Submitted by
nick314
a Weekend Warrior
from Annapolis, MD Date Reviewed: May 18, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
backcountryoutlet.co
Strengths:
good quality, great feel, good modulation, price($50 for both the brake and STI levers), confident one fingered braking, all around good
Weaknesses:
definitely loses some power on long downhills, I was kind of indifferent to the STI levers
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX 9, Avid BB7, juicy's
Bike Setup:
03 GT avalanche, xt-ish drivetrain, dt/xt wheels, old manitou axel fork
Bottom Line:
amazing price($50 each), good quality and dependability, i feel safe going fast
the STI levers neither improved nor detracted from my riding experience...not sure i like them but i definitely don't mind them
consistent and predictable performance
(i have both brakes in 160mm)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mrilo
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas Date Reviewed: March 23, 2009
Favorite Trail:
IDB
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$32.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Great stopping power, awesome feel / modulation, reliable, good price.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 5’s, BB7
Bike Setup:
08 Gary Fisher Hi-Fi Deluxe
Bottom Line:
Great brakes for the money, these replaced the Avid Juicy 5’s that were stock on my hi-fi and I will not look back. They are super responsive and unlike my juicy’s they are very quiet. I had so many problems with the juicy’s, replaced pads/ rotors, finally switched because Jenson were selling these cheap. I love the feel of the LX’s and stop me just as good as the juicy’s. Though I do miss having the 185mm rotor in front, for the shimano’s I had to with 160 front / rear, but I have not noticed a difference. I have heard from others that they do not perform well on long downhill’s because of the mineral oil, well I did not have that problem, I took the LX’s to Colorado on some long fire road/single-track descents and did not lose any power. That’s just my $.02
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lateapexgt3
a Racer
from Rocklin, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 9, 2009
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Super value
Weaknesses:
Not the coolest looking brakes, and a little heavy. Lever adjustment is kind of a pain
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Elixir
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Rush
Bottom Line:
I havent seen a better brake for the money. I get a lot better bite with EBC Red pads but they are not the greatest for the wet. Yes the new brakes with the adjustable pads are much tricker. I wish these didnt work so well because it makes it so difficult for me to drop $400 on the Elixir CRs or new XT's. I just noticed this set for $40 at Jensen. I ride hard and drop all the big hills in Nor Cal. 15 years of hardcore experience....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dirt_merchant
a Racer
from Philly Date Reviewed: January 20, 2009
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Great feel and modulation
Weaknesses:
Every WINTER they leak oil down at the Calipers onto the rotor and that ruins the pads. So plan to have to replace the pads EVERY winter at least once, or 2-3 times if you ride a lot in the cold weather...
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT755 calipers and Saint levers
Bike Setup:
Kona Coiler 5" suspension
Bottom Line:
This is just a pain in the ass and costs a little more money that I wish, but the brakes are still awesome and this little problem is an inconvenience but that's about it...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jt
a Cross Country Rider
from hawaii Date Reviewed: October 21, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Strengths:
Levers are very comfortable for XC or DH riding, easy setup, price, never needed adjustment after proper setup, very powerful, interchangable with other shimano brake parts.
Weaknesses:
Initial bleeding can take a little time, but once set never had any problems with squealing, rubbing, etc. Prefer the shimanos to the maguras which would stick and rub constantly.
Similar Products Used:
avid bb, xt 775, saints, louise, marta
Bottom Line:
5 chilies
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy
a Cross Country Rider
from France Date Reviewed: September 9, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Stock with bike
Strengths:
Maintenance (basically none required other than cleaning in 3 years) and reliability - no failures, ever.
Weaknesses:
Technical downhills can show up some fairly substantial limitations. To be fair, these are not downhill brakes though, so I push them a little further than they were designed for. I do not like the integrated shifter and lever combination, but I should have thought more about the implications of this when I bought the bike; my fault.
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mono M4
Bike Setup:
Scott MC40 - pretty much stock setup
Bottom Line:
Very shimano - not very pretty, but ultra reliable and functional. As I mentioned, they can be made to show their limits fairly easily, but my basis for comparison are my Hope Mono M4's on my other bike which is not really comparing like with like. I have used shimano pads, BB pads and I think Grimeca (?) pads which were sintered. To be honest, I have not felt any difference and the longevity appeared to be similar. The modulation is not bad, but the limitations shown on long downhills result in a very perceptible reduction in lever travel (and modulation - much more resistance to the lever pull) and this can give you some old-school (from cable canti brake days) forearm fatigue. Good if you want to work that forearm definition though... Overall, think about what you want to use them for - cross country and small downhills they would be an excellent choice. Any longer or more technical downhills and I would consider looking elsewhere for something a bit more substantial.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Z2adambomb
a Weekend Warrior
from Durhamm NC Date Reviewed: August 21, 2008
Favorite Trail:
it's a secret
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$32.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
very inexpensive, reliability, modulation, availability of parts, ease of setup, tons of options for setup
Weaknesses:
stock resin pads lose power in wet conditions, shimano brake lines are very thin and kink easily
Similar Products Used:
Hope M4's and minis, Formula K18's, Hayes Mags, Magura Louise FR and Julies, Juicy 5's and 7's, Shimano Hone and XT.
