something a lot better for not terribley much more money. they are brakes and they do their job, but they took FOREVER to break in. they're fine for me but for a more advanced rider i would recommend something better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Regi
a Weekend Warrior
from KW, ON, CA Date Reviewed: March 13, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Razors Edge
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
Easy to install and setup; Easy to mantain; Very light on the budget; Stronger then V-brakes; Excellent wet weather performance
Weaknesses:
Installation guide is not well written; Can't upgrade the size of the disk; Ocassionaly fades during repeated hard barkeing; Not quite as strong as Hydro disc's
Similar Products Used:
Too many to list!
Bike Setup:
Mild custom 2004 Raleigh Adrenalin: Marzocchi Bomber MX Comp Coil; Deore hubs, bottom bracket, and disc brakes; Alivio derailers, EZ-fire shifter/brake combo; Alexrims G3000 (32 spoke); plus a few other things...
Bottom Line:
Overall I'm quite happy with these brakes. I had some worries at first as they were cable operated, and the reviews on these have been a mixed bag. However, they stop me consistantly on a dime and offer very good modulation. They are a breeze to keep tuned, and found they only require an occasional adjustment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a Racer
from Houghton, MI Date Reviewed: February 16, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Redtrail in Copper Harbor, MI
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Cheap
Weaknesses:
Modulation
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7 (these are nice), Vbrakes
Bike Setup:
DS/trail riding
Bottom Line:
All the torque from the brake arm is transfered through a hex-shaped hole, which tends to bind whenever the brakes are applied. This means the pads are reluctant to move (in or out) when the force from the cable changes a little...so poor modulation. They will also bind enough if the caliper gets too worn/dirty to cause the pads to not release! Avids don't have this problem since everything is on ball bearings.
They are also difficult to adjust, and often adjust themselves...big pain to keep them working well.
I haven't had any issues with pad wear except for from not keeping the brakes adjusted properly.
But they are ok for the price, but you get what you pay for. Not worth it if you ride hard, or ride more than twice per week on trails. I would say that they are better than Vbrakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tripp Schlereth
a Cross Country Rider
from Signal Mountain, TN Date Reviewed: December 14, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
River City Bicycles
Strengths:
initially they work great.
Weaknesses:
About 30 feet down the trail they'll stop working, in fact, they'll stop working as soon as you get out of the shop. It feels like you have to replace the pads every week.
Similar Products Used:
Tektro V-brake/ Shimano M515/ now I'm running Avid Single Digit 5's
Bike Setup:
Hardrock pro (stock), now upgraded onto an Ibex pro frame (highly recommended)
Bottom Line:
These brakes, although they may seem to work at first, fade out quickly and have no stopping power on long downhills. The slightest bit of mud ruins the pads and you'll be replacing pads every week or so, even on light riding/braking. I had to ditch these and now run 2005 Avid Single Digit 5's because they provide 10 times the power, they weigh less, and they are easier to adjust.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jarvis boots
a Downhiller
from hilo,hawaii,US Date Reviewed: December 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Mouna Kea
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$97.00
Purchased At:
mid pacific wheels
Strengths:
very strong has no fade
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
avidjucy7,hayes mx2,avidjucy5,hope
Bike Setup:
giant yukon se 14frame stock exept brakes
Bottom Line:
better then any disc brake I tried out. These are exremely powerful brakes. The only comparison is hayes mx2.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a
from Colchester, Essex, England Date Reviewed: November 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Nothing
Weaknesses:
Where shall i start! EVERYTHING
Similar Products Used:
None-Everything and i mean everything is better
Bike Setup:
Stock Kona stuff-gotta get some hydraulics though soon
Bottom Line:
Let me give you a list of the problems. 1) The caliper body is too big and hits some of my spokes and is slowly making them all lose 2)The pads lasted me four weeks of not particularly hard use 3)Looks like a bulldog lickin a stinging nettle 4)Needs adjusting EVERY SINGLE BLOODY RIDE 5)After you have adjusted them you think wow these are good brakes. For about 2mins. Then they need adjusting again because they don't work 6)In the wet doesn't work AT ALL 7}Gets grit in ALL THE TIME even if you just ride around the streets so every ride i have to take them apart to clean the pads 8)The rotors are small and flimsy and don't let you use sintered pads so i have to replace the pads every month. 9)The back brake has never ever worked properly and not just for me my mate has the same and his back one never works properly either.
I bought a dirt jump bike planning to run a back brake only but now because it's so pointless and crap i run a front aswell just to give me more of a chance of not hitting that tree. Its quicker easier and less painfull for me to stop by ghostying my bike and finding it in the bushes ahead. I'd rather use them old cantilever brakes. DO NOT BUY EVER AT ALL IN YOUR LIFE. YOU'LL REGRET IT. BUY SOME HYDRAULICS INSTEAD THEY RULE!!!!!!! (p.s i would give these 0 flammin chillis if i could but the lowest i can give them is 1)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bernard Miranda
a Weekend Warrior
from Philippines Date Reviewed: November 8, 2004
Favorite Trail:
CALIRAYA and SOUTHWOODS
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Neils Bike Shop
Strengths:
Long Life pads, Gradual Braking System & Nice Design.
Weaknesses:
Long time of Braking in to it's peak performance, almost no brake during first installation.
Similar Products Used:
MOB, RST, and Generic Disc Brakes
Bike Setup:
BIXS European style, OFF ROAD
Bottom Line:
A nice choice for average priced but quality disc brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jack
a Weekend Warrior
from Mt Eliza Date Reviewed: October 16, 2004
Favorite Trail:
The Quarry: Track 1
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with me bike
Strengths:
These discs rule. They stop great and when downhilling, there is no need to worry, cause you can go as fast or slow as you want. Pads last ages. I havent needed to replace them yet. Cheap as chips.
