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Submitted by
Matej Misvelj
a Weekend Warrior
from Slovenia
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | nice look
good power | | Weaknesses: | hard to setup
hard to replace brake pads | | Bike Setup: | stx-rc brake levers, OEM cables, stx-rc brakes | | Bottom Line: | I have been using this brakes for about 6 or 7 years. I set them up once a year and then just leave them alone. It takes a lot of time to set them corectly or to change pads.
Overall it is a good brake system if you are not a professional driver.
AND shimano brake pads are not very good. There should be a better alternative. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bernie Miranda
a Weekend Warrior
from The Philippines
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Southwoods / Tagaytay | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Cartimar | | Strengths: | The metal used is very strong, guess much stronger than the newer XT's of 2003. Stopping Power is Good. | | Weaknesses: | Nothing except its local like ( generic taiwanese/chinese parts )appearance. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XTR, Deore , Exage & Suntour. | | Bike Setup: | MOB ( HardTail ) with XTR RC Gruppo, Alessa Rims, & Kinesis Forks ( no shock ) | | Bottom Line: | This XTR RC has the same performance of todays Shimano's XT versions ( or much better in every aspect ) considering my weight of 240 lbs, from 1997 up to now this old bike of mine still rolls in the rocky roads of Tagaytay and some rivers of Batangas. Very much moneys worth. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Megan
a Weekend Warrior
from Claremont, CA
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | My Dad | | Strengths: | So much better than cantis !!!! | | Weaknesses: | A little fussy with the alignmnet, but overall can't complain | | Similar Products Used: | shimano lx cantis - ah my '91 nishiki cascade | | Bike Setup: | access XCL frame, lx/xt drive train, stx-rc vees with avid sd7 levers, thudbuster w/ selle italia gel flite, titec hellbent bars w/ big al stem, indy c fork - hey, I'm a college student on a budget | | Bottom Line: | So, I really couldn't take riding my old nishiki cascade (like riding a rock with wheels) and decided to build my own bike to save some cash, but use some good components. I had been riding cantis on my old bike. My dad had upgraded to discs and said I could have his old vees - and free is my favorite price. Wow, I almost cracked my skull open the first time I braked with them, I was used to jamming on my cantis. Even though they aren't top of the line, if you spend a little time aligning them correctly they have awesome stopping power (two fingers to ride along side my bipedal friends) and don't squeak a peep. If I had bought them, might have gone with something a little higher in the food chain, but I can't complain about these. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J T
a Cross Country Rider
from VA
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$8.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint | | Strengths: | price
reasonably stiff | | Weaknesses: | maybe a bit heavy | | Similar Products Used: | various shimano
onza | | Bike Setup: | AL hardtail, 217 SUP rims, Alivio levers | | Bottom Line: | What can I say, for $16 for the set they can't be beat. They are not really that hard to set up, and they don't squeal if set correctly. This is not a cut at anyone, but most people don't know how to properly set up and adjust brakes. No problems with these brakes at all. 5 chilis for value, 4 overall. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pete
a Weekend Warrior
from London, On, Ca
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | McAiles | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Strengths: | great stopping power
good feel
dont come out of alignment
not an eye-sore
good price | | Weaknesses: | pain in the arse to align (but only have to do it once or twice)
pads hard to replace | | Similar Products Used: | Tektros | | Bike Setup: | Norco Bush Pilot - mostly factory except for parts replaced | | Bottom Line: | Good price, good power, good looks
Good for the weekend warrior... but pros prolly want higher quality
They have stopped me from hitting many a tree!!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fabien
a Racer
from Brussels
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Best adjustable product at that price | | Weaknesses: | nothing so far | | Bike Setup: | Rear : Acera
Front: LX deore
