| |
Submitted by
Mike N
a Cross Country Rider
from Alice Springs, NT, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Lightest brake on market for any setup any system (except cable brakes from the early 80's), Simple, Effective, Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Nil | | Similar Products Used: | Avid 5, Deore combo shifter/lever | | Bike Setup: | GT Zaskar, X.0 RD & shifters, X9 FD, Avid Speed Dial Ti | | Bottom Line: | I wanted to keep V brakes instead of disc to keep weight down and also didnt want to spend a fortune buying a new wheel set. Swapped from stock Avid 5 V brake due to cheap appearance and constant noise. Also saw seeing my rim progressively being worn away despite cleaning the pads all the time (probably just the pads & not the brake itself. Differences: LX a little lighter, better finish, brake shoe is longer. LX has MASSIVE stopping power, as much as my mate's mech disc setup. AND, there is absolutely NO NOISE. I considered XTR V brakes but they were a lot heavier due to more moving parts (parallel lever system). LX were sweet and simple and I am so glad I made the right choice. I could have bought these brakes for a lot less on eBay but wanted to support my local bike shop | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike N
a Cross Country Rider
from Alice Springs, NT, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Lightest brake on market for any setup any system (except cable brakes from the early 80's), Simple, Effective, Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Nil | | Similar Products Used: | Avid 5, Deore combo shifter/lever | | Bike Setup: | GT Zaskar, X.0 RD & shifters, X9 FD, Avid Speed Dial Ti | | Bottom Line: | I wanted to keep V brakes instead of disc to keep weight down and also didnt want to spend a fortune buying a new wheel set. Swapped from stock Avid 5 V brake due to cheap appearance and constant noise. Also saw seeing my rim progressively being worn away despite cleaning the pads all the time (probably just the pads & not the brake itself. Differences: LX a little lighter, better finish, brake shoe is longer. LX has MASSIVE stopping power, as much as my mate's mech disc setup. AND, there is absolutely NO NOISE. I considered XTR V brakes but they were a lot heavier due to more moving parts (parallel lever system). LX were sweet and simple and I am so glad I made the right choice. I could have bought these brakes for a lot less on eBay but wanted to support my local bike shop | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zac
a Racer
from Omaha, NE
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Mining trails throughout Medicine Bow National Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Bike Master Cycling and Fitness | | Strengths: | Cost effective, easy to use, install, and adjust. As much power as you need without getting complicated. Perfect for cross-country. | | Weaknesses: | Wouldn't be suited for heavy-use nor intense downhill. However, use with ceramic pads and rims dramatically improves performance in these situations. | | Similar Products Used: | Avid Juicy 7, Shimano XT discs and V-brakes. | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC, XT drivetrain, Crossmax SL ceramic wheels. | | Bottom Line: | Used with XTR ceramic pads, the power-to-weight ration is unbeatable. For a cross-country racer looking to cut weight and keep power its the easiest way to go. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Don MacMillan
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: February 9, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Strengths: | Reasonable v brake system still stops when wet | | Weaknesses: | not very good stopping power, no where close to disk brakes. can make quite a bit of noise | | Bottom Line: | This is a ok system but i do not reccomend it for anyhting above cross country | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Edouard Gonnet
a Cross Country Rider
from France
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Streak'x | | Strengths: | Assez puissants, faciles à regler avec usure lente et progressive des patins. | | Weaknesses: | Le poids excessif, patins d'origines bruyants et un peu trop dures pour l'hiver et la boue. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano STX rc | | Bike Setup: | KHS ALite 1000. | | Bottom Line: | Une bonne paire de freins pour qui aime le matériel fiable et n'aime pas regler tout le temps. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a
from Canada
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | The brakes, pads | | Similar Products Used: | n/a | | Bottom Line: | These brakes came stock on my mtb, let me tell you they are the worst.
#1 The pads literally just destroy your rims. Nasty sandpaper sound that is later followed by the nasty metallic sound which tells you pieces of your rim are embedded in said pads.