Weaknesses:
Not really anytj\hing bad about them.
Bike Setup:
Shogun Praire Breaker Expert- Intense Mag 30 rims, armor cable discs (just bought them cause i wanted bigger rotors), all Lx apart from the shimano hollowtech cranks and the deore front derailluer, Sweeeet kenda 2.3inch tyres.
Bottom Line:
Well these brakes rule. Can't go wrong with these puppies and you will be riding them for ages with no need to fiddle with it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daniel
a Cross Country Rider
from Kitchener Date Reviewed: August 31, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
King Street Cycles
Strengths:
awesome stopping power, better than v-brakes and easy easy maintanance. Also very affordable.
Weaknesses:
This brake takes a few days to start stopping you at it's full power. Every time you take the front wheel off and put it back on the front brake takes a few days again to get going.
Similar Products Used:
Tektro V-brakes, Hayes MX-2 Mechs (Very similar to Deores) and Avid hydros.
Bike Setup:
Heavily upgraded Giant SE Yukon with Deore derailleurs, Mavic 221 rims, Dirt Jumper III's, and of course the Deore discs
Bottom Line:
These brakes are perfect for someone trying to get in to the disc braking field. They have much improved stopping power from V-brakes and work well in all conditions which is a huge plus. If you have bought these brakes and need to use them within a few days maybe keep your other brakes on. They for some reason take a bit of riding before they start working. I just bike around the block and keep braking and braking and if you do that you'll get them working pretty well in an hour.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, Australia Date Reviewed: August 5, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Power Lines
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Works all the time, every time with virtually no maintenance
Weaknesses:
None considering the price
Similar Products Used:
Formula MD1
Bike Setup:
Mongoose NX7.5, RS Judy SLs, Deores only on the front
Bottom Line:
I don't know what everyone else is talking about. This is a fantastic mech disc brake for the price. I'm ~ 200lbs and can easily lock the front wheel up with a single finger. Can also do a fairly decent front wheel stand and have negotiated some "bum-on-the-back-wheel" steep stuff at walking pace with this brake.
Only maintenance so far (in two years!!) is a fairly frequent retensioning of a constantly stretching cable.
The instructions were easy to follow and self fitting was a breeze (on the RS Judys at least).
The original MD1s that I had on the back failed just like the front ones did so I've just bought a full M765 setup front and back, so I wanted to give these Deore's a fitting farewell. Great brake, make sure they fit your forks first, they stop well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
~Jonny
a Weekend Warrior
from glasgow,scotland Date Reviewed: June 30, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
halfords(brother got them free)
Strengths:
better than Vs,great stopping power.
Weaknesses:
um mine didnt work after not riding for a week,finally worked again after some hot weather.
Similar Products Used:
stock disk that came with bike
Bike Setup:
2003 saracen ikon(i know ,i know),Lx deraileure,panaracer fire xc pro's
Bottom Line:
Good upgrade over Vs for the price,ive not had to replace that pads as much as my back V-brake and it lets you ride through mud and be able to brake with the usual power and not here the grinding sound
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Glenn Thorson
a Weekend Warrior
from Dayton, OH Date Reviewed: April 28, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anything I can find that isn't flat!
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
got the set for 65 bucks, couldn't resist at that price
Weaknesses:
I was unfortunate enough to be one of the people who bought these brakes before they put the longer brake arms on them, NOT ENOUGH POWER
Similar Products Used:
AVID Arch rivals (should have left them on the bike)
Bike Setup:
2000 Kona Roast, LX, Bomber
Bottom Line:
These brakes would be great on a road bike, or any flatlander to speak of. for some reason the front brake has no power, back caliper does the job, but the front doesn't pull its share. tried a steep run on the bike with the discs and it was all I could do to stop the thing. pissed me off, makes me wish I had the arch rivals I put on my wifes bike. I am going hydraulic. need more power!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jordan
a Racer
from Toronto,Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: March 7, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Bottom Line:
These are very good disc brakes. They have great stopping power and are very nice to look at!! I would buy them agian in a heart beat!!!! These are amazing in quality also, they are perfect for what ever type of riding you are doing. My advice is..take off your v-brakes and get these!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise,ID Date Reviewed: December 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Bob's
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Strengths:
Inexpensive, good braking power (at first)
Weaknesses:
Major brake fade on long downhills. Even upgraded to a 185mm rotor and still bad. Initially stopped on a dime with five cents change but after two years, V-brakes have twice the stopping power.
Similar Products Used:
Avid AD3, Avid SD7, Avid mechanical disc
Bike Setup:
i-drive 3.0 (pre china), X-VERT AIR, XTR/XT
Bottom Line:
Inexpensive entry level brake but not for agressive riders. Fade will get you into trouble because it goes quickly and overall stopping power degrades over time. Noet: Have delaminated two sets of Aztec pads on front! (avoid)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shane Gouldthread
a Racer
from Weedville Date Reviewed: November 5, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Stinger Drop
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
BikeNashbar.com
Strengths:
well, the stopping power is pretty good. when adjusted right. works good in rain, snow and mudd.
Weaknesses:
weight, always was adjusting the dang things to feel right. aztec pads- crap. the pad kept falling apart.. nuthing else like the aztec that lasted that long.i bought a pair from supergo but they sqeel so much even when dry! pad clips melt easy.
im getting into racing more and more.. the weigh issue is one of my major problems. but they got me to two first place finishes. but i like the avids more so before next season starts ill have avids on my bike. the only problems i have ever had was the aztec pads falling apart. my pad came off one night riding and i heard a noise and wasnt sure what it was the it was gone. so didnt pay much attetion to it. but when i went to ride the next moring the clip inside for the pads was melted in a ball. thats what was making that noise. cant find replaceable clips, so their going by bys..but i will say that they worked good for me racing. last race it rained 4 days straight before the race the track was mudd. and more mudd. one long climb that the mudd was so thick that guys with vees couldnt pedal any more it was jamming the from wheel up. i didnt have any probs like that. another part was long decent no rpoblem stopping at all. but didnt use them much cuz i was racing!!! hey lata guys good luck with what ever brand you choose...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike J.D.
a Weekend Warrior
from Taintville Date Reviewed: November 5, 2003
Favorite Trail:
St. Giles Free ride course
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
They did an ok job. I don't have much good to say about them other than they were average.