brakes: STX rc with servo wave action | | Bottom Line: | If you take the necessary time to adjust it, it will give you the best braking power at that price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rico Flor
a Weekend Warrior
from Philippines
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Mt. Makiling | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Specialized (At least that's what the shop's name sez..) | | Strengths: | Great stopping power...almost endoed on a level street when I started using them. Lots of ways to adjust. I can slap on any wheel set and I'm almost sure I can find a way to fit the brake on them. | | Weaknesses: | Lots of ways to adjust. Times when your brain is mush, you just don't appreciate the democracy it gives you in adjustment. There is such a thing as tweak-weary mindset. | | Similar Products Used: | I was using an XT canti before...it's a shock to experience a low end product beating what used to be the top end of the pecking order, in terms of stopping power. | | Bike Setup: | Let's just say I got a Cro-Mo hard tail with standard gague tubing running on Shimano guts. If you care to know the details, look up my review of the RST 381 EL. | | Bottom Line: | Bottom line? Is that the same as skid marks (remember John Leguizamo in Spawn)? Anyways, they're doing a great job on my trail. Depending on the time of year, I either get dust and dry forest litter, and gravel, and baby heads...or mud, and water, and sand and gravel, and wet and slippery baby heads. Back during D.C. (Days of Canti), my hands hurt due to the combined stress that a rigid fork and mushy, weak-braking canti's. On worst rides, I had to stop to pry off my hands from the handlebars...of course they remained curled and aching. Now, at V.B.D. (Vee Brake Days), I can lightly feather my braking with 2 (or sometimes with 1 if I feel like checking out Shimano's wisdom for designing a single finger LX brake lever, something that I don't have, BTW). Braking requires little effort with this baby that I can concentrate on other things like looking for a better line or shifting my weight over obstacles and dips. And not endoing if I my hands curled permanently into a fist.
All in all, I like the damn thing. Works fine for XC, so I recommend it for XC riders with shallow pockets, oodles of patience, and good mechanical acumen. Go disk if you really want to free ride and bash your bike to smithereens.
4 cat smelly droppings for value. 4 smelly turds also for the overall rating. I took out that one for failing to satisfy my LX envy. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stuart
a Weekend Warrior
from Hobart, Australia
Date Reviewed: November 12, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Relatively cheap, simple | | Weaknesses: | Difficult to adjust | | Similar Products Used: | XT-V's, Magura HS-33 | | Bike Setup: | Giant ATX 900 | | Bottom Line: | I found no problems with installing these brakes, the only real bugger with them is trying to keep them dialed in, but as its such a simple system its pretty easy to see what's going on with them. The pads I ran in them (Red Koolstops) were a little unpredictable in the wet, and at times I had to use a fair amount of pressure on the levers. After experiencing XT-V's though, I would have to say that these are a pretty good brake, especially in thier price range. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Brown
a Cross Country Rider
from Shaw,SC,USA
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Lynches Woods | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Buddy's | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | These are actually Deore V-brakes, but I didn't see that as a catagory, and I think everybody needs to know what junk these(Deore) are. They are incredibly hard to install, the springs in the calipers are not of equal strength and the bolts that secure them to your bike are lightweight (I broke one of them). | | Similar Products Used: | Avid | | Bike Setup: | XT,Mag 10,Ritchey rims | | Bottom Line: | These are terrible brakes,I had better stopping power with canti's. If you are forking out the money, buy Avids. These Deores are 20 buck a piece, the Avid digit 7's are 35 for a set!! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 30, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$23.00 | | Strengths: | Cheap
good stoping power
good looking | | Weaknesses: | Very Hard to install!( but once installed, don't have to adjust it again)
| | Bottom Line: | Use these brakes only if you don't care about the installation time.
