| |
Submitted by
Rob_X111
a Cross Country Rider
from Pontypridd
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Twisty singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | E-Bay | | Strengths: | Good stopping power for me once set up properly. I weigh 250lbs. Looks good on the bike. Cable set up is good for me, not as powerful as hydros though. | | Weaknesses: | None for the price and what their intended use is, XC/trail, not Downhill. If you want to b!tch about the power of them when used on a downhill run, then maybe you should've got DOWNHILL discs and not XC/trail discs. Morons!!! | | Similar Products Used: | LX V's, Avid Arch Rivals, Maguras | | Bike Setup: | GT XCR2000, Pace RC35, wheels!!, Fire XC Pro Tyres | | Bottom Line: | Use for what their intended use is, XC/trail, not Downhill. If you want to b!tch about the power of them when used on a downhill run, then maybe you should've got DOWNHILL discs and not XC/trail discs. Morons!!!
I'd recommend them | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zomb1e
a Cross Country Rider
from St-Petersburg, Russia
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | any single track | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Strengths: | stops well, power is enough for one-finger operating, don't loose power in mud and wet | | Weaknesses: | if you ride regullary, you need to adjust them regullary too, some skreaming in wet, heavy | | Similar Products Used: | V-brakes, Deore mech. disk (sucks) | | Bike Setup: | X.7 derailers, triggers, cassete & chain, LX crank, RST Megaan fork, Deore front/XT rear hubs, IRC Mythos tires | | Bottom Line: | I've used front brake for more than a year, initially with stock 8" rotor - this rotor bends simply and rubs the pads. I change it to 6" wavy rotor and since then have no provlems with my brake. Brake have enough power for one-finger operating when it adjusted correctly, but you need to adjust it regullary. For exemple, after 6 hours in an adventure race in mud conditions I have critical loss of power. Brake pads are quite durable - I've used them for 10 months, and now use BBB ones (seems to be just the same as stock pads, but at smaller price).
4 chili value due to need of regular adjustment, 5 chili overall. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
D. Watson
a Weekend Warrior
from Sunrise, FL
Date Reviewed: December 12, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Gun trail - Markham Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | PricePoint.com | | Strengths: | Cheap, durable, stop well without locking up & easy to maintain. In my experience they are impervious to mud, dust or any other environmental issues causing brake failure, they are the last thing I worry about on my bike. The metallic grey color compliments my bike well. | | Weaknesses: | Cant really complain at this price, when I opened the box I was expecting something of lower quality, greatly suprised. Had to upgrade due to fork setup and these are an improvement to V-brake by far. You must adjust these with an allen key which is probably inferior to more expensive setups that use a knob or are tool-less. They might be slightly heavier than other brakes, but these would be the last upgrade I would worry about if weight was an issue, maybe start with a new frame first! | | Similar Products Used: | None, these are the first disc brake(s) I have tried. | | Bike Setup: | Jamis Dakar with 8 inch rotor in front and 6 inch rotor in back. | | Bottom Line: | If you are looking at buying these you are probably moving up from V-brake or are on a budget. If that is the case go ahead and get these, you shouldnt be dissappointed.
I personally wasn't ready to afford/maintain hydraulic brakes and decided to keep it simple. The cable setup has been maintenance free except the occasional pad calibration; I do however like the feel of hydraulic over mechanical at the levers.
I use these in varying conditions bust mostly XC with short but steep drops, they have never let me down or lost braking power. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay N.
