| |
Submitted by
adam
a Weekend Warrior
from england
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | realy powerful brake, simple to fit | | Similar Products Used: | avid SD 3s, tektro | | Bike Setup: | singlespeed xile, FSA BB and headset, truvativ hussefelt cranks maxxis holy rollers | | Bottom Line: | really powerful, easy to fit, very adjustable, and looks pimpin' | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt K
a Weekend Warrior
from Pretoria, South Africa
Date Reviewed: April 24, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$64.00 | | Strengths: | Extremely powerful! Great Modulation, well designed. Makes
endos easy. | | Weaknesses: | If your rim is not perfectly trued then adjusting becomes a bit difficult by nothing too bad. as powerful as discs but weaker in mud and rain | | Similar Products Used: | tektro v brake, clarks pads, kool stops | | Bike Setup: | giant 06 boulder | | Bottom Line: | a great product! the best v brake | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Tisdale
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Grapevine | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Well engineered, awesome looks, cheap, easy to adjust | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Dia Compe | | Bike Setup: | Specialized M2, Spinergy Rev-x Rox, Race Face Cranks | | Bottom Line: | These are the best v brakes I have ever tried. On my first ride I almost went over the bars because I under estimated their power. Damn good product. I don't understand how anyone could be unhappy with them. The complainers are probably not as honest as they would have you believe. Get'em and forget 'em! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lindsay D
a Cross Country Rider
from St. Louis Park, MN, USA
Date Reviewed: July 22, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | new Theodore Wirth trail, Mpls | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | Maple Grove Cycling | | Strengths: | -Ease of setup & maintainance.
-Very little adjustment to switch between wheels with different rim widths.
-Stopping power! | | Weaknesses: | Ummm... nobody gave them to me for free? | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT & XTR V-brakes, entry-level Avid V-brakes. | | Bike Setup: | Gunnar Rockhound (steel, baby.) w/SRAM 9.0, TruVativ cranks, LX/Salsa wheels, and an old, inexpensive, but reliable and easily adjustable Judy SL fork. | | Bottom Line: | These are great. Buy 'em.
I'm the parts buyer for a shop in Minneapolis, and as much as the nifty new technology is nifty and new, more often than not I see that stuff in the shop while the people with regular stuff are out riding and not wondering why their expensive crap doesn't work for, well, crap.
I've got two rules of thumb for disc brakes:
1) Disc on a cross-country hardtail?
2) For full-suspension, if your suspension travel is smaller than the diameter of a disc rotor, why bother, Evel Knievel?
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Glenn Vernes
a
from Middletown, CT
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Trail of Tears, Sandwitch Ma | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | Price Point | | Strengths: | Very easy to install, set up, and adjust. All adjustments can be made with an allen wrench. | | Weaknesses: | the SD 7 levers bend very easily | | Similar Products Used: | Avid Single Digit, Shimano XTR | | Bike Setup: | Sugar freme, Bomber Z3 fork, ceramic rims | | Bottom Line: | Vey easy to install and set up. With the Speed Dial levers you can adjust the feel with the turn of a knob. They provide braking power comparable to the Avid mechanical disks (in dry conditions, and as long as you're using ceramic rims) and better then any other rim brakes I've tried (including XTR). It's very nicely made (espescially for the price) and has a look of quality. And they don't squeal. The arch seems to catch leaves a little ealier than regular v-brakes. I got mine as a package deal with SD-7 levers from Price Point and the levers are also well made and have a great shape, but they bent very easily. I bent mine on the first crash (a slow speed endo onto rocks) and was able to bend it back by hand. They're cheap to replace, though. I've only got one ride on the system but so far so good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George F