Weaknesses:
Didn't stop well enough for me. I upgraded to avids. Makes a world of a difference. The brakes alwasy needed adjusted. It was sortof scarey when I went to the ski resort for some downhill action- I tried! Always had a griddy feel to it. I bent the rea rotor too, but that can happen to any disc brake.
Similar Products Used:
avid mechanicals
Bike Setup:
'03 kona kahuna deluxe- w/ avids
Bottom Line:
In my own opinion, I don't miss them at all!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dex
a Weekend Warrior
from Wellington NZ Date Reviewed: October 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Mt Majura Downhill (Canberra)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$39.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
It was the only one I could afford. Didnt really want a disk but needed one for new fork. It's really cheap, After 6 rides am impressed with stopping power and modulation. Feels a lot different to Vees but if set up correctly it is very effective. I cant beleive how hot it gets, probably as I'm over 100 kgs, but it still performs really well even thought it's sizzling when hit by any water.
Weaknesses:
Agree with others that it is probably heavier than desirable
Similar Products Used:
NIl.
Bike Setup:
99 Heckler generally XT with 03 Z1 FR. Still use LX vees at the back
Bottom Line:
All I could afford after buying the Z1's. Lets put it this way they are better than vees, and I'd far rather have Z1's with these than some poxy fork with Hayes hydraulic.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lukasz
a Cross Country Rider
from Poland Date Reviewed: September 8, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
on-line
Strengths:
looks good, modulation, there is some decent power after break in and fine tuning.
Weaknesses:
hmm, where to start? weight! this thing weighs like a ton. theres not enough power, it needs constant adjustment, and the fact that its a mechanical brake sux - in time, when cable gets dirty things will get even worse!
Similar Products Used:
friend's hayes hydraulic, SRAM 7.0 and 5.0 V's, cantis
Bike Setup:
Trek 830, RST Gamma AET up front, some SRAM 7.0 some 3.0, SRAM rocket grips, some XT... u get the idea - i had fun mixing all groups
Bottom Line:
this caliper was originally rear disc, but it fits nicely up front when u get 180 mm disc - thats what i got. So in theory i should have a brake which stops my a$$ on the spot. in Theory... the break in period was the stuff for daredevils - my old cantis better then this thing.. but i waited and hoped for improvement. now it brakes ok, provided u adjust it before u go on a ride. There is a design flaw on this thing which ruins this brake. Adjustment is handled by this screw which pushes in or out the inside pad. When you start using the brake it slowly loosens, thus increasing space between the inside pad and disc. I will have to figure out a way to counter that, but why is it the user has to think of that? what were the shimano folks thinking? If this gets solved, the brake has some power and modulation is great. Hovewer, the stopping power does NOT compare to a good, properly set up V brake. Those guys below who say it is better probably never used good Vs. So why buy it? I guess there is a case for this brake, all in all. if u want to be a cool kid on the block, and show off discs, and if u ride in muddy conditions, its a cheap way to enter the disc club. as for me, founds provided, I will look for hydros.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan Edwards
a
from Blaenau Ffestiniog Date Reviewed: September 6, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
bikedock
Strengths:
Cheap,Easy to fit good intro to the world of discs
Weaknesses:
No Modulation,
Similar Products Used:
Avid machanical,hope M4
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain RM7,
Bottom Line:
Used as a (pardon the pun) stop gap on my DH bike for about 6 weeks.Completed in a DH race with a set on the back. Just about good enough,either on or off no modulation,nearly crashed into a spectator in the practice! Did not overheat and worked well in the wet and no noise. Have an Avid Mechanical disk on my hardtail and is 100% better. But for the money the shimano is OK. good cheap upgrade,but if you are a fast rider go hydraulic.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bernard Martin Miranda
a Weekend Warrior
from The Philippines Date Reviewed: September 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Southwoods, CSA Floody Roads
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
D Aero Cycle at Cartimar
Strengths:
Nice finishing of the product itself , Strong Brakes ( after weeks), Light weight, and most of all its a Shimano with a lower price.
Weaknesses:
It takes a week or more before it can reach its top braking performance.
Similar Products Used:
MOB ( Men on Bike ) Disc Brakes, Alivio
Bike Setup:
GTS
Bottom Line:
The performance is almost the same as of the Shimano XT & XTR. Much powerful than the MOB disc brakes. A good choice for cost cutting while having a very high quality disc brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shane Gouldthread
a Racer
from Weedville Date Reviewed: August 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Resivior Ride
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
NashBar.com
Strengths:
Shimano name and quality. Nothing wrong ever found on them and they have been riden very hard..
Weaknesses:
none found....
Similar Products Used:
other mechcs....