a Cross Country Rider
from California
Date Reviewed: December 7, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | anywhere | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike rack | | Strengths: | Reasonable stopping power, solid enough for a small hardcore ride. and good enough for a longer less aggressive ride. Came stock on my Giant Yukon. | | Weaknesses: | Oh man, these brakes kinda suck. No rubber boot on the back to keep dirt and debris out. Cable rubs on housing on my bike, leaving metal shavings caught up inside the housing; which causes cable lock. They heat up way too quickly causing glazing and fading to occur often on demanding trails. Constantly need adjusting. Not squeal, SCREAM in the wet. | | Similar Products Used: | Some crappy ProMax on my old mongoose. | | Bike Setup: | Really good, upgraded everything, just needs new calipers to be totally done. | | Bottom Line: | These brake calipers arent much to brag about. As i mentioned, good for light everyday riders, not so good for the rammers and jammers like me. Looking at some Avid BB7's for an upgrade. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin
a Weekend Warrior
from Fremont, CA
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Good braking performance, easy to use and set-up. | | Weaknesses: | mechanical brake | | Bottom Line: | Great brakes even though they are mechanical. I havent had any problem with them, and they make short work of stoppies. No complaints here. I will upgrate to hydraulic after these wear out.. i've tasted the hydro fluid and i like it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Clarke
a
from Ridgeway, Ontarrio, Canada
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came on bike from steves bike shop | | Strengths: | great stoping power, never had any problems they work great they dont lock up unless you want them too so you dont have to worrie. great for doing wheelies, they feather amazing. best of all under $100 a wheel. | | Weaknesses: | my front iner pad adjuster rusted and i lost all adjustment, but was easly resolved with a few emails to hayes suport, i got a brand new break for free with new pads. | | Similar Products Used: | v breaks, avid bb5 on 2 differnt friends bikes, didnt like either set | | Bike Setup: | giant stp2 w/upgrades: shimano deor hub, chaing guide, chain, long cables going to back for barspins | | Bottom Line: | for the price of the break its amazing, even with a longer cable they still work amazing. the pads have a really good life span too i got this bike in january and i still have lots of meat on them and i ride just about every day. umm i havent had any problems with the discs warping or bending, mine rub non stop because i like to have my breaks grab farther from the bar and they have no sesitivity adjustment other then tighten the cable, as for noise other then the occasional squeak after reseting and constant rubing due to set up non at all. a few time they have lost power but i either gave the pads and discs a light sanding and they work grat amediatly after or washed with rubing alcohal which makes them squeak for about a week and have bad grab but they do gab better abd better every stop. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sheldon Robertson
a Weekend Warrior
from Kitchener, Ontario
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Trussler Dirt Jumps | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Cycle solutions stand at Toronto bike show | | Strengths: | Work Great, and after you learn to adjust them they are easy to set up. | | Weaknesses: | None really. except maybe you have to tune them often depending on how hard you ride if that counts | | Similar Products Used: | mx-1's | | Bike Setup: | Norco Rival, Manitou stance flows, deity dirt jump saddle, crank brothers 5050 pedals, Wtb timberwolf 2.5's ODI ruffians. | | Bottom Line: | They are awesome brakes for someone without i very large budget and look pretty cool too! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick Lawrence
a Cross Country Rider
from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anywhere thats not paved | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | Easy adjustment, sturdy, lots of power when needed, minimal fade when setup right | | Weaknesses: | Pads are really soft when they warm up, I had my cable get stuck in between the rotor and the pad one time and now there's a big groove in the retaining pad | | Similar Products Used: | v brakes | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Ironhorse Warrior Team shimano crank wtb rims | | Bottom Line: | Absolutely great for street/trails/light downhill....i have no worries of failure with these babies. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
steve eilsel
a Weekend Warrior
from vancouver BC
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Dirt Merchant | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | braking power best mechanical brakes i've ever used | | Weaknesses: | little bit hard to get set up but once u have them dialed they r awesome | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | 05 specalized P.2 stock | | Bottom Line: | If u r looking 2 buy a bike with these brakes and are worried about them dont. Best mechanical brakes ever. if u can buy them. they r better than my hayes hfx 9's on my big bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Josh
a Downhiller
from Portland OR USA
Date Reviewed: July 22, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | anyware. | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | came wit bike | | Strengths: | used for 4+ years and no problems at all! awsome brake best one ive ever used | | Weaknesses: | kinda overheats easy.... | | Similar Products Used: | none. | | Bike Setup: | giant 03 yukon | | Bottom Line: | awsomist brake ever, no problems complete satifaction. i can go downhill and not have to wory about stoping at all. theese are nice brakes!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roman D.