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Sunview | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Christmas Gift | | Strengths: | VERY POWERFUL brakes! These things WILL stop on a dime! I was amazed at how well these babies work. Comes with a built in brake booster. Also amazingly light. VERY impressed. | | Weaknesses: | None, still work great like the 1st time I tried them a year ago. | | Similar Products Used: | Promax | | Bike Setup: | Marin Novato Triple Butted 7005 Aluminum Edge Tubed Frame, Mavic Crossrides, Bontrager Comfort K Hardcase Tires, Rock Shocks Jett 2, Kore Elite XC Comp Handlebars, Kore lite 3 Stem, Avid Arch Rival V-Brakes, Avid Speed Dial SD 2.0L Brake Levers, TruVativ 5D Crank, WTB Momentum Comp ST Headset, WTB Rocket V Saddle, Sette 7 APX seat post, Shimano XT Derailleurs, Cateye Wireless 7 computer, Profile briefs bar Ends, BLT mini-Doppler Light. | | Bottom Line: | SUPER brakes! Very powerful and strudy. Very very light aswell. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
todd
a Cross Country Rider
from garner
Date Reviewed: December 23, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | They have great stopping power. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bottom Line: | These things work great. I'm a heavy rider and have never had a problem slowing down with them. I've been running this style brake for over 4 years now and can't see myself switching. Best rim brakes around. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
edouble
a Cross Country Rider
from wyandanch,ny
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | dupont nat. forest,nc | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | great stopping power and modulation. | | Weaknesses: | dont look as sleek as the ultimates | | Similar Products Used: | shimano xt and xtr | | Bike Setup: | i use these brakes on both my voodoo bizango and my jamis dragon. steel baby, all the way all day!. | | Bottom Line: | for those who say these brakes have no stopping power i say this. im 6ft. 2in. and 245 lbs of muscle and when i put the hammer down my bikes mooove. yet ive had zero broblems braking, even when im flying downhill. if your having problems its not the brakes, that leaves you with one other option. ill let you figure it out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Glenn
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland NZ
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Woodhill | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | Trademe | | Strengths: | Modulation, stopping power and easy to adjust. | | Weaknesses: | None as yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Dia comp, avid etc | | Bike Setup: | Now that would be telling, although its a specialized. | | Bottom Line: | My bike originally had dia comp brakes, which really are the crappiest i've ever used, specialized must have got em for free cos you definitely would'nt pay for em. Anyway after scaring myself too many times and doing some homework, i upgraded to these with speed dial 7 levers. They took about 1/2 an hour to install, aligned themselves first time and stop me sled like a treat. As a result my riding has improved and i feel more confident in the hairy stuff. They also have more modulation and power than some disc units i've tried, go figure!! Great for the price and they look good too. Speed dial 7 levers a must, they will work with other avids i.e. 1.0l but not as good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
SCOTT
a Weekend Warrior
from Lakewood, Colo.
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Buffalo Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Price Point | | Strengths: | 1.BRAKING POWER WITH ADJUSTABILITY
2.LOOKS
3.RETAIL PRICE ESPECIALLY FROM VENDERS LIKE PRICE POINT. | | Weaknesses: | 1. CABLES AND LEVERS ON LOWER END MODELS ARE LAME!!!
| | Similar Products Used: | 1. AVID SINGLE DIGIT 7'S WITH MATCHING LEVERS.
2. AVID 3'S WITH AVID 5 LEVERS. | | Bike Setup: | 04 STUMPJUMPER WITH AVID ARCH RIVAL BRAKES, DIGIT 7 LEVERS,
AND FLAK JACKET CABLES. CARBON BAR ENDS AND NEW GRIPS. ALL ELSE IS STOCK. | | Bottom Line: | I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH HAVING TO PULL SUPER-HARD ON THE LEVERS TO GET THESE BRAKES TO STOP! MY HANDS WERE WORN OUT AFTER A LONG DESCENT! I REPLACED THE DIGIT 5 LEVERS AND THE CABLES WITH 7 LEVERS AND KEVLAR FLAK JACKET CABLES. IT FINALLY WORKS LIKE I HOPED IT WOULD!!! ARE ARCH RIVALS WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY? LETS JUST SAY I HAD EQUAL OR BETTER BRAKING WITH THE DIGIT 7'S AND I COULD HAVE USED THE MONEY I SAVED TO BUY A NIFTY MULTI-TOOL OR SOMETHING.
