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Submitted by
Jefftallica
a Cross-Country Rider
from Tempe, AZ
Date Reviewed: December 31, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
corona loma | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
they stop in a jiffy | | Weaknesses: |
squeal
need to clean frequently
lose modulation
spongy/flexy
shit in mud/water | | Similar Products Used: |
magura brakes
avid v's
alivio cantis (friends don't let friends ride alivio) | | Bike Setup: |
98 rockhopper fs | | Bottom Line: | this is an update of a past review. the brakes have gotten worse over time (i've had them for a year and a half now). since i ride on dusty desert trails, they require frequent cleaning to keep from squeaking on the post, and the brakes squeal on the rim if the rim is dusty. they've also lost a lot of modulation- they either lock up or barely slow. they're also flexy. buy avids, like i'm going to be doing soon, and save yourself the trouble. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Olen
a Weekend Warrior
from Texas
Date Reviewed: August 27, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
All of them | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
They stop the bike...eventually | | Weaknesses: |
slow | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano Altus | | Bike Setup: |
'98 Rockhopper FS-A1, XT shifters, LX front, XTR rear, White hubs w/Rhynolite rims | | Bottom Line: | These brakes came stock on my bike, and although I don't like them, other things needed to be upgraded worse. They are no good on any kind of steep downhill, and they rub on the rims qute a bit. They are not much better than the bottom line Altus V-brakes I had on my first bike (and the Altus didn't rub the rim nearly as much). Oh yeah, and if you feel like stopping in the rain with these, its not going to happen. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
patrick
a Cross-Country Rider
from ny
Date Reviewed: August 27, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Stops
cheap | | Weaknesses: |
stops slowly
brake levers sucks
no pp | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano LX & XT V-Brakes | | Bike Setup: |
Specialized(best bike co.) | | Bottom Line: | This brake is ok
stops u but slowly
Recomend the shimano v brakes
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin Rest
a Racer
from Baltimore
Date Reviewed: July 31, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
they stop sometimes
they don't squeeeeel | | Weaknesses: |
they have no spring tension, because the springs stink you can never get them to spring back from the rim evenly, and they aren't powerful at all. | | Similar Products Used: |
cantis and disks, along with demoing XTR v | | Bike Setup: |
giant se-2 '99, stock except a syncros riser, ritchey pedals, salsa grips, and specialized seat, soon to have ACTUAL BRAKES | | Bottom Line: | These bikes are ok for anyone who doesn't mind if they have constant pad drag, don't like to stop before they hit the tree, and don't like to have their brakes snap back from the rim, but for all the others, they are no good. Mine will never be in adjusment, and therefore am getting XTs, maybe XTRs. 3 for being able to stop- 4 for no sqeeels, -5 because of the springs | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jefftallica
a Cross-Country Rider
from Tempe
Date Reviewed: July 26, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
corona loma | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
they stop. very well
decent modulation
decent wet weather performance
smooth, once you work on them | | Weaknesses: |
a bit of play on the posts
stock pads don't work well at clearing h2o
looks cheesy | | Similar Products Used: |
shimano lx
magura hydralic
shimano alivio (friends don't let friends ride alivio) | | Bike Setup: |
specialized rockhopper fs w/ a rockshox indy c | | Bottom Line: | the best budget stopper. better than that tektro shiznit. they squeal a little, but that can be worked out. nothing nearly as bad as those shimano multi-pivot junkers. many of these brakes don't come setup well stock, because bike shops grease the brake post, and not the POST THAT'S PART OF THE BRAKE THAT THE BRAKE ROTATES ON. once someone realizes this, the brakes turn very smoothly. the lack of spring tension adjustment (excluding the screw-type centering) may bother some, but really, it's no biggie. when riding in the wet, the stock pads initially don't clear water well, owing to the fact that they don't have water clearing grooves. oh well, another minor imperfection. these stop, and stop well, and that's all i care about
| Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Simon
a Weekend Warrior
from London
Date Reviewed: June 29, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Very low maintainance
Very strong linear braking | | Weaknesses: |
Looks like every other V-brake | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano LV
Loads of side-pull and cantilever brakes | | Bike Setup: |
Giant Coldrock, rigid | | Bottom Line: | OK, I have never tried hydraulic or disc brakes, but I can't see how they could improve much on the performance of these babies - although I ride road (100 miles a week) and off-road some weekends. Downhill in thick mud they may degrade in comparison with discs etc. but I have not yet found any problems or weaknesses.
Older versions (737, 747) have gotten poor reviews here, but someone reviewing 737s said that these were an amazing upgrade from those, and he must be right because these are just so powerful, with a soft progressive action but great power - even in wet wet wet London weather. And they never squel (manufacturers pads and alex x-101 alu rims).
What can I say? A brake that actually stops the bike exactly as you want! | Overall Rating: |
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