Bike Setup:
CANNONDALE CAD3 F700 all new XT!!! MAVIC DISC WHEELSET, IRC MYCTHOS XC(2.1), HEADSHOK FATTY
Bottom Line:
I posted a review last late winter about them... it was good then and still very impressed. No squeeling ever made.. More stopping power then CODA hdyros.. Work extremely well when wet... Changed pads once before going to JIM THROPE WEEKEND, long pad life on the AZTEC pads.. Shimano did a very good job for making these brakes... And for the guys on here saying little more stopping power than v's sorry but their wrong... They have a lot more power..... DONT BE FOULED BY THE!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fred
a Downhiller
from Belgium Date Reviewed: August 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Backyarden
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$60.00
Strengths:
Better stopping power then any other mech discs out there. they Look nice. They're easy to adjust
Weaknesses:
they didnt brake at all the first week I got them. But Afther that week they were the best mech discs I ever had. Bit heavy, squeek sometimes and need to be adjusted very much but that is also with any other disc brakes
Similar Products Used:
RST mech disc, Hayes Hydro HFX-9XC
Bike Setup:
Ghost dual pro frame, Marzocchi Wedge 2003, Fir MT232 rims, Full XT except disc brakes, Comus Zoom bars, Lizard Skins moab Grips, Diabolus stem, Planet X Seat,seat tube and pedals Kenda XT 2.1 tires etc...
Bottom Line:
Nice brake if you are a freerider a dirtjumper or/and a streeter. They have a very good stopping power. They work even better then Hayes HFX-9xc Hydro. Just buy them, there not too expensive and you will enjoy them very much.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jimbo
a Weekend Warrior
from MI Date Reviewed: July 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$80.00
Strengths:
Stopping power. Compared to many V-brakes, these Deore mechanicals stop better in wet and dry conditions. They also don't always lock up (depending on tension) , which can be good or bad depending on your situation.
Weaknesses:
Weight. The caliper is kind of clunky compared to calipers of hydro brakes. Noise. There have been mixed reviews about this, but on mine, my Shimano pads have done nothing but squeal in all weather conditions. I will get new pads for sure.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano deore hydro, hayes mech., hayes comp. hydro
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900 with rhyno lites, bomber Z.5, deore mech. disc.
Bottom Line:
A good purchase for money constraints or beginners. Definately upgrade the pads. I just wish I would have saved up a couple of extra $$$ to buy hydros, but I will get some soon.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil
a Cross Country Rider
from Fremantle, WA, Aust Date Reviewed: June 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Langford Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
Fleet Cycles
Strengths:
Low price, look good, easy set up, great stopping power
Weaknesses:
A bit on the heavy side
Similar Products Used:
Avid Mechanicals (on a 2000 bike)
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC2 stock with Titec riser bar and mud shedding SPD's.
Bottom Line:
Once bedded in these brakes supply great power, good modulation and control. Way cheaper than hydraulic, and they only seem slightly less immediate without all the hassles of fluids etc. On a light cross country bike, I can't really see anyone needing any more stopping power than this. The rear wheel locks up at a small pull on the lever, and the front would have you over the bars if it was any stronger. I can only guess that the reviewers who think they're hopeless haven't had them setup properly by a mechanic. Bottom line - they're a hell of a lot better than the V brakes that came with the bike (Avid SD3's), and the Avid mechanicals I had on my previous bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pimpbot
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland, CA Date Reviewed: June 6, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Works great, Cheap, easy to install, no hydro fluids to deal with.
Weaknesses:
Heavy, clunky looking, stock disk kinda sucks... not enough drilling and kinda heavy, but works well as long as you keep the heat down.
Similar Products Used:
SRAM Vee Brakes
Bike Setup:
Giant hardtail with bonti rims/xt hubs SRAM Vees in the rear, Avid SD7 levers, Aztec Disc YKP pads
Bottom Line:
Works well. Much better than I expected for the dough. Stops my 205lb mass on a dime with change left over. I changed out the stock disk with an Aztec to get better cooling, but still managed to overheat it the other weekend. Just goes to show, pulsing the brake is better than driagging it down the hill.
It installed easily and kinda sucked until I bed the pads. Now it rules.
Hmmm, complaints... I had to file the IS adaptor to get it to seat squarely on my RS fork. It's kinda heavy and clunky looking. I wish the static brake pad was toolless to adjust. THe IS adaptor bolts were so long that they stuck into the disc, so I had to hacksaw them off a bit to get them to clear.
I gotta say, I'm really happy with this disc. I'm broke, and could not get my Vee brakes to work well enough, no matter how I adjusted them, so this was the next best thing to a high end disc.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark Lyndon
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland New Zealand Date Reviewed: June 5, 2003
Favorite Trail:
riverhead,woodhill
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bike Barn
Strengths:
Reliable, strong, stop good
Weaknesses:
Need regular adjustments but what dosnt
Similar Products Used:
V's
Bike Setup:
03 Kona Kahuna
Bottom Line:
These came on my new steed they are coded as Br4457 I think they are either a early Deore or Olivio...any way I wanted disc brakes on my new bike and the Kona package was prety hard to beat allround. I have used them for 6 months in sand mud etc and have ahde no problems with there stopping power at all..far out perform V barkes and the adjustments required are only me being picky with trying to eliminate any possible drage or noise that I can see when its in the garage!.. I did slightly file out the slots on the calipers to allow the cliper to slide further on the holding bolts as i couldnt quite get them centered..might me a clash between the way Kona has got all the components and frame set up ..but now is all cool..even the pads seem to be wearing Ok and I do about 4hrs riding a week in sand and mud...they are a bit ugly compared to avids etc but they do a top job..I dont think I could push them to their limit any way...I fyou are a XC/trail riderbuy them and ignore the XTR.Hydro boys may be not for DH though (wouldnt know myself)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adolf Shmitd
a Weekend Warrior
from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Date Reviewed: May 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Moab
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
Nevr Land Bikes
Strengths:
Great stopping power for a mech. disk. Quality company, quality product.
Weaknesses:
Mechanical!
Similar Products Used:
Rim brakes (XT), deore hyrdo brakes.
