Strengths: Consistent, strong, already on the bike. Not grabby, but not weak.
Weaknesses: No adjuster knob (needs Allen wrench)
Bottom Line:
While this is my first mountain bike, I've got plenty of experience with racing hare scrambles on my 250 KTM. I know what brakes should feel like.
Got these stock on my bike. I rode them a few times stock, and they worked really well... But...
I ride single track and I'm compulsive about setup, so After an all afternoon single track run, I decided to see just what I could make them do. I paired the front with metal pads and a 180mm Ashima rotor, and left the back stock (180mm tektro rotor is on the way, but it already locks up if I put a little on them).
Added a set of Avid Speed Dial levers for good measure. Total cost $15 rotor, $20 levers, $15 pads.
Ran them on a technical ride with many long downhill runs. Never even thought about them. No fade. Didn't adjust them once, not even the levers I'm confident I can continue going on 4 hour rides and have them perform this way.
I'd say that spending 5 min tuning brakes BEFORE you ride should be standard. In that case, I see no reason to upgrade until I decide to go hydro. I probably won't even do that in the near future.
Seriously, put a few minutes getting these dialed in before just buying cheap hydros. I'll buy hydros one day, but not until I want/need a high end set.
Similar Products Used: V brakes, hydraulic dirtbike brakes.
Bike Setup: Ashima 180mm front rotor, Avid Speed Dial 7 levers
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Submitted by
joeinchi
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2012
Strengths: Stopping power, ease of modulation
Weaknesses: Rusted barrel adjusters (easy to clean)
Bottom Line:
These came stock on a 2005 GT Avalanche 3.0 Disc I recently picked up off of Craigslist for $150. On the test ride I noticed that the brakes were super soft with virtually no stopping power. I like to one-finger brake and I needed to pull the levers down to the grips to get any kind of bite.
A quick search on the internet turned up the user manual: http://www.tektro.com/_english/03_support/download.php?f=down01309307566.pdf
The brakes simply were out of adjustment. After straightening the disc, I simply followed the steps in the manual for proper installation. Now, all I need to do is pull the lever 1" to 1-1/2" and I can lock up both wheels no problem. And they came free with the bike! Don't swap these out.
Similar Products Used: V-brakes, old-school cantilevers
Bike Setup: 2005 GT Avalanche 3.0 Disc, Rockshox Dart 3
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Submitted by
cjc1103
a Weekend Warrior
from Chattanooga, TN
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2012
Strengths: They were OEM on my Motobecane mountain bike
Weaknesses: None, for light to moderate use.
Bottom Line:
The Tektro Io disk brakes brakes work very well, if have them adjusted correctly, no squeal or fade, easy to modulate, easy to adjust.. I weigh 155lbs, and I don't go down long downhill trails, but I have never had any of the problems other reviewers noted. Sure they are a budget brake, if you are a very heavy person or ride very hard down long hills you might need more capable brakes, but these brakes are good for what they are intended for - light to moderate use.
Bike Setup: Motobecane HT500, Shimano Deore 24 speed (3 x 8), Tektro Io disk brakes
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Submitted by
horseybike
a Weekend Warrior
from CenTX, Texas
Date Reviewed: January 7, 2012
Strengths: Solid all around product for the price. Easy to adjust.
Weaknesses: As a good entry level product, it's still an entry level product.
Bottom Line:
Most of my riding is single track with short steep hills and plenty of roots and rocks. This is my first set of discs and the IO's work at least as well as the Avid Arch Rival V-brakes I had on my previous bike. That's important because I really liked the Arch Rivals and at this price point you really are comparing discs to v-brakes. I know others have complained, but I have had no problems with fading or squealing. Once the cables stopped their initial stretch (as all cables do), the adjustment has held fine.
Sure there are better brakes to be had, but for the price and as an entry level mechanical disc, I'd have no problem suggesting the Tektro's to a friend.