Bike Setup:
Ventana salty, 5" rockers, quad bearings, HD main pivot, pused float, Fox 32 Van RLC, XTR drivetrain, RF crank BB, Hadley/DT 5.1 wheels, Shimano LX levers, LX calipers.
Bottom Line:
This is going to be a lengthly description, mostly because I think these brakes have a lot of potential that most folks don't realize due to the LX label. I'll try to organize my comments :)
Overall performance: I've run these and the Hones (exact caliper, different paint and metalic pads)for a year now and I've been very pleased. I've used most brands disc brakes and am very critical of modulation and progressive power. The LX units have a very smooth application of power, they're easy to feather in rough conditions, yet still can apply consistent power with one finger when needed. I would say as an all around brake, these (w/metalic pads) are a better option than the M4's I was running. They don't put out the fade-free power under long descents, but the modulation and feel is better. They're quiet and smooth, but I would definitely recommend running the metalic pads for more power and wet weather. The resin pads in my experience have lost significant power under muddy/wet conditions, but my hones with metalic pads don't have the same effect. this is an easy fix for the LX caliper by just swapping pads.
Setup: This is an area where the shimano units really shine. Almost all shimano disc calipers on the market now are the same general unit with subtle style differences... Hone, LX, XT, Deore, they're all pretty much the same brake, so to get it for $32 a wheel is outstanding. The best part is you can mix and match adapters, rotors, and levers. Any shimano lever will work with any shimano caliper. I wanted to run 185mm hope rotors with my hones so I just used an avid 185mm PM adapter and voala perfect match. the calipers are all PM like avid's units so you just mate them with the appropriate adapter and you're set (even if the adapters are from different brands). I use Avid G2 185's and 165's on my ventana and hope 185mm lightning bolt rotors with the hones and the setup works perfectly. If you mix rotors, do check thickness. Shimano rotors are a bit thin if I'm not mistaken, so you might not get the appropriate pad clearance with a thicker rotor. I can account for Hope, Avid, Shimano, and Hayes rotors though - they all worked for me. (magura might be too thick)
Complaints: hose! they work fine in most conditions, but the hoses are thin - compare to Magura especially. Mine got kinked from a minor pull when removing a fork. If you're doing higher impact technical riding, I'd recommend running SS lines or something with say a magura hose and shimano fittings. I have yet to try this though. Suprisingly, it's hard to find hose kits for Hone/LX... most kits available are for XTR (use banjos). Hone/LX uses dual M8x.75 male fittings. I've found MANY errors on websites for goodridge lines saying the 108 kit works for LX/Hone... but it's not the right hardware - no banjos. I've already mentioned the pad issue in wet weather, but the metalic pads included with hone or available separately solve that. If you're a DHer, these will show some minor fade. I pushed the resin pads several times on a fairly high speed (~35mph) 9 minute DH trail and the last few minutes they were showing fade. I haven't pushed the hones w/metalic pads on the same run yet though.
Overall, with the metalic pads and a solid line, these brakes are hard to beat for a versatile and reliable all around setup. If you are doing prolonged high speed descents, you may want a larger caliper (Gustav/M4/Code) with less fade, but for the vast majority of trail riding, these are a great buy and perform exceptionally well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
willem3
a Cross Country Rider
from Bend, Oregon Date Reviewed: July 29, 2008
Favorite Trail:
North Fork
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
EBAY
Strengths:
I have the 08' XT's on my other machine. These turned out to be great for my singlespeed. They do not squeek. They have excellent stopping power. Once I broke them in, they were awesome.
Weaknesses:
None yet.
Similar Products Used:
XT Brakes, Avid, Hayes
Bike Setup:
Ventana El Comandante 08 Frame with Fox F29 80mm RLC Fork and all the best stuff..
Bottom Line:
Buy them. Great price, nice brakes.. Can't go wrong.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Edgar
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco Date Reviewed: March 15, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$32.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA.com
Strengths:
Stops really well, doesn't squeek, easy to install and bleed
Weaknesses:
weight? But who the hell really cares about a 100g (.2 pounds) difference?
