Strengths: Super POWERFULL. No DOT fluid. Quiet, no rubbing.
Weaknesses: Could use a 2 piece lever clamp.
Bottom Line:
These brakes are strong! People say they rub? Mine don't, just have to set them up right, with the tabs. Very LITTLE noise only when wet, in the snow or streams. Easy to setup (15 mins) Work great. Looking for a rear one now. GREAT BUY if you can find them. Anyone from XC Racers (like me) to Red Bull Rampagers should get these.
Strengths: touch them and they slow me down, grab them and I stop, squeeze the hell out of them and I flip over the bars.
They're powerful, yet modulate well.
Weaknesses: It's harder than hell to get the things centered so that the pads don't rub on the discs. The pistons won't really retract far enough. Mine have stayed centered for a while now, but if I were to bend a rotor ever so slightly, I'd be in deep $#!t. I bet I couldn't fit a sheet of paper between the rotor and the pads.
Bottom Line:
Probably hard to find now, considering they were discontinued for a year or two when I bought them a year ago.
I only paid $100 per brake, so, for what these brakes do, value is a 5.
Only thing stopping the overall rating from gettin the 5 is the fact that it took me an hour and a half per caliper to center them properly.
Similar Products Used: Stock promax mechanical discs. Each caliper weighed about a pound, and the pad that moved would slide over and bend the rotor against the fixed pad, unless the caliper was spaced to ride the fixed pad. Also, they seemed less powerful than the tektro V-brakes I had on another bike. BASICALLY, THEY SUCKED.
Bike Setup: Univega DS900 (black and red model) with XT trigger shifters (half barrel stock grip shifters suck) XTR rear derailleur, selle italia flite seat, and the XT hydros
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Michael Eustace
a Cross Country Rider
from Ipswich, Suffolk, UK
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2003
Strengths: Excellent braking, not affected by dirt and water
Weaknesses: Lever comes back to bar randomly even when lever adjusted away from bar. What is going on!? Someone email me with the remedy michael@sv700.co.uk http://www.sv700.co.uk Cheers
Bottom Line:
Once you use disks brakes you'll never go back! :-)
Favorite Trail: Cannock Chase and Swansea Clyne Valley
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At: Part of sale for Orange EV02
Bike Setup: Orange EV02 frame; 2001 spec Rockshox Judy SL 100mm travel; Full Shimano XT groupset including XT disc-mount hubs and hydraulic disc brakes front and rear with XTR rear mech; Mavic D321 rims on 2.3" front and 2.1 rear Tioga DH tyres (they are huge!); Titec DH stem, bars, seatpost and seat.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Jay NoMoney
a Cross Country Rider
from Woodland, WA USA
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002
Strengths: Rock Solid Stops
Weaknesses: Slight Rubbing even after complete adjustment
Bottom Line:
These brakes kick #@*% for the money! Oh and the reason your brakes are squeeling like a pig... is because you spilled the mineral oil on the rotor. Clean it! with some brake cleaner! And thou shalt be smiling. I love these brakes... They make me stop quite well. All my friends are envious. You should definitely buy them!
i use shimano xt brake system only in rear wheel and i´m very disapointed with it. I usually ride dirt and urban. For urban this brake doesn't work very well. Doing manuals is dangerous because at any time the brake may fail and do not support my weight. after that the lever brake is to slow it takes so many time to start stoping. I don´t like it. But i'm sure that your will like it if you ride a XC bike.
Similar Products Used: I use Magura Gustav M on front ... nothing compares to this magnific brake. I recommend Magura for those who want power brake.
Bike Setup: twenty four bicycles, marzocchi DJ2, race face/on off components.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Loren Lukens
a Cross Country Rider
from Pine Grove, CA
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2002
Strengths: Simple to install. Brake pads can be removed, cleaned, and replaced easily.
Weaknesses: These brakes are made for riders who are hearing impaired, or who will be impaired in the future. There is no way to describe the noise they produce. I have tried everything to quiet them. I even visited a local brake shop for some advice. Nothing I have tried has solved the problem. When I rode at Montana Del Oro other people on the trail were scared because they though the sound from my brakes was a waring from Mt. Diablo Nuclear Power Plant that an accident had happend.
Bottom Line:
If you don't mind noise they are a great brake. I have just purchased the Hayes Disc in hope of the noise solution.
Bike Setup: GT' 01 I drive race frame with all Shimano XTR with the exception of the brakes.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Taylor Loomis
a Downhiller
from Asheville NC USA
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2002
Strengths: Very good power after they are broken in. The cost is very good.