AT LEAST THE BRAKES LOOK COOL... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Sullivan
a Cross Country Rider
from Overland Park KS USA
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | minor park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$37.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike America | | Strengths: | Supposedly amazing stopping power | | Weaknesses: | makes the rear stays flex almost as much as a full carbon bike like the 9.8 | | Similar Products Used: | avid single digit 7s stuff of that nature. | | Bike Setup: | gary fisher sugar 3+ black adjustable fork, xt front xtr rear, xt shifters and xt cranks. | | Bottom Line: | dude i installed these brakes looking for something with amazingly good stopping power and looks good too. THEY HAVE only LOOKED GOOD. i hate everything about them!
they stop worse than a pair of generic low end tektro brakes. THEY STINK. the tension on the left side is all screwed up and it doesn't stop unless you freaking pull lever to your bars. i have tried almost everything i could to fix them and i can't so im going to sell them for a quarter hahaha thats all they are worth to me. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
syammim arifin
a Cross Country Rider
from shah alam, malaysia
Date Reviewed: October 8, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | gruber's grinder | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint | | Strengths: | Low load sensitivity due to the parallel push | | Weaknesses: | A little hard to clear out the linkage in case of detaching the wheels. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Rusty hardrock with no stock parts xcept for the friggin 31.7 mm diameter seatpost | | Bottom Line: | Better modulation, less sensitivity to brake load making your braking maneuver less susceptible to lockups. Works transparently. Gets a lot of attention too. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Houston
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Conyers International Horse Park Olympic Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$79.00 | | Purchased At: | JensonUSA | | Strengths: | Everything. These breaks rock. They breaking is strong and reliable. They were easy to set up, they clean up easily. Good support from Avid if anything breaks. A reasonable alternative to disc breaks at an excellent price. | | Weaknesses: | Sometimes a little too strong. A little heavier than some of Shimano's breaks. | | Similar Products Used: | Avid Single Digit 7s - Shimano Deore XT - Shimano Deore LX | | Bike Setup: | Jamis XC ALU hardtail w/ LX/XT drive train | | Bottom Line: | Great product. Great Company. If you want a good solid breaking system, these are the breaks to have. Speed Dial levers are also recomeneded. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Racer
from Mexico
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$79.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint | | Strengths: | Price
Simplicity
Quiet
Good looking
| | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Avid SD5, SD7, XTR | | Bike Setup: | Stumpjumper Hardtail | | Bottom Line: | This is an extremely good product for the price. It delivers more or less the same amount of power of Avid’s SD7 or SD5 but with a lot more modulation and without squeal. With a good set of cables, you can achieve single finger braking capability and instantly improve your ability to clear step and twisty singletrack sections. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martyn Nash
a Cross Country Rider
from Carmarthenshire
Date Reviewed: December 20, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | llanddowror | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | chain reaction | | Strengths: | Power, ease of set up. | | Weaknesses: | Didnt find any | | Similar Products Used: | Avid SD 3, Shimano XT | | Bike Setup: | Then M4 Hardtail, M4 FSRXC | | Bottom Line: | These are absolutely the best I have tried. Now have Shimano XT on a M5 Sworks Hardtail and they dont really come close for stopping power (have now XT changer and brake levers in one so expensive to change). They were excellent on a hardtail M4 to avoid some flex on the seat stays. I never used anything but wrim wrangler pads and they were excellent and no squeal!!! I definately rate these up with thomson seat posr and stem. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
The Beast
a Cross Country Rider
from Aberdeen, UK
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Glen Tress | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle Care | | Strengths: | Powerful, great modulation, easy to set up, rim wrangler pads are excellent, quiet, no signs of play after 3 years of muddy abuse. | | Weaknesses: | Difficult to remove tyres wider than 2". | | Similar Products Used: | Other Avid, Shimano LX | | Bike Setup: | '97 Marin Rift Zone | | Bottom Line: | The best rim brakes you can buy. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cosworth
a Cross Country Rider
from Verdugo City
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | South Beaudry | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | $45.00 | | Strengths: | Excellent strength and smoothness at speed. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | XTR-Way too much vibration at high speed. | | Bike Setup: | Masi Titanium, XTR, King head and hub, Thomson, Mavic, Scott. | | Bottom Line: | The customer support at Avid is absolutely perfect. When swapping out frames two of the small set pins remained in the
old frame stays. Dan at Avid sent a complete set free of charge. Very nice as the LBS had non in stock and were not willing to help find any. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joel
a Weekend Warrior
from New York
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Blue Mtn | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | price point | | Strengths: | Arch eliminates braking flex in the seat stays, strong brakes, look good, fairly light. | | Weaknesses: | Not very durable, flawed tension adjustment system, rim wrangler pads are not great.