Bike Setup:
Z.5 Bombers, Kona Stuff, deore drivetrain
Bottom Line:
Great stopping power for recreational riders. Better than Hayes mech! Lots for the money. GET IT!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
J Taylor
a Weekend Warrior
from Pittsburg, CA Date Reviewed: May 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Bikeman
Strengths:
Stopping power, adjustments, looks
Weaknesses:
Setup, instructions
Similar Products Used:
Deore LX cantilevers and Deore LX V-Brakes
Bike Setup:
Jamis hardtail, Deore discs, XT all around
Bottom Line:
I finally decided to get these brakes because I was unimpressed with V's and I didn't want to go hydro. I love 'em. These things are my favorite part on my bike. Don't believe the folks who claim they have no power or modulation. I can lock both wheels at 35mph and they have a lot more modulation than my V's. They also have adjusting screws (unlike Avid or Hayes) so you can tweak them to your liking.
My three complaints are the front rotor, the instruction manual, and the setup procedure (in reverse order). The rotor that came with the rear set is the same as the one that comes with the Deore and XT hydros. The front, however is not as vented, so it looks a little odd. The manual sucked huge terd, but so did the manuals for all my Shimano parts. They really need to fire their manual writer. Finally, the setup procedure was a huge pain. It took me over an hour to figure out how to get the calipers centered over the rotors (eps since the manual didn't help). No matter what I did one pad always dragged. I finally figured out that you need to keep the Hayes-to-ISC bracket loose until after you get the cables tightened down. Then you can either clamp the brakes tight then tighten the bracket, or eyeball it. After that, no problems.
The break in period was only about 15 minutes of riding my brakes downhill. Never had any problems with squeaking dry or wet. These things own.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris
a Downhiller
from meca bc canada Date Reviewed: March 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
burl ives/smokin rotars
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
back stabbing FREIND
Strengths:
the horribly tight spring tention on the torque arm that makes lever feel HORRIBLE and that is more of a work out than banging a catholic girl....or wait.....THEY ARENT TALKING ABOUT THAT KIND OF STRENGTH ARE THEY??.....than NONE
Weaknesses:
AS I SAID the spring tension.....HORRIBLE.....these brakes have less power than the prime minister of canada......i might as well take them off stick my feet on the ground to stop......they are heavier than any "nice" hydro......hell i went BACK to v brakes.........all they do is look pretty.....but when you look past the rotars and see the cables sticking off the calipar it makes you want to vomit in disgust........i actually think these were conseeved by satan himself in a attempt to corrupt what it is we consider society.....they drove me INSANE......
Similar Products Used:
gentle breeze blowing against you......
Bike Setup:
2001 norco 250cc.....x vert carbon.....dx32s....and V BRAKES
Bottom Line:
i feel sorry for anyone that has had to endure using these......please.....if you consider buying this break......find a freind....crack his head open and feast upon the goo inside....for having these on your bike is EQUALLY insane.....(i would give them minus 10 billon flamin chillis if i could)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shane Gouldthread
a Cross Country Rider
from Weedville, PA, USA Date Reviewed: March 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Fawn Skin
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
Bike Nashbar.com
Strengths:
Shimano quality, very easy set up, not left or right pads just slide them in, good stopping power, no messy bleeding
their not very heavy but good and easy design. no disrespect to any other riders on here but these arent for free riding, down hilling. so ya they wont have the same power as hydros will. if you are going to buy these for that you really dont like to stop fast then do ya? they were easy to install and have lots of adjustments. nice to know you wont have any leaky hoses on your bike. work nice when went. they squicked on first ride in the snow. so i just got off the bike and where the brake would squick. i simply just held the brake lever in and pushed the bike forward and back holding the brake lever until the sound went away, and the pad wore on the rotor. never made a sound since. ive only been able to ride couple of times because of the snow. but they work great sofar. ill be posting a review later on telling you how they worked.
ps id buy these before Avids.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rowley B
a Cross Country Rider
from Surrey, UK Date Reviewed: February 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Strengths:
Cheap, easy to setup, powerful (compared to Vs), can use existing STI units or brake levers
Weaknesses:
Weight, shimano pads, modulation
Similar Products Used:
Avid Arch Rival V's, Magura Julie
Bottom Line:
Don't listen to those who slate these.... they are great for the money, it's worth upgrading the pads to something else (Fibrax maybe) and bedding in by getting good speed and slamming to a halt about 20 times. You do need to adjust the pads every couple of hrs to get perfect braking but it's very quick. They do work ok in the wet (I should know !) with good pads.
Only real drawbacks are: weight (about 500grams more than deore hydraulic), shimano pads, and modulation - they do feel a bit on or off at the rear, front seems ok though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kyle
a Downhiller
from Nor Cal Date Reviewed: January 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The ones at Northstar
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Price Point (I only bought one)
Strengths:
Stopping Power. Instillation. Rotor.
Weaknesses:
When it gets wet, it becomes really noisey, but I imagine its like that with all other Disc Brakes.
Similar Products Used:
Giant "MPH". Avid Mechanicals. Hayes Mechanicals
Bottom Line:
Good brakes for what you pay. My friend reccomended them to me, and I really really enjoy the brake. It didn't burn a hole in my pocket, but still obtains a good quality level. Instillation was a snap. The rotor has more surface area than others (like Hayes and Avid) So I guess it may have more stopping power. Good brakes overall.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Large and Incharge
a Weekend Warrior
from Ct. US of A Date Reviewed: January 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The ones with dirt
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
SuperGo.com
Strengths:
Ease of instalation, Ease of set up. Keeps its setting. Disc brakes get the chicks
Weaknesses:
I had to pay for them
Similar Products Used:
Avid rim jobs
Bike Setup:
The way I like it
Bottom Line:
I am a fat a$$ (235#)and these stop my hulking $hit down with out a wimper no matter what the conditions. If you dont like these brakes you are either stupid or you did not set them up right wich means you are stupid
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Orang- Hutan
a Cross Country Rider
from Tombstone AZ USFA Date Reviewed: January 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The one no one is on oh yea
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint M.O.