#2 The brakes are cheap and plasticy
Don't even test your brakes with the pads on it. Your rims WILL get damaged. Insist a swap out for these brakes if you get them stock. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joel Silva
a Weekend Warrior
from Viseu, Portugal
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Monte Crasto | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | the paralelogram sistem, they always worked... They are very good wile new(except they make weard noises)
| | Weaknesses: | wen they are new(and with the stock pads) they make a metal noise this is because the pads are shi... like a rock, bahh..
wen they ave several miles theyr braking power decreases a bit and they get a litle gripped and flex, some guy told me tu use a brake booster but y will not buy it... | | Similar Products Used: | deores | | Bike Setup: | scoot yz3 2004 :) with a marzocchi mx comp air :D front brake lx disk brake and lx v-brake at the back..
| | Bottom Line: | They inspire confidence, never failed to me, are pretty, cheap, they don't give you problems but wen they get used(after many many many miles) they will decrease a litle the braking power nothing that would deseave a new ones | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kiran Lerner
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything super technical | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Friend | | Strengths: | Cheap (got from a friend for free)
Good stopping power
Easy to adjust | | Weaknesses: | Colour is so-so
Durability | | Similar Products Used: | XT, Avid, Hayes, Deore | | Bike Setup: | Who cares?! | | Bottom Line: | Way easier to adjust than cantilevers, and the stopping power is better. After two years of weekend use I was doing my overhaul and the spring mechanisms (part of the parallel-push system) were shot. Maybe I need a separate freeride bike. Also broke the head off the screw that holds the cable. Considering I've seen their cantilevers last 5-10 years I'd expect better from Shimano. Maybe that's how they're getting the price down.
The levers are flexy, they're far to reach (compared to XT & hydraulics) and the swing action is annoying (a wide arc instead of straight back like hydraulics). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kai
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston, MA
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | doesnt matter | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | when they work, they seem to brake well...not that great, but well enough... | | Weaknesses: | they;re miserable POS'S that break when removed. | | Similar Products Used: | Avid SD7's (much much better) | | Bike Setup: | GT single speed | | Bottom Line: | These brakes are terrible. They do they're job, but after about a year of doing their job, theys top doing it. The tension screws stop working and the breaks simply wont retract, more dragging with these than improperly set up disc brakes!!! There are two metal plates that rotate independently and the tension scre that's attached to one simply does not engage to bottom ring, making it impossible to properly tension the brakes. parallel puch really doesnt do much besides make these brakes incompatible with older forks and rub more. Try Avid single digit 7's if you want to feel what a real v-brake should feel like, smooth even braking, that consistently works...Is it just me or are shimano products really starting to suck? These brakes cost too much for being a big heap of.... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Cheap to buy. Compared to my old cantilevers, these v-brakes offer a lot more braking confidence. | | Weaknesses: | Pads wear out fast | | Similar Products Used: | None. These are my first v-brakes. | | Bike Setup: | '95 Cannondale CAD1 (replacement frame for my original '91 Cannondale Chameleon which broke), mainly Shimano Deore components, Mavic X221 rims. | | Bottom Line: | After using cantilever brakes since 1991 I finally upped my spec to v-brakes 3 months ago. I'm considering getting discs in 2017 :) I was amazed at the increase in braking performance, gone was the long-pull squishy feel of cantilevers, transformed to stop-on-a-dime braking by the v's. Maintenance is easier and cheaper, cable replacement now means only 2 new cables instead of 4. I can't complain about them really, they cost less than I was anticipating and seem well designed. Perhaps the levers feel a little 'cheap' mainly because they are a lot smaller and lighter than my old Dia-Compe plastic-levered cantilever ones. My only quibble is with the pads, rear to be specific, which are wearing at an alarming rate. I'm about to fit my 3rd pair in 3 months! I cycle a lot on the road in the wet, and I think the road grit is wearing them out fast. Perhaps I should look at other pads, maybe Kool Stops. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Patrik Skolling Möller
a
from Stockholm
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Strengths: | Great with paralellsystem which boosts the break power... | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | "old" XTR, Ritchey RED,Scott comp ... | | Bike Setup: | Rear LX,front Deore... | | Bottom Line: | I'v seen a few complans about Shimano breakpads but mine works fine. When they're worn out I might upgade to Coolstop since they've got such good reviews...I had Scott Comp V's earlier an LX are alittle better ! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gera Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Naga, Cebu, Philippines
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | the one in the mountains | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | local bike shop | | Strengths: | good braking power, strong enough to flex the frame, affordable. | | Weaknesses: | its stock pads makes metal to metal noise and can ruin the rim, a bit heavy. | | Similar Products Used: | Deore | | Bike Setup: | GT Zaskar, LX/XT gruppo, FireXC, Manitou Six | | Bottom Line: | im very satisfied with this product. it's easy to adjust and its powerful. this brake is perfect for riders on a budget but still performance conscious. weight freaks will shun this stuff for it's a bit heavy. im giving it 4 flamin' chilis for its performance and affordability. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
owen fackrell
a Cross Country Rider
from uk
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | south downs way etc | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$44.00 | | Purchased At: | merlincycles.co.uk | | Strengths: | price
colour
stopping power | | Weaknesses: | none (but have never used the stock pads) | | Similar Products Used: | avid 3
alvio
stx rc | | Bike Setup: | giant atx 860 full lx throughout rock shox forks | | Bottom Line: | this brakes are v good
the price i paid included the leavers arms and cables for both front and rear so a bit of a bargain
they manage to flex the rear trangle and my front forks
never tried the stock pads put cartridges from new
the sandy mud round here means that i go through pads fast but after spending time setting them up in the first place it is now very easy to just change the cartridge and i off
must gat a brake booster for the rear brake.