Probably not a good idea for hardcore riders. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a Racer
from California
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Strengths: | Fast stopping, good quality, easy to tune. | | Weaknesses: | To strong | | Similar Products Used: | Avid arch rival, Shimano XTR, Avid | | Bike Setup: | xtr xtr stxrc | | Bottom Line: | Great feel. Love em.. That's the bottom line! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
donovan
a Cross Country Rider
from greenville
Date Reviewed: November 17, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | paris mt. | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | cheap!
adjustable (high or low) | | Weaknesses: | no replacement pads available! | | Similar Products Used: | dia compe cantis | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale M500 w/ Marzocchi Atom Bomb | | Bottom Line: | I've used these brake for a year, the only problem is that once the pads wore out, the local bike shops couldn't figure out how to replace them. The lx models won't fit. Ended up putting canti style pads on, seems to work ok after adjusting for extra thickness, but I'll probably move up to LXs next. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Molony
a Downhiller
from Canterbury Kent England
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | penshust Quarry | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | local shop | | Strengths: | Cheap....... anti lock system.......Nice levers though, Id reccomend the levers | | Weaknesses: | Anti lock system, complete lack of power, pads take months to wear in by which time they're worn out, flex, stick | | Similar Products Used: | LX maguras acera etc | | Bike Setup: | Identiti with Judy race and Suntour cranks, odd, but they're better than power pro's!?!? | | Bottom Line: | Like trees? Buy these. They will not lock, and are about as powerful as a centrepul with the cable cut.
I have to clean the rims and degrease the cables every weekend to make them work. If you have them on order, cancel them and get LX, Maggies, or Arch rivals.
Youlle hit the aforemetntioned tree, or slip off the back of your bike in a wheely with these.
Buy if you are oin a death wish, or want the levers, which are good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
its mani
a
from sydney
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | whatevers fast, bumpy and got jumps | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | works really well when u set it right
DOESNT unalign at all....(dont know what the others r talkin bout) :)
once you set them right, you wont need to fiddle with them for AGES
nice braking power
| | Weaknesses: | tend to squeek now and then but seriously WHO CARES
dont know why people make a fuss about noise :)
when you get the hang of it, its a breeze to adjust | | Similar Products Used: | *none* | | Bike Setup: | sick mate | | Bottom Line: | definetely worth the money
this gadget works great
id reccomend this for everyone but if your a racer youd probably want something with a bit more power
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex Mitchell
a Weekend Warrior
from Somerset
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Ham Hill !!! | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | look good,work well brilliant for the non-racing sort of rider | | Weaknesses: | difficult to set up and adjust | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | HANDSOMEDOG 7005 XC, XT, STX-RC RST 381R | | Bottom Line: | aFTER YOU'VE SET THEM UP RIGHT, YOU PROBABLY WON'T HAVE TO ADJUST THEM FOR QUITE A WHILE!!!! ALTHOUGH THIS DID TAKE ME AND MY DAD A WHOLE MORNING AND HALF THE AFERNON TO DO!!!
PEOPLE WHO ARN'T SERIOUS DOWNHILLERS OR ANYTHING SHOULD BE FINE WITH THESE BRAKES. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paddy Milburn
a Downhiller
from England
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Quantocks | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Quite powerful but not as powerful as my mates avids | | Weaknesses: | Increible difficult to set up | | Similar Products Used: | Avid10's, LX, DX, Cack ones , Tektro | | Bike Setup: | Gazza Fisher Tassajara with Mozo pro XL's | | Bottom Line: | Cheap and work allright but too fiddly for my likin'. Good for casual rider butnot for downhilling beasts like me!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trent
a Weekend Warrior
from Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | They look all right
| | Weaknesses: | Absolutely useless adjustment system, that has heaps of flex and does not hold for very long, be careful with the bolts as they will become rounded easily | | Similar Products Used: | Cheapo tektro xtr look a like things, worked about the same, but were cheaper and easier to adjust.
'99 LX (go for these) | | Bike Setup: | Giant 870 w/t manitou X-vert forks mostly '99 lx drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | A very Poor design that makes them impossible to adjust, with pretty average power. For their price I would expect better.