Strengths:
This is a great brake. If you take the time to set them up(very easy) they are bomb proof. Pad swaps are a breeze and they hold their adjustments. Once broken in they will flip your ass over the bars.
Weaknesses:
A tad, shall we say, Porky? Subject to crash damage as they stick out a bit.
Similar Products Used:
None, all I have used before was crappy shimano and avid v-brakes
I don't know why peoples are bad lippin' these brakes. They must be bozos when it comes to putting them on and setting them up. Once past the break-in stage (a week or two) they will far out stop any rim brake, they don't squack, they don't pulse, they don't fade, they simply work. I just upgraded to aztec front pads, broke them in and now they stop even better. These are not the 03 long arm ones, these are last years I'm talkin' about. Use a good v-brake lever like an ad-5 or ad-7 and set them to pull the most amount of cable and you will not be disappointed. FIVE yes FIVE flaming piles of Bloodhound POOP-OLA from Rufus the Bloodhound, I luv ya buddy!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike B.
a Weekend Warrior
from LA, Cal., USA Date Reviewed: January 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
LA River
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At:
Supergo Santa Monica
Strengths:
work very well; much nicer to use that rim brakes; smooth modulation; no special levers needed; easy to set up; easy to adjust; powerful, durable and capable; look really sharp; great price !
Weaknesses:
Heavy; VERY loud when wet ( but they dry quickly ); expensive pads ( $20 per wheel ); must be extra-careful when installing wheel not to bend rotor
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
souped-up 2001 Raleigh M50
Bottom Line:
This is the way to go if you if you have to deal with water or mud. I screwed up my stock rim-brake rims from mud and wet dirt and decided to go disc. Supergo only had the fronts and I had to order a rear set and wait a week. During this time, I rode around all over with only the front brake. It worked fine, and it alone would really haul the bike down. With both brakes, anything is possible. I now go through water axle-deep without a thought. And a couple of weeks ago I got stuck in mud so bad that both my wheels jammed from the build-up, and I had to force the wheels backward to free them. This would certainly have fatally tweaked rim brakes, but the discs hardly even got dirty, and when I finally got home and sprayed the whole filthy mess down, everything was like new again. The only drawback is that the brakes are heavy. The Avids are much less bulky, but cost signifigantly more. And, hey, you can't go wrong with Shimano anything, right ?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
intenserider
a
from sd Date Reviewed: January 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Works great for the price
Weaknesses:
??
Similar Products Used:
Avids, V breaks
Bike Setup:
Old XC
Bottom Line:
These breaks are an excelent upgrade form any v breaks. I think that they work just as good if not better than Avid much. (this is my opinion)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Downhiller
from MA Date Reviewed: January 2, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
gearowrks (recomend it)
Strengths:
stops in the snow. strong great set up.
Weaknesses:
ummm takes al ot to break in. the first month gives an ear shaterring squeak.
Similar Products Used:
none. v brakes are badd.
Bike Setup:
kona stuff.
Bottom Line:
good, inexpensive, stopping power very nice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Trevor Davis
a Weekend Warrior
from Oak Harbor WA US Date Reviewed: December 25, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Island Cyclery
Strengths:
its cheap and its pretty light and it looks ok
Weaknesses:
ITS bulky!!!! I mean its like u have a big block of metal screwed to your frame
Similar Products Used:
Vs and various other disc setups
Bottom Line:
good for the price and it works in wet or dry ands its pretty easy to set up and has a short brake in period
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonathan
a Weekend Warrior
from Omaha, Nebraska Date Reviewed: December 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
urban freeriding
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
very inexpensive. worked great for the price. fairly light. lots a adjustability!
Weaknesses:
gets scuffed up easily, but other than that, none that i can see.
Similar Products Used:
there are none that can compare to the price and value of this brake system!
Bike Setup:
kona chute with xtr/xt
Bottom Line:
works great for the price!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
G G
a
from San Diego Date Reviewed: December 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
nOBLE cANYON
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Cheap Easy to install and adjust Great upgrade from v brakes
Weaknesses:
weight, but, what can you expect from low priced discs?
Similar Products Used:
Crappy V Brakes
Bike Setup:
Old Intense Spyder w/ manitou mars cl
Bottom Line:
I have had nothing but good results from these brakes. work when wet, have not gotten hot, easy to adjust, no squeeking, very adjustable, and great value. Yeah, they are not top of the line hydrolic's, but, they far excede XTR V brakes, and the are less than half the cost.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Henvan20
a Downhiller
from Stellenbosch Date Reviewed: November 16, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Anything going down
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
* They are cheap (in both ways)
Weaknesses:
x- They are UGLY!!! But looks aren't everything x- The rotors have miniature vent holes so overheats a lot x- They rub the whole time no matter how you set it up x- They don't grip in wet x- When it's dry they only feel a bit better than v's x- They wear out quick and gets side-to-side play on the arm x- Needs constant re-adjustment
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, XT, avid, magura
Bike Setup:
Stab dee-lux with cheap partbuild because I spent everything on my frame.
Bottom Line:
Dont buy these. Save up for better stuff. I know im not supposed to run them but I was on a super duper tight budget! Good value though
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Che Campbell
a Cross Country Rider
from Hawick Date Reviewed: November 12, 2002
Favorite Trail:
three brethern
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
merlin cycles
Strengths:
What can i say. The strength is they are strong. No wonder. They are heavier than my bike
Weaknesses:
You need forearms like arnie to stop in the wet. They're as ugly as jeremy clarkson, heavy as eminem's bank account and once more - THEY DON'T STOP IN THE WET.
Similar Products Used:
Deore v-brakes.
Bike Setup:
Diamond back dbr4 with Psylo on front and fox float r on rear. Mavic f519 rims.