a
from Tallinn, Estonia
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Everywhere ! | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | They can stop somehow.. | | Weaknesses: | Need to adjust regulary, very very bad on downhill. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Frame GT DH-i '03, Junior T '03, Rear shock RS Deluxe pro '03, Front 26" - DM24; DT champion; Novatec hub; Hookworm, Rear 26" - Supra BH; DT champion; Dartmoor GEE-FORCE 150x12; Hookworm, Kalin 30.9 seatpost, Dirt jump saddle, FSA orbit XL-II headset, Hussefelt stem, Brave Machine Monster bar, Shimano Alivio derailleur, Tiagra 8 speed cassete, Shimano 36T chainring, KMC X8 chain and MX-2 soon im gonna put hydraulics ofcourse, what a FS bike with mechanical brakes ?! thats right its a baaad bike ! | | Bottom Line: | If you riding street or XC i think they would fit you well, but still i recommend BB7 as its best disc mechanics. DH/FR - only powerful hydraulics ! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bobby
a Downhiller
from Dirty Jersey, USA
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Cheap (price wise), easy to adjust, simple to work on, good stopping power | | Weaknesses: | need to adjust them a lot, after a few runs down the mountain they fade bad, a brake pad fell out on me while I was riding | | Similar Products Used: | none, these came on the bike | | Bike Setup: | 03 Specialized Big Hit Comp with misc. goodies | | Bottom Line: | They are a good brake setup for someone looking something cheap and easy. They would probably work good on a XC or all mountain bike, but for freeride and downhill they just don't get the job done. After three runs down the mountain the brakes felt like they had warm butter for pads. And having a rear brake pad fall out in the middle of a run was a little un-nerving too.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug
a
from ridgeway, on, canada
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | steves bike shop | | Strengths: | cheap and stops great | | Weaknesses: | i have it on front and back and my front iner pad adjuster is stuck and now striped so i have no adjustment=/ | | Similar Products Used: | v brakes | | Bike Setup: | giant stp 2 single disc in front bmx setup for barspins | | Bottom Line: | great brake even with longer cables it still stops me everytime if adjusted right and that doesnt take much. my front is stuck so im mad about that but what are you gona do its a cheap brake so im gona get a new one to replace the stuck one. i would go dhing with this brake and not worrie about having problems braking. they feather good when adjusted right just a great brake for the price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris G
a Weekend Warrior
from Ellicott City MD
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Cypress Meade Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Came on bike | | Strengths: | Great stopping power
cables dont really get lose more than once | | Weaknesses: | Disc rubs and bends | | Similar Products Used: | Tire Brakes | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Gary Fisher Mullet | | Bottom Line: | Great for any bike with 26" wheels
"i have made a 20 - 0 mph stop in about 15 feet" | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Josh
a Cross Country Rider
from Port Angeles WA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Miller Peninsula Eagles Nest | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | This brake has great stopping capabilitys, and the front break is really great.
It is really great for trail riding, especially when the trail is really steep. | | Weaknesses: | The back break keeps on catching without my using it and requires a whole lot of adjusting. | | Bike Setup: | I've got Bianchi Lynx and the breaks came with the bike. | | Bottom Line: | I like them alot. I just have to adjust them alot. if you're willing to take the time to adjust them they are really great. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Cole
a Weekend Warrior
from Erie, PA
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Wintergreen Gorge | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Bob's Bicycles, betterbikes | | Strengths: | Heavy Duty construction, easy set up, great power w/ 8" rotor | | Weaknesses: | Heavy rear 8" adapter(yikes), more frequent wear adjustment than Hydros(goes for almost all mechanicals though) | | Similar Products Used: | Avid bb7 and HFX-9 | | Bike Setup: | Homemade Jamis Dakar XLT 1.0, Sun ditch witch w/deore, Conti Gravity, Judy SL(soon to be repl.), King Earl crank, STX-RC/LX/XT | | Bottom Line: | Use little aluminum can shims where the caliper mounts to the IS adapters, after that these things will toss you like a bouncer. Use shims, some patience, and a close eye to get the pads near parallel and you will be rewarded.