Similar Products Used:
BB5s
Bike Setup:
2005 Stumpy mostly stock
Bottom Line:
Replace the pads in my BB5s for $32, or for under $150, I was able to upgrade to hydro calipers, rotors, brake lines and levers.
My first time on hydros, there is no comparison between cable pull and hydro. I'm sure these weigh more than more expensive setups, but they are a great value and slow me down in a hurry.
I ride faster now, knowing these will grind me to a halt in no time. Have ridden them through mud and rain with zero issues.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchester, Manchester, UK Date Reviewed: February 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Loop de loops
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
They work, they're cheap, they give good feel at the levers. Most important...they WORK!!!
Weaknesses:
Mine squeal a little when wet. Maybe not the lightest
Similar Products Used:
V brakes, Avid's
Bike Setup:
Scott Genius MC30
Bottom Line:
OK...they came with the bike. OK...they're Shimano. BUT...They do the job. Never missed a ride due to the brakes, never had a bad moment due to the brakes. Good for most people on most bikes formost general applications. Hey..they work!!! ;O)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Collin
a Cross Country Rider
from SC Date Reviewed: February 1, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came stock on bike
Strengths:
Stopping power, feel, lever design
Weaknesses:
Pistons in caliper became sticky after extended wet riding...worked them loose with some lube and they are back to normal
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 7, Avid BB7
Bike Setup:
2007 Cannondale Rush 4...mostly stock
Bottom Line:
I switched from my BB7s with reservation. I love the maintainability and adjustablity of the BB7s. The LX brakes have proved to be a great set of brakes with plenty of stopping power for the riding I do...no serious DH. I love the shape of the levers. The pistons in the calipers got stuck/sticky after about 6 muddy wet rides in a row, I worked the pistons in an out using some lube (off the bike without pads installed) and they went back to normal. Definitely worth the money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
joe
a Downhiller
from kerry, ireland Date Reviewed: November 24, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
good stopping power and feel
Weaknesses:
rotors supplied are slightly weak
Similar Products Used:
v-brakes, various mechanical disc brakes, hayes hfx9
Bike Setup:
duncon amstaff, marzocchi z1, shimano deore gears, da bomb wheels
Bottom Line:
They have great stopping power and are not affected by weather-muc or dust. The main detail i liked about these brakes is the feel they have. i do use these brakes for downhill but just on my hardtail rig, which id use for the odd bit of dj. so i would recommend itfor the same but maybe not on a full downhill rig.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Raul
a Weekend Warrior
from SJ, CR Date Reviewed: September 25, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Good power, great control and power modulation.
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanilla RLC, LX components, Iron Horse Warrior frame.
Bottom Line:
I think this brake system is great and it has a good price/value relationship. I have used this system in extreme conditions with excellent results. With a lot of mud, or rain.. the result is great.
I have more control of my bike in "technical" rides with this brakes.
Buy them!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike
a Cross Country Rider
from ohio Date Reviewed: September 15, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Bobcat at Lake Hope
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
These brakes are very strong, the levers are comfortable and easy to adjust. They make my bike stop.
Weaknesses:
None that I can find
Similar Products Used:
V-brakes, Avid mechanical discs
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Rush, Lefty, Fox Float w/propedal, LX/XT drivetrain
Bottom Line:
I have put about 250-300 miles on these brakes and they havent failed me yet. They have functioned great in wet and dry conditions. They probably aren't the lightest brakes out there, but thats really a non issue. I would buy them again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK Date Reviewed: May 15, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Not sure yet, they seemed good stoppers and I really like the dual control idea, took a while to get used to but having everything in one place is great!
Weaknesses:
The pads are absolute rubbish!
Similar Products Used:
Avid mechs on my Kona and Magura Julies on my Cove
Bike Setup:
Mongoose Teocali Elite - stock
Bottom Line:
The brakes were ok to start with and bedded in pretty well but compared to the Magura Julies I have fitted on my hardtail I was very disapointed. This past weekend the weather was dire but I'd planned a ride at Swinley forest with 5 other blokes so we bit the bullit and out we went. It was really muddy and pissed down for about 4 hours so the poor conditions played their part but I've never seen brakes fall apart before and my rear pads just disapeared during the ride. The brakes were fitted with the resin pads and when I got home after sounding like a broken denists drill for 15km I took the pads out of the rear brake and all of the pad had gone on one side, there was nothing there!!
I've now replaced them with metal pads and hope they last as well as my Julies which where cheaper and are far superior thus far. If this remedies my stopping issues then full marks to the big S but so far it seems that these were stuck together with some paper glue. Only let down by the pads though as I really like the rest of the setup.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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