Submitted by
tsousa2545
a Weekend Warrior
from United States
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2011
Strengths: pretty good braking power
Weaknesses: WAY TOO MUCH BITE!!! and scream like a chimpanzee with his balls in a vice.
Bottom Line:
everyone says theese brakes have no power but i can easily lock up my back wheel and almost my front. my problem is with them having way way too much bite. as soon as i apply any pressure to my lever they just lock. if i apply the slightest ammount of pressure to the lever and the pads contact the rotor is just locks. if i keep hitting them then they eventually warm up and work rather well except for the horrible noise. but they cool back down in n time and the same issue is back. ive had them professionally asjusted and done plenty of adjusting my self with no luck. the best i had them was 10 minutes after i got it back from my LBS but 10 minutes later same screeching problem and disc rubbing problem. overall theese brakes are not the best brake as far as modulation and quietness but power i find them to be quite adiquite.
Submitted by
bballr4567
a Weekend Warrior
from Evansville, IN, USA
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2011
Strengths: They will stop you, maybe.
Weaknesses: Brake fade is pretty intense after about a 2-3 mile ride. Im 6'6, 230lbs and Im sure the brakes were not designed to stop someone my size. Actually have to stop and let them cool off when on rides now as Ive become a better rider and going faster. Horrible to adjust and set up. Good luck if you have to take off your front wheel every time to load a bike as you will need your tools to readjust the brake so you wont get squeal.
Bottom Line:
Spend just a TAD more and get much better brakes. These are just not good even for the price. Do not tempt yourself as you will just be upgrading from them if you do get them.
Submitted by
Cory
a Cross Country Rider
from Omaha, NE
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2011
Strengths: Easy assembly and adjustment
Weaknesses: No stopping power at all!
Bottom Line:
These brakes are the best brakes at NOT STOPPING. If you want to be unsafe these are for you. DO NOT BUY THESE! THEY SUCK! UNSAFE, UNSAFE, UNSAFE! Spend a few more bucks and get some avid bb5's
Submitted by
alcase1
a Weekend Warrior
from Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2011
Strengths: simple design, easy to adjust, don't have to worry about about squeezing the pads together when there is no wheel in, cable brakes allow greater clearance between pads and rotors
Weaknesses: brake fade on longer descents, took me a while to work them out, supplied discs tend to go out of shape easily
Bottom Line:
at first i thought these brakes were junk. i'd bought the bike second hand on ebay and checked all the components on here at mtbr. these brakes had the worst reviews of any of my components and i thought i would get rid of them straight away. anyway i did not like them straight up, they were useless compared to my v-brakes no matter how i adjusted them. neither wheel would lock up which i thought was pretty pathetic! anyway after a bit of reading i thought i maybe had contaminated discs or pads, so i sanded the pads down and cleaned them with alcohol. that made a differance then i realised i had way too much outer cable and no ferrules on the ends. so i fixed that up and trimmed them right down so i only had what i need. now i could lock the rear instantly and almost the front. only one more option - get some new pads. this did the trick, i have no trouble with these brakes now and am a little disappointed as i had convinced myself to get some bb7's but now i don't have to.
a couple of important points: it seems most of the reviewers here are missing something, " they aren't hydraulic brakes!" they wont brake the same but they can be good. as one reviewer below said cable stretch is the enemy of mechanical disc brakes. if you want good performance from these brake make sure you eliminate all the spots for stretch from your outer cables. and another point the more leverage you can get on your brake lever the harder you can pull the cable and the harder the brakes will stop. so don't set up with minimal clearance between your pads and discs because you wont get any leverage on your lever, or any "feel" from the brakes. you actually want to be able to pull the brake lever as far as comfortable, basically so that you can pull it almost all the way to the finger/s that you leave wrapped around the handlebar, that way you can pull harder
now that i sorted them i'm quite happy with these brakes and they are perfect for my commuter and occasional trail bike
Bike Setup: fuji nevada with lx running gear, novatec hubs
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Submitted by
Asmodean
a Cross Country Rider
from Ireland
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2011
Strengths: Very straight forward, no fiddling around trying to bleed fluid.