RIDE PENNSYLVANIA, dont ride your brakes
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a Downhiller
from Adelaide, Australia
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | brownhill | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came on bike | | Strengths: | um...good for dirt jumping? rear brake is fine for pretty much everything. | | Weaknesses: | my front rotor came buckled so i have to adjust the pads constantly so it doesnt rub. | | Similar Products Used: | v brakes on my $150 bike... | | Bike Setup: | trek jack 2. | | Bottom Line: | once i adjusted everything it was fine but i think the fork was at fualt as well...its a manitou. Im gonn buy new pads and a new ork and see if performance channges. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a Downhiller
from West Linn, OR
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Schleyer - Whistler | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | oem | | Strengths: | Smooth, stop well enough, 203mm rotor makes them plenty powerful, levers are nice, pads for me have lasted a long time. the brakes are very plentiful and can usually be had for very cheap. | | Weaknesses: | They do squeal when wet, but so do my avids so no big deal. | | Similar Products Used: | BB7, HFX-9 | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Specialized P.2/2006 Jamis Komodo 3.0/2003 Mountaincycle Rumble | | Bottom Line: | Great brakes. I use them for a lot of different purposes. DH and FR on my komodo, Dirtjumping and skatepark on my p.2 {rear brake only, 160mm rotor} and XC on my MC rumble. If you want a cheap brake, look no further. Avid BB7 is a little better. I would say the braking is the same with the BB5 brakes form avid. If you can find some, I also have Hayes IH-2 brakes. same exact brake but different name? They're actually the smoothest I've ridden and also stop the best. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
iusufachi
a Cross Country Rider
from Cluj/Deva Romania
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$56.00 | | Strengths: | Smooth, good price | | Weaknesses: | The weight can be considered a weakness. Another thing that I found disspointing was the fact that wen hot the braking power drops dramaticly. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano no name, Avid bb5 and v-brake | | Bike Setup: | Merida Matts Pro, Reba, shimano, etc... | | Bottom Line: | Hayes MX2 is a great break for the money you pay for it. I believe that it is the best mechanical disk brake you can buy for even double the money they are worth. By no means I would buy another mechanical disk brake. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | pinole | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came on bike | | Strengths: | smooth, sort of good, good for the kind of riding i do. | | Weaknesses: | not very sticky. not good stopping power | | Similar Products Used: | v brakes.. they suck | | Bike Setup: | 2006 bianchi lynx | | Bottom Line: | they are alright... you might want to get some better ones if you do intense ridin... overall they are prettty good | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John -
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | colorado/utah | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Easy to adjust. | | Weaknesses: | NO POWER! very weak. Heavy | | Similar Products Used: | cheap tektro or some garbage | | Bike Setup: | specialized | | Bottom Line: | Super weak. If you are a cross country rider you might want something a little lighter. For free ride or whatever its good. It is extreamly easy to adjust. Takes me 3 seconds to adjust it and I havent had to adjust it as many times as other people in this post have. Maybe im just lucky. I like the colors, the paint holds up really well. Pads seem to do well. If you ride fast and need power, move to something else, unfortunetly i havent figured out which disc's to try next. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Weekend Warrior
from Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anything I can find | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Barr Bicycle | | Strengths: | More power than v-brakes, good for the kind of riding I do, best brakes I've had(sadly) | | Weaknesses: | Always need to be adjusted, not as easy to adjust as you may think, my front rotor is bent slightly | | Similar Products Used: | no other disc | | Bike Setup: | Raleigh M50 DX, stock everything except tires.