if you like me can only run v's and arn't weight concsious
then you should get these.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil Frary
a Weekend Warrior
from St Nazaire, France
Date Reviewed: January 30, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Savenay | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | chain reaction cycles.com | | Strengths: | Light, "parallel push" is powerful even in wet/muddy conditions | | Weaknesses: | Probably the stock pads which are a bit pants but can't fault the brake system. | | Similar Products Used: | Avid SD3 that came as stock - don't even go there! | | Bike Setup: | Trek8000, RS Sid Race, LX-GOLD V's, Hutchinson Mosquito Air Light tyres (see reviews), the rest is stock. | | Bottom Line: | Certainly a good upgrade from the Avid SD3s and I won't be going back! If you want to loose more weight go to XT or XTR but I reckon only good discs could rival stopping power under normal conditions. You'll probably want to change the pads from the start to get the best performance.
Price is certainly a bonus too. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
nikolas
a Weekend Warrior
from Greece
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Strengths: | Very good stopping power,shimano reliadility,relitively cheap | | Weaknesses: | Shimano pads suck,a bit heavy | | Similar Products Used: | none as good | | Bike Setup: | gt pantera,lx-xt,judySL | | Bottom Line: | The shimano pads are nogood for any kind of ride.I gave them back to the shop(had previous experience with them).I now have a set of swissstops and they rock.Also tried out coolstops-same thing.This brakes are so powerful i had to istall brake boosters to stop them from bending the frame while braking.(along with avid sd levers)I tries also arches,magura discs,hayes disks and NONE of all that had the same power or durability over use even in very wet conditions.Excelent choise.if you are looking for something lighter go for xt or xtr but the stopping power of theese babes is unmached | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Clements
a Cross Country Rider
from Hobart
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Lenah Valley | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | On Bike. | | Strengths: | Nice Brakes! Poor pads (Kool Stop are the go!) Parallel Push is awesome! Great feel at the lever. | | Weaknesses: | Dont like the levers. They will be replaced with some Avid SD 7 or XT asap. | | Similar Products Used: | XT, XTR. | | Bike Setup: | AVANTI Aggressor. Full LX/XT. Shimano Wheels, Manitou Skareb Elite fork with lockout. Easton stuff and Specialized tyres. | | Bottom Line: | Great Bkakes. Stop on a dime with new pads and new levers!
Buy em! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
HIHO
a Cross Country Rider
from Knoxville, TN
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | UP Highpoint down Ridgecrest. (NORRIS) | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$39.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | Looks, Easy adjustment, Power. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Promax | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4300, LX components, Race Face Crank(old skool taper) UN72 BB, Panaracer Fire Pro XC tires. | | Bottom Line: | They stop. Not a huge difference in the cheap Promax that came on the bike. I have the LX shifter/brake lever combo and they work well together. I haven't used them in wet weather so that might be where they stand out. I am going to get some different pads, these seem to get noisy. The pad angle looks good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hunter
a Cross Country Rider
from Casselberry, Fl
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | online somewhere | | Strengths: | no problems | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Avid | | Bike Setup: | Trek Hardtail with Full Shimano XT 9spd system, Race Face Cranks, Mavic D521 rear/Sun O degree front rim, Ringle headset, LX V-brakes, Avid 1.9 levers, Kore stem, Titec riser bars, RockShox suspension seatpost, RockShox Judy Race fork, Primo pedals, ODI grips. | | Bottom Line: | I really decked out my bike last rebuild but decide to stay with basic V-brakes. I am happy I did because these have done fine. There is plenty of adjustability and when done right, these brakes have not failed me. They are simple and thus give a firm feeling at the lever. If you are looking for trouble free good performance but can't make it to disc until later, This is your brake set-up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tomp67
a Weekend Warrior
from NYC
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Any narrow path | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | PricePoint | | Strengths: | Good Looks, easy intallation, easy to adjust great breaking
| | Weaknesses: | I have heard the stock pads are butchers( replace before even riding) | | Similar Products Used: | Promax | | Bike Setup: | 03' Tassajara | | Bottom Line: | Great V brake for the buck,awesome adjustability, great modulation.... go with cool stop pads... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from sweden
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came with the bike | | Strengths: | Fantastic construction, fantastic break capacity, very easy to adjust. Great bite in the breakers, as good as disc-brakes! | | Weaknesses: | none! | | Similar Products Used: | Disc-brakes.. there are no similiar v-brakes that can match this awesome product!! | | Bike Setup: | Merida Matts comp, LX/XT overall. | | Bottom Line: | Best v-brakes ever made and that ever will be made! You never reflect over these brakes, they just do the job in all conditions! I never had any problems with it and will never have any problems!! There´s such stopping-power in these brakes, use to race down steep hills in a speed of 60 km/h and at the bottom is a car road, pull the handles and the bike stop:s you immiediately.