I strongly recomend you don't buy these brakes!!!! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dougal
a
from Lichfield, Staffs, England
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Cheap, better than cantis (just) | | Weaknesses: | useless, crap pad adjustment, no power, flexy and squeak like hell | | Similar Products Used: | lx99,98 | | Bottom Line: | Why do these use such a crap pad system when even the Alivio v's use the threaded pads? Cheap option that'll work until you take your wheel out, touch the pads or get one drop of water on the rim. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jason
a Weekend Warrior
from halifax, nova scotia, canada
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | wrandees | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | they work, there shimano, look good, prety light, cheap. | | Weaknesses: | hard to adjust, flexy, and worst of all they squeel when there wet. | | Similar Products Used: | cheeper v-breaks, pro max, avid sd 25, diacompe. | | Bike Setup: | 1998 Raleigh Serengeti, LX, STX-RC, Alivio, Z5 Bomber. | | Bottom Line: | good breaks for the money, but if you dont want to here the most anoying sound in the world then dont buy them, save your hearing! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rico
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Baños, Laguna
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: |
Old logging road at Makiling Forest reserve | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
More stopping power than canti's; affordable (got it at $25). | | Weaknesses: |
Doesn't spread wide open for cleaning (as with canti's). | | Similar Products Used: |
None; Shimano DX canti's | | Bike Setup: |
Rigid CroMo bike | | Bottom Line: | My usual riding fare are pavement, dirt roads that get muddy, and the logging trail at the reserve. On flat conditions, it's ok. For my riding style, pad alignment doesn't change (I toed it in). Even when I use it up my favorite, rocky logging trail (and I really do speed down that trail when I go down). The adjustment doesn't bother me...it stays the way I set it up. No squeaks as long as it's toed in. Overall, I find it great for the budget. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne Australia
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: |
Gembrook Stae Forest | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Better stopping than cantilevers.Ease of installation. | | Weaknesses: |
Tend to squeak under heavy load. | | Similar Products Used: |
Cantilevers. | | Bike Setup: |
Giant. Sedona.
STX - RC components. | | Bottom Line: | The brakes were not difficult to install.
It only took a morning. Quite easy to adjust to my liking.Much better improvement over cantilevers.Well suited to my level of riding which includes bike paths and some entry level off, non competitive off road riding. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia
Date Reviewed: December 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Chambers gully | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Stopping power for the price you pay | | Weaknesses: |
hard to adjust and they go out of alignment when you take the wheels off | | Similar Products Used: |
none | | Bike Setup: |
shogun slickrock stx with rst 381r | | Bottom Line: | they stop pretty well but they come out of alignment HEAPS!!! when you just take the rim off and for no apparent reson | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sveinung Heggen
a Weekend Warrior
from Vøyenenga, Norway
Date Reviewed: September 22, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Price? Initially good stopping power. | | Weaknesses: |
STX-R brakes is impossible to set up properely. The brake arms go out of alignment constantly. Original brake pads weared out in a month (300 km on forest road.) Very time consuming adjusing the brakes.Cassettes and chained waered out in 2000 kilometers (the two last summers have been vary wet in Norway = lot of mud) | | Similar Products Used: |
Drum brakes. Cantilever. | | Bike Setup: |
Merida MATTS LX 1997(only the rear gear mech is LX). Marzocchi Z5 Air in font. | | Bottom Line: | The brakes sucks. Buy better ASAP. Chain ans cassette/ring, probably OK in dryer and cleaner condition than Norwegian summers. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Creature of the Wheel
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa, Ontario
Date Reviewed: July 12, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Kanata Lakes | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Price? | | Weaknesses: |
Impossible to set up
No power after springs wear out | | Similar Products Used: |
Cantilevers | | Bike Setup: |
98 Raleigh Serengetti, Rock Shox Indy S | | Bottom Line: | At first, these brakes are OK, with pretty good stopping power. After about 2 months of riding, the springs become copletely stretched and braking power is gone!
Setting up the pads so that they are toed-in, not hitting the tire, and catching all of the rim is impossible. You have to totally torque the 2 bolts so that the un-threaded brake pad post stays where it should under braking. But, when reefing on the wrenches the brake pad goes everywhere, never staying where I need it set up.