Bottom Line:
Cheap, but no wonder. They work great in the dry - but what brake doesn't. Buy decent v's or go hydraulic.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben M
a Weekend Warrior
from London Date Reviewed: October 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Pyranees, France
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Wiggle.co.uk
Strengths:
Very cheap, solid construction. Powerful breaking action , though break in peroid was a bit scary! Don't fit front and rear both at once!!
Weaknesses:
Squeal like a pig when wet, cable needs adjusting from time to time and don't have the same feel as hyudraulics
Similar Products Used:
Hope XCs
Bike Setup:
Mavic on Deor Rims, DMR Trailstar Frame, Deor 9sp chainset, STI shifters / levers
Bottom Line:
Very good value, great if you need convincing that you really can afford to save up that little extra for hyudraulics. You'll be hooked and wanting more!
Good intermediate upgrade, nice power and a different more powerful feel to Vs or Calipers, especially when the realisation that you realy are going way to fast sinks in and you need somehting to stop your fat a** carreering off that mountainside!
Would recommend upgrading, though if you are going to have to upgrade the wheelset to a disc hub, then why not try and pick up a pair of Hope cheap second hand?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon Riley
a Weekend Warrior
from tulsa, oklahoma Date Reviewed: September 24, 2002
Favorite Trail:
dj, freeride
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
t-town
Strengths:
meh kinda powerful more than a v.
Weaknesses:
takes a while to brake in compared to my old avid and hayes hydro comp.
Similar Products Used:
deore vs
Bike Setup:
dmr rythm, with black elites hayes hydro on the front deore mech on the back and my favourite partmy wheels. d521's on xt hubs dt champion spokes and maxxis mobsters.
Bottom Line:
below average disc brake for a fair bit of moola.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Siloam Springs AR USA Date Reviewed: August 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Ozark National Forest
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Value Value Value-Way better than v brakes, too.
Weaknesses:
None, considering the value aspect of my purchase.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Mech. Discs, Hayes Hydros, and Shimano M525 Hydros.
These brakes are awesome for the $35 a wheel I spent on them! Setup was a breeze, and I have never had to mess with them on the trail. They do lack the power of some hydraulics, but the price reflects that. They will not send you into an accidental endo like some of the brakes I've demo'd, but have plenty of power and modulation to stop 185 pounds of me going down a steep, rocky ravine in the rain. These are excellent for the rider trying to upgrade on a budget, and not a bad idea for those tired of bleeding fluid and paying up to $200 a wheel for brakes. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase and would do it again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mitz
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonton,AB,CAN Date Reviewed: August 17, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Coast Mountain Sports (Bike)
Strengths:
Much better than v-brake, you will mot realize its stopping power unless you are powering down a fast downhill grade. With the slightessed pressure you can pretty much stop or control your descent.
Weaknesses:
You won't be able to lock up the brakes from full tilt but you can control your speed with precision uncomparable to lower end brakes
Similar Products Used:
None yet
Bike Setup:
7005 Fat Frame Aluminium, Hard tail, 24 speed Shimano Alivio shifters, Sugino crank, Formula hubs, double wall Weinman thin rims, Vuelta tires, Judy 100C Rock Shocks
Bottom Line:
Awesome product compared to tradition v-brakes, highly recommend if you don't have the money to spend on higher end mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes. Worth the upgrade!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Penfield, NY Date Reviewed: June 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Tryon Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Cheap, Stops your bike, looks better than V's.
Weaknesses:
Where most power is needed (front of bike) they system lacks power. I can just ALMOST do an endo but not without putting my weight into it. When conditions are wet, foreget about your front brake working. Brakes are not very smooth, more like full on/full off/mid range..thats about it.
Similar Products Used:
Avid V's, bunch of other V products, demo'ed Shimano XT disc
These brakes are half decent. They stop the bike. I bought these becuase I ran out of money and needed a new wheel set. For the $70 bucks I paid they are worth it. They have lasted about 3 months and I'll use them for another few months until i can drop some cash on Hayes or XT hydraulic. As long as you dont do much riding in wet weather(30% of what I do) they will suit you fine. Dont expect anything to great. I like many others who never used disc systems expected the holy grail...but got performace only slightly better than my Avid V's. I say if you can get them for what I paid or less, they are worth it for the time being.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Floyd Taylor
a Weekend Warrior
from London Date Reviewed: June 16, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Box Hill
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
wiggle.co.uk
Strengths:
Shimano enginering, safety features on rotor and caliper mounts, ease of installation, adjustability, cable supplied unlike certain high-end Shimano brake products.
Weaknesses:
Caliper looks cheap, smallish rotor (front) looks cheap, takes a while to bed in, a good V brake is probably more powerful, hard to lock wheel (front/short arm version), Installation guide not user friendly and you must read it thoroughly to avoid missing important setup information. Supplied rotor bolts for front kit too long to use on Shimano's own M575 16 spoke disc wheel (fortunately the wheel had the correct length bolts)
Similar Products Used:
Tektro HO mechanical disc
Bike Setup:
Specialized StumpJumper Pro M4, XTR V rear
Bottom Line:
Only for XC use (says so on the instructions), very cheap, easy to fit (kind of), rotor slow to bed in but it's possible to center the pads without spacers as there are two slotted bolt holes which allow for horizontal alignment. The 'IS' mount bolts are drilled so you can use the supplied safety wire to create a setup where one bolt tightens the other if one works loose.
The Deore mech. part looks cheap compared to it's hydraulic cousins but the finish is excellent. These brakes (short arm version) are slightly under par as far as power when compared with XT/XTR rear V's and just about equal to V's up front. Non existent modulation - just on/off and you need to squeeze hard to get anywhere near locking (which you probably won't). Top marks for the adjustability on my Marzocchi Bomber Z3.5 (which would not allow the pads to be centered by default at first), a few lost marks for looks & performance - but then these brakes are only slightly more expensive than Shimano's XT V. Save your money and go for better mechanical brakes or save for Hydraulic options if performance matters above all else.