This is product is so trustful, why go for expensive disc-brakes, when there exist v-brakes that have the same breaking-power, and also are cheaper, lighter and are easier to adjust and service. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Leon
a Weekend Warrior
from Slovenia
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Rožnik | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Very good braking performance in dry conditions, very cheap. | | Weaknesses: | To long braking time in rain or mud | | Similar Products Used: | / | | Bike Setup: | Merida Kalahari 550SX | | Bottom Line: | Good brakes for greenhorns and sunday bikers. And also best non-disc brakes available.
Beginners: Buy them! You don't need disc brakes so buy these!
Evrybody better than beginners: You probably don't read this review :) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Vince radimant
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: September 11, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | wakefield | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | Performancebike | | Strengths: | - 3 wave adjustment
- inexpensive, but powerful
- Shimano | | Weaknesses: | - no way
- for those you have hurt their fingers using the levers...come on...GET REAL! | | Bike Setup: | I have recently upgraded my font levers with lx levers and with LX v-brake, the two combinations do a great job of braking power, in all terrain conditions. | | Bottom Line: | great descent levers. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Ont
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Smooth powerful stopping, easy to adjust brake pad because it move parallel to the rim! | | Weaknesses: | hmm... make noise sometimes... | | Similar Products Used: | Avid Disc, Haynes Hydro, XTR vee | | Bike Setup: | Norco Nitro | | Bottom Line: | Awesome vee brake, comparable to disc in dry weather. Discs are better in wet conditions but the LX is still quite powerful. I would recommend for anyone who wants great trouble free vee brakes on a budget. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh, NC,
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Beaverdam South Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$44.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa | | Strengths: | braking power, improved modulation over base brakes | | Weaknesses: | nothing yet | | Similar Products Used: | old cantilever brakes on older bikes, deore v-brakes | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Rockhopper A1 FS Comp w/upgraded XT drivetrain, Duke XC fork | | Bottom Line: | Whoa mommma!-these puppies stop your bike on a dime when needed. Instead of going with a disc set, I opted for these, knowing that I'll probably shell out a good deal for a new full-suspension bike a few years down the road with all the bells and whistles. They've been wonderful, worth every penny ($44 for a front/rear set). I really notice a difference between the parallel-push V-brakes (like these) vs. lower-end models where the pad moves along an arc, therefore, not engaging the rim completely unless you're really squeezing. I agree with the other posts, though, that you'll want to pick up new pads along with the brakes, because the Shimano pads are pretty poor. A great buy! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roger Ramjet
a Weekend Warrior
from Gungalin, ACT, Oztrayleeyah
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere dark, with lots of kangaroos | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Spocks Spokes | | Strengths: | sheeet, how good are these baby's? get yourself a rear brake booster, decent pads and you have a plenty cheap heap powerful brake set. Why spend $$$ on discs? same clever design as XT | | Weaknesses: | unbeleivably crap stadard shimano brake pads | | Similar Products Used: | rear foot on tyre; six pot calipers with carbon rotors; parachutes. | | Bike Setup: | sub 19lb full suspension dirt-jumper with lots of cool stickers, spokie-dokeys, bell and lime green rims. | | Bottom Line: | ok go on then buy your hydraulic discs, god knows you'll need them as you pounce around the streets. For those of us who pay taxes and dont live with mum, this is the supreme affrodable choice. excellent for cross country - cheap and reliable, stell cable require no maintenance - heaps of power. 5 fried brains for these life savers | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ddanj
a Weekend Warrior
from Hell
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | |
|
$