| | Bottom Line: | They are ok for the type of trail I go on (easy, flat stuff in the woods near Des Moines with barely any slope). If you want
to upgrade from v-brakes get these but it would probably be worth spending a little more and getting something better. I'll give it 5 flamin turds for value because they came on the
bike($400+/-) but only 2 flamin turds for overall because they
aren't that good and always need adjusting and aren't that powerful. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
hrvoje
a Cross Country Rider
from zagreb,croatia
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | woods | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$680.00 | | Purchased At: | markoprojekt | | Strengths: | 8" rotors looks great,they do perform ok | | Weaknesses: | Rotors feels like the cheepest alloy,cheep plastic on levers | | Similar Products Used: | Avid bb5 on some kona | | Bike Setup: | Norco rival 06 stock | | Bottom Line: | The cheepest disc brakes from Hayes.And you realized that buy built,and annoying sounds of squeeking all day long.On the other hand they will stop you safely,they work ok in various conditions.If they came stock on your bike,like on my Norco Rival its cool,but you must be mad to buy them separately cause for a few$ more,get Avid BB or hydro-discs,all of them are much much more better in every aspect then these...!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adric Schmelzer
a Weekend Warrior
from Spokane, Wa, USA
Date Reviewed: November 17, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | NEthing at Whistler | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | stock on P2 | | Strengths: | They are light and work well for slower, less aggressive riding. | | Weaknesses: | Always in need of constant adjustment. I've gone through 2 sets of pads cause they overheat too easy and glaze over. They can't handle heavy braking. | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes HFX-9, HFX mag | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Specialized P.2, Maxxis Holy Rollers, Dirt Jam Pros | | Bottom Line: | If you are not a very aggressive rider, or only ride on slow technical stuff, then these will work. But if you go fast and hard, they'll burn up fast and hard. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jarrad Timmermans
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne Victoria Australia
Date Reviewed: November 12, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Pakenham Lakeside doubleues or bridge jumps and Garfield dirt track | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Gold Cross Cycles (Fountain Gate) | | Strengths: | The Rear brake is good and they are really a brake for someone who doesnt really do propper mountainbiking. | | Weaknesses: | Front brake has no power, squeels really loud when they get wet, contantly adjusting it, always falling out of allignment. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | 2005 Mongoose Thunderball | | Bottom Line: | Not a brake for a propper mountainbike rider who does jumps, downhill or cross-country
THEY SUCK | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
AvG
a Weekend Warrior
from Uppsala, Uppland, Sweden
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Great stopping power! No more soggy rubbery crap. | | Weaknesses: | Squeals when wet. Rear brake fills up with dirt very quickly - grates upon use. Soul-searing sound/feel... | | Similar Products Used: | N/A. | | Bike Setup: | Standard on Marine Bobcat Trail | | Bottom Line: | Using the bike from/to work. 7km/day. For that purpose the brakes are awesome. For XC/competions their use may be debated. In short, for everyday to/from work you get great bang for the buck.
I've earlier had bikes with cantis and/v-types and those invariably eventually grind down the rims, especially in the rear, where grit and silt accumulates most. After more than six months use of the bike on the woody track to work, the rims and brakes are still more or less pristine.
The front brake has taken most wear, as expected.
Overall great brakes, and again there's no competition between even the lowest-end disc brakes and any high-end canti/v-type brakes IMO.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kingsley
a Weekend Warrior
from Milton Keynes, UK
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Aspley woods | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Great for a mechanical disk break. Good power modulation, have 8 inch rotors, awsome stopping power. Well made and strong. Easy to look after. | | Weaknesses: | Squeals loudly when wet. Takes some time to break in to. | | Bike Setup: | Saracen Havoc. | | Bottom Line: | Good for the price, great stopping power. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Gladstone, OR
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Came with bike- Kona Kikapu | | Strengths: | Definately better than most caliper type brakes. Good stopping distance. | | Weaknesses: | Makes loud noise when wet. Comes out of adjustment easily, needs to be adjusted often. | | Bike Setup: | Kona- Kikapu | | Bottom Line: | Good product would recomend for cheaper brakes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jbob
a Weekend