I barely scraped my rear brake going through a rock garden and it knocked the brake tension out. My rear wheel started rubbing the rim so I tried to adjust the spring tension - BIG MISTAKE - these little screws are so delicate that any amount of torque is going to strip them and your SOL. I couldn't use my rear brakes for the rest of the trail and of course the front ones sent me over the bars and messed up my hand. To their credit, Avid sent me new spring tension screw setups (without directions - it took me a long time to realize you have to pry the platfoms off the brake arms - but you have to be very careful not to damage the delicate aluminum bushings). | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Fisher Big Sur, Aerospoke, XTR/XT, Avid Arch Rivals w/SD7's. | | Bottom Line: | I've never been that impressed with the durability and quality of Avid brakes. My buddy has XTRs which have a much smoother feel - brakes and levers. Even the stock Alvio brakes that came with bike seemed better made. I wanted the arch rivals rather than XTRs because of the arch (my shimanos flexed too much), the looks the weight, and the price. When I put them on, however, they didn't seem to stop as well as the stock brakes (I had put YPK pads on the stock ones, which work even better than the Rim Wranglers). I put the YPK's on the Avids and now they're really good stoppers. But after my horrible experience with the spring tension screw, I can't say I'm their biggest fan. If you get a good price on them, buy em, but if you can afford XTR - go Shimano - you can definitely feel the difference in quality, squeal or no squeal. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The next one | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Durable, fairly light, stays centered and very pretty (Sounds like my wife, and I like her a lot, too!) | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano, MachineTech | | Bottom Line: | After four years with SD 7 levers, I'm moving the whole setup to a new carbon fiber bike. I was trying to decide what new brakes to get for it, when I realized I never think about these babies. They just perform, quietly and solidly.
Scary descents are not quite as scary when you know your brakes have saved you countless times before. One finger braking is standard procedure, with no noise. Carefully true your rims, dial in your pads and let 'er rip! These babies stay centered and will send you over the bars if you're not careful. But then, who's careful? Five whatevers for Avid! They deserve it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CalMTB K
a Cross Country Rider
from Alameda
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson | | Strengths: | POWER! Relatively light. Looks like a million bucks. | | Weaknesses: | pricy; pads can wear out quickly (after 1 sandy ride), but they can be replaced; pads do leave some black residue after a long ride w/ hard braking. | | Similar Products Used: | cheap stock Vs; tektro; Alivio | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Hardrock as single speed. All stock except for riser bar, Englund Total Air fork upgrade, Hutchinson Python Air Light tires (great!), and ZuZu pedals. All came in at around 24lbs or less. | | Bottom Line: | Sick brake. Beware of its power. Enough to save my ass on steeps. Looks cool. No squeal. Probably the best V-brake, period. I set it up in front, while still keeping the cheap stock set on the rear. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a
from Surrey, UK
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Great power
no sqealing
parrallel push linkage (or whatever its called) works amazingly and needs no maintenance
come with cartridge pads | | Weaknesses: | erm... the rrp is a bit steep but i bought mine online (www.supercycles.co.uk i think) for about half that price so no complaints at all | | Similar Products Used: | Avid SD-1, SD3 and Shimano LX V's + a few low end shimano ones | | Bike Setup: | modified 2000 Kona NuNu | | Bottom Line: | Put simply, the best cable rim brake there is. No doubt. Bargain price if you shop around, consistently outstanding performance in wet/dry/mud whatever - these never let you down. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BOB
a Cross Country Rider
from Marysville CA
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | South Yuba | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | PRICE POINT | | Strengths: | EXCELLENT STOPPING POWER. Large size allen adjustment for springs. The levers are awesome. | | Weaknesses: | Front brake bolts were too long for my fork. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano , Dia comp , Avid 25 and 7 single digit | | Bike Setup: | Specialized , Psylo XC , LX XT drive train , Sun rhyno lite rims , Avid Arch rival | | Bottom Line: | Awesome brake. The price was for a set with the single digit 7 levers. I had XT shimanos on the bike before these and they were hand me downs from my other bike( which has 7 avids ). The shimano front brake squealed worse the older it got. I had to replace it and I made the best choice for the money period. At least thats how I feel. The stopping power is better than the XTs and I feel. These brakes are primarily being used for urban rides and the BMX track with the kids this is my second bike.I also tow the kid around on the Tag a Long about twice a week and they stop me and him very good.I like the levers alot because I can set the brakes tight yet the lever does not pull the brakes until the lever is close to the handle bars. The best V brakes for the money are Avid. Both my bike use them and I am reluctant to go to discs(cost). AWESOME BRAKE. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from London, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Strengths: | sweet breaking, great response. great modulation. | | Weaknesses: | rubber cable boot wont stay put. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Kona Explosif, XT, rock shox, easton CT2 handlebar, sram shifters(8speed). | | Bottom Line: | great brakes for the money. lovely for an xc rig. keepin' it light!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dick Hallorann
a Cross Country Rider
from Manchester, UK
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The MBR Trail, Coed-y-Brenin, Wales | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$110.00 | | Purchased At: | www.ChainReactionCycles.com | | Strengths: | Poised, quiet, simple to set up, look good, brake better than any other rim brake, including XTR. | | Weaknesses: | None. Not even the price. Worth every penny. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano STX, Hayes Hydraulic discs | | Bike Setup: | '95 Raliegh M-Trax frame, '97 RockShox Judy XC, full '02 XT, Avid SD5's, Avid Arch Rivals, Mavic X571's, Maxxis Tyres, RockShox suspension seatpost, Selle Italia Flite Geniune Gel XP, Kore 69 stem, RaceFace AirAlloy Riserbar, Tioga Beartraps, various X-lite bits 'n' pieces. | | Bottom Line: | Put it this way: I weigh 17 stone (240lbs), my co-rider - who uses Hayes hydraulic disc brakes - weighs 13 stone (180 lbs). Same surface, same speed I out-break him. Recommend using a brake-booster, 'cause these babies are so powerful, my frame flexes like mad (I'm currently trying to source a set). For $120 I got the complete set - 2x brake sets, 2x lever sets and all cabling and housing. BARGAIN :D | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nathan
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonton
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Rundle park crazy area | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$89.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Powerful. Easy installation (no idea how v-brake installation could be horribly hard anyway), price | | Weaknesses: | it wasnt free and cant fly...? | | Similar Products Used: | Avid SD 5's, XTR | | Bike Setup: | Fuel 98 - marzocchi marathons, Avid Arch, rest is stock (for now) | | Bottom Line: | Well to say the least, the breaking power endoed me over a nicely large drop already and laid lots of my rear tires rubber on the pavement/dirt, and prevented me from running over a porcupine. Light, inexpensive for the kind of power they achieve. Look good, but it will be a cold day in hell the day that matters to me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick
a Cross Country Rider
from Belchertown,Ma
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | m&m | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$89.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | They make my bike stop really well.
They look pretty cool.
Im a big fan of cartridge pads.
The levers are curved just right, and I like the speed dials. | | Weaknesses: | nothing that doesnt apply to all rim brakes (mud, water) | | Similar Products Used: | Genero v's that came on my bike
XT and XTR's on friends' bikes. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized rockhopper, stock except these brakes and levers, Manitou x-vert fork, Nashbar clipless pedals and Ti saddle. | | Bottom Line: | When I upgraded my front fork, I finally was able to ride really fast and zip down steep rocky trails without worrying about going over the handlebars (as frequently). The crap brakes that came on my bike just weren't cutting it, though. After a few really close calls when I just couldn't slow down fast enough I bought a new set of brake pads. When that didn't fix the problem, I invested in these bad boys. Problem solved. I have yet to re-experience the fear I knew so well since I upgraded to the Avids. Bottom line: these brakes rock. I've tried the XTs and the XTRs and they just aren't as good. They aren't as strong and what everyone says about squealing is true. Go with avid. Brakes is all they do, and they do it really well. The levers are good, too. I like the adjustability factor, but I pretty much just keep them dialed to maximum pull. Oh, and I have had less leaves get caught in the arch than I had get caught in the noodle of my old death brakes. Enjoy! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
OC.
a Downhiller
from Oz
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Stro |
|
$ 45.00