Weaknesses: Low power, cable stretch, severe heat fade.
Bottom Line:
These are capable brakes for whizzing up to the shops, or knocking around the streets, however they are supplied on many bikes that are marketed as suitable for trail use.
Although they are capable of stopping a bike, any amount of heat build up renders them almost useless. Coupled with severe cable stretch, this leads to a brake that will have severe changes in stopping character on any prolonged descent. As such they are unfit for purpose on any bike sold as a mountain bike.
The money saved on buying them is a false economy, as anyone who intends to really use a bike equipped with them, will inevatibly have to foot a large dental or medical bill.
Similar Products Used: Avid bb5, Shimano SLX, Shimano XTR
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Submitted by
Canuck_70
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, AB , Canada
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2010
Strengths: There are none!
Weaknesses: Brake fade is huge as soon as these brakes heat up, they squeal constantly, before they start to squeal they make have a horrible grinding sound which you can feel in the brake lever. I had these brakes adjusted numerous times and it would improve for about a day or two.
Submitted by
mmcverry
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2010
Strengths: Very good stopping power when tuned, and good modulation when tuned.
Weaknesses: Needs to be tuned every 3 rides, however, I ride hard. Noticeable brake fade on long downhills with lots of stopping.
Bottom Line:
Good brakes for the weekend warrior who doesn't know better nor has ever questioned the existence of better brakes. Also, good for someone who knows how to tune them (very easy). When in tune they work VERY well, much better than Juicy 3s.
Bike Setup: Specialized Hardrock, Shimano LX components, maxxis tires.
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Submitted by
OpieFisher
a Weekend Warrior
from Monticello, IA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2010
Strengths: Great pricepoint, better than V's when wet, good modulation that gets better with each adjustment.
Weaknesses: Cable stretch - not really the brakes fault. Mechanical disks worst enemy is cable stretch. Your brakes were cheap so buy some good cables!
Bottom Line:
Are these entry-level disks? Yes. Are entry-level disks better than V's? Yes...and after sloshing through a creek? HELL Yes!
Look - You're buying basic mechanical disk brakes; don't compare them to a $300 set of four-piston Hope hydraulics. For your all-out throw down once-a-week trail rides these brakes rock - just give them 30 seconds of wrench before and after you ride and you'll have a good time. If you're going to point your wheels down the front of a double black diamond ski slope in July - you better be willing to invest a bit more!
IF YOUR BREAKS SQUEAL LIKE A PIG GETTING DE-NUTTED THEY ARE NOT ADJUSTED RIGHT OR YOU NEED NEW PADS! Fine sand can embed in any disk pad - these pads seem a little soft and more prone to it. With the single-side actuation on these, you need to be spot-on with your adjustment >>1/3 OF A MM!! >
Bike Setup: Mostly stock Gary Fisher Biggin's frame, Crank Bro's clips Nashbar MTB2 Disk rims and a crazy-ass jockey on the WTB saddle!
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Submitted by
bikemt
a Cross Country Rider
from Helena, Montana, USA
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2010
Strengths: Nice stopping power. Seriously, I'm not sure why everybody is complaining about their power. Maybe I just have strong fingers.
Weaknesses: After the first 2 weeks, the brakes started to squeal. Took it to the shop (free labor), and when I got it back, all they did was mess with the adjustment a little. 1 hour later, it's worse than before. I took it in like 5 times and then gave up. They squeal constantly, and the adjustment slips during riding. SH*TTY BRAKES!!
Bottom Line:
I'm currently riding my dad's older raleigh, which is very nice, but doesn't have discs. DO NOT GET THESE BRAKES! You will be deaf very soon if you do. Tip: dirt cheap Bike (~350) equals dirt like quality.