With the un-replaceable shot springs, I have the brake-pad posts set to their max so that I have the proper distance between the calipers.
I have to pull the levers to their max just to slow my front wheel down, forget about actually stopping.
$himano has really outdone themselves here. They'll probably sell about 2million of these things because they are inexpensi ve. But I really wonder how much these things actually cost $himano to build.
For an entry level brake, I would go with cantilevers.
For something to actually stop your bike, but still affordable, I would pay just a bit more and get Avid or Sram.
My Avid Arch Rival 50's are on their way as we speak. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kyle Trotter
a Weekend Warrior
from Tyler, TX
Date Reviewed: June 25, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Cheap and affordable, but work well! | | Weaknesses: |
Squeaky at times. For no apparent reason they lose some power on the front wheel - easily fixed by riding about 5 mins. | | Similar Products Used: |
None. | | Bike Setup: |
Gary Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo with a Rock shox Indy XC. | | Bottom Line: | These brakes are great for the price and are great after only owning cantilevers (on my dad's Trek 800). They are worth the money (only around like 20 bucks per wheel. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a Weekend Warrior
from Philly
Date Reviewed: May 5, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Valley Green | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
cheap...
never stick to rim
good power | | Weaknesses: |
heavy [do i care]
STX-RC | | Similar Products Used: |
all the shimanos | | Bike Setup: |
stock 98' Giant ATX 860
w/ clipless | | Bottom Line: | good for the price. i've had em for a year and they havent even come untuned yet. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tim adtian
a Weekend Warrior
from kk,malaysia
Date Reviewed: April 10, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
cheap,best prod. for begginers | | Weaknesses: |
damn thing squeks....try almost everthing,same shit!!!! | | Similar Products Used: |
STX , XT , LX 1998 | | Bike Setup: |
CUSTOM MADE, ALUM. FRAME DH | | Bottom Line: | it's ok for beginners but not for serious racer. the pads squeks...tried all tricks..kool stop, toe in ...na..da..this stuff suck........buy a XT if u can | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mtb_411
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal
Date Reviewed: April 3, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Cheap, simple and good modulation | | Weaknesses: |
Quick loss of power after downhill section | | Similar Products Used: |
Canti's | | Bike Setup: |
XC hardtail | | Bottom Line: | A really cool upgrade from canti's. Don't get LX, these are MORE adjustable and cheapper too. The power in the beginning is super-duper but quickly lacks after some time. However, all you have to do is sand your pads, clean the rims and you have wheel locking power all over again! They modulate great I find because I can lock up either tire with 2 fingers, or I can come to a sudden stop WITHOUT locking up, a definite plus in wet conditions. Oh, yeah, very reliable too! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TRENT
a weekend warrior
from TAS
Date Reviewed: March 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
THe old STX RC group aint to bad in general, with the exception of the brakes! These pricks of things will take you about 6 months to set up using TWO 10mm spanners (NO Allen key). Power and modulation aren't too bad for the price. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Winterbottom
a racer
from Johannesburg, Sunny South Africa
Date Reviewed: March 1, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been using Shimano STX RC components on my new Wheeler 4900 ZX and have completed 1200 kms to date. So far the shifting has been excellent and completely flawless. Shifting is easy and quick whether riding uphill, on the level or downhill. I recommend these components to anyone looking for good components at affordable prices. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Julien Béliveau
a
from Montreal
Date Reviewed: February 17, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Never buy this scrap. The lever are too cheap and too short. This shit of brake had broke on my bicycle and my garbage can had more appreciate this bullshit than me. I had put MAGURA race line and it's 300 times better. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
peter
a cross-country rider
from ontario
Date Reviewed: February 14, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
to me the stx rc v brakes are the best for advanced riders i have a set of them on my gaint atx 760 the whole bike is stx rc i have had them fo well over a year and i have had no problems with them very easy for tighting them and for takeing care of the | | Overall Rating: |
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