Weaknesses: This product is hard to set up whithout having rubing. It takes several rides to start the "true" power. Also it is almost impossible to get in 8" rotors.
Submitted by
Jerome
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2002
Strengths: Powerful 4-pistons technology works well very good feeling Best-designed levers (IMO)
Weaknesses: Pads tend to rub on discs Steel hoses are not user-friendly
Bottom Line:
I rode all the last season with the 6" rotors and had been pretty happy with these brakes. Yes, the pads have a tendency to rub from time to time on the discs, but I don't care. Apart from this, they offer awesome modulation and good power once they're broke-in.
I recently put the 8" rotor in front and the difference in power is impressive. Since I like to go fast and weigh close to 190 lbs, this is a good set-up for me. Try it if you find the stock 6" rotors too shabby.
Submitted by
Lennart Jakobsen
a Cross Country Rider
from Copenhagen
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001
Strengths: Besides the usual disc-advantages: Fit and forget,self-adjusting perfect feel,so precise,no sudden wheel lock quality-build
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
I love this brake,it makes me so confident in the most rough conditions,it seems to work better,the worse the conditions get.Good at front-wheelies(great way to test brakes).pads/disc seems to be long-lasting
Similar Products Used: different canti/v rimbrakes
Bike Setup: 99`RM Blizzard LX/XT/XTR,very custom..
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Sacramento, CA
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2001
Strengths: Stopping power, good modulation, easy setup and bleeding
Weaknesses: Steel braided hoses, pads don't stay centered or retract far enough to clear rotor
Bottom Line:
I think the Hayes stop a little better, but the XT squeals a little less. I have had nothing but trouble with keeping the rotors centered within the pads. My rear rotor is just a teeny bit bent which aggravates this condition. I never had this problem with the Hayes. Drives me nuts!
Bike Setup: SC Superlight (I built it), Marzocchi Z1 X Fly, Gripshift 9, Mavic D521 Downhill wheels
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Torpedo
a Cross Country Rider
from Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2001
Strengths: Stops better than V-Brakes in the dry, and stops better than Anything in the wet. Major Plus with the new 2001 cables, cut to size and able to fit through the hydro guides.
Weaknesses: Setup is a little messy if it is your first time. Takes time to seat in.
Bottom Line:
As with any disc brake took time to seat. The front went together flawlessly. The rear was a bit tricky, we had to tweek it for 2 days getting it aligned right, also one bolt was just long enough to hit the rotor, after about 2 days of riding it almost fixed itself, but a little bit of filing to smooth the end down then a washer to space the bolt out enough to clear the rotor. During seat time where your brakes kinda sux, the rear moaned alot. Now it stops as good or better than any XTR Vee. A little heavy as compaired to Vee brakes but hey they are hydro disc.. I would not recommend for the XC racer who races mostly in the dry, but if you ride in the wet you will appreciate the power. The perform much better than the Magura Louis, you were constantly adjusting them.. So far once you got it right it is ride it and forget it.
Bike Setup: Seven Sola, XTR everything else...Spinenergy Xyclone Disc. Ibis Ti Stem, Kestral H-Bar, Syncros Ti Seatpost, SDG Seat.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
James Bushell
a Downhiller
from Wellington New Zealand
Date Reviewed: January 8, 2001
Strengths: 4 pot calipers. Easy fitting. Top reservoir
Weaknesses: Serious brake fade after a few minutes use. 240lb rider. I've been told that the 6" rotor should be fine and needs to be setup properly. They make hideous noise once faded and bike goes off trail! Have sanded pads numerous times and cleaned etc. Right angle banjo fitting is probably gonna be wrecked soon. Keep pulling trees out of them.
Bottom Line:
As a first time user of disc brakes this has not been good experience. Hoping that Dog Boy can show me proper setup or else will switch to 8" rotors front and rear. If the system cannot handle heat dissipation, fluid heatup for 240lb+ downhill riders, they should say it in the instructions. They are probably an excellent cross-country brake or downhill for slower/lighter people.
Bike Setup: Mountain Cycle Shockwave, bomber forks etc etc etc
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Adam
a Downhiller
from South Wales, UK
Date Reviewed: January 8, 2001
Strengths: Price, Looks, Strong Levers.
Weaknesses: Performance, Hoses, unbuilt.
Bottom Line:
Here's a quick list of the bad points:
1. They take far too long to bed in. 2. The performance is no where near any other hydraulic disk brake. 3. The braided hoses wreck your frame / fork. 4. You have to build and setup the brakes yourself.
You can now get Hope's for the same price. Go for the Hope. Not even the cheap price justifies buying these brakes.