Tektro's HO mechanical discs look better aesthetically (more holes in the larger rotor + a black caliper body to boot) and perform better for the same money if you can find them.
THEY WORK! - but not brilliantly. Shimano are on the right track offering this kit to those too short of cash to enter the 'disc arena' properly but they need to improve the power or supply a cable that gets nearer to this ideal.
Will definitely upgrade to hydraulic discs (maybe Shimano Deore XT Hydraulic).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy Williams
a Cross Country Rider
from Billings MT Date Reviewed: June 7, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
Jensonusa
Strengths:
Very inexpensive. Good stopping power. Reasonable modulation.
Weaknesses:
Weight.
Similar Products Used:
V's
Bike Setup:
Fisher Joshua 2001, Avid Speed Dial 5's. Long arm brakes.
Bottom Line:
The long arm version is better. They have very good stopping power and good modulation. They work much better with the speed dial levers. I had a significant increase in power and modulation. They are very good brakes for the price. I payed $35 apiece. Very good first disks. They squeal when they get dirty some times.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luke Bramley
a Downhiller
from England Date Reviewed: June 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
woolyhat.com
Strengths:
long lasting pads more power easy to set up
Weaknesses:
not as powerful as hydros
Similar Products Used:
deore hydros deore Vs
Bottom Line:
i had these a while back, before upgrading to hydraulic deores, which cant be beat
i have to disagree with the person that said they were no good for doing any type of downhilling, they were great for me, but i had the sintered high friction pads and got hold of some XT rotors, which made a difference
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Williams
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntington Beach, CA Date Reviewed: May 24, 2002
The setup was easy. I like my brakes somewhat touchy, so the fine tuning took all of 10-15 minutes (sarcastic "boo-hoo"). I could tell a difference the first time charging downhill! These stop you so well, that they made me really realize just how sh**ty my tires were; they (the tires) have no grip going downhill!!! My tires were sliding all over the place. Anyway, these work really well, way better than any other rim brake I have tried (Koski, Shimano, Avid). These do way more than rim brakes, so you should only go to these if you don't have the stopping power you need, or you do a lot of riding in wet terrain. You won't be sorry you got these!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Dorman
a Downhiller
from London, England Date Reviewed: May 19, 2002
Favorite Trail:
warley jump spot
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
chainreactioncycles
Strengths:
good stoping power and esay low matenance
Weaknesses:
if not set up well can have loads of sponge
Similar Products Used:
errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Bike Setup:
handsomedog frame with dirt jumper forks and halo combats
Bottom Line:
well they are the perfect brake for anyone who is to freeride or dirt. They give you grate stopping power that is easyily controlled. If you, like me, hate brakes that you have to spend longer mataining then you do riding (not stateing any names HOPE)then these are are the brakes for you. And they are great vale for money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Big boy
a Weekend Warrior
from Reading, Berkshire, UK. Date Reviewed: May 16, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Swinley forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
AW Cycles
Strengths:
Good reliable brake. Nice modulation. Simple operation.
Weaknesses:
Not the most powerful available.
Bike Setup:
Trek hardtail
Bottom Line:
A very good step up from Vs although bottom of the disc brake ladder. Not a DH brake for sure but a very reliable, consistant performer. Set-up is fairly straight forward although the supplied rotor bolts were too long for the Hope XC hub. I think the guy who had problems did not install it correctly either - a friend of mine had to grind away part of his Marz Bomber mounts because they were not aligned correctly. Now that they cost only a shade more than XT Vs (38quid from chainreactioncycles), they are well worth it, if only for the benefit of avoiding that horrible grinding sound of muddy Vs!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from S.A.,Texas Date Reviewed: May 8, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
jensonusa
Strengths:
modulate well easy set-up
Weaknesses:
weight front caliper has no power
Similar Products Used:
lx and xt v-brakes avid single digit
Bike Setup:
hard tail
Bottom Line:
it's not a bad brake if you want to step up from v-brakes, but don't expect a tremendous amout of power. they work well, set up easy and adjusting is quick. my only complaint with the brakes are the front will not lock-up, even if the trail is wet. if you're going to buy shimano deore mech. brake, buy the new long arm version.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam Harvey
a Cross Country Rider
from Melbourne Date Reviewed: May 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Otways
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Cycle Science Glen Waverly
Strengths:
These brakes have a very confident feel and plenty of stopping power. I have also tried Avids on a friend’s bike and I believe these are actually much nicer to use more effective overall. I haven't had a problem with them or had to change the pads after nearly 12 months use. The callipers are very, very solid and easy to adjust and the disks on my bike have not shown any sign of warping or bending.
Weaknesses:
Maybe a bit heavy. But who cares.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Mechanical
Bike Setup:
Trekking Fox Easton Elite Frame, Judy XCs, WTB rims, Various LX and Deore bits, Diatec levers.
Bottom Line:
These are a very nice set of brakes for the money. If someone has had trouble with them it’s probably due to incorrect installation or poor quality cables/levers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Chambers
a Cross Country Rider
from Charlotte NC US Date Reviewed: May 1, 2002
Favorite Trail:
anything with dirt
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Looks good, that is about it
Weaknesses:
Ugh, where to start, the setup was horrible! Instructions were lousy, and the packaging was not even that good. The brakes do not grab well, and they rubbed unless the bracket was actually loosened. DO NOT BUY, it is cheap, yes, and you get what you paid for.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Mechanical Disc Brakes
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher Kaitai 2000, Mavic 371 Rims, XT Hubs and Components, Cane Creek Thudbuster, Easton EA70 Handlebar
Bottom Line:
This brake sucks, not just a little, but REALLY sucks. If you never use your bike then buy these. If you EVER ride than do not buy these, spend the extra bucks and get the Avid models.
$ 159.99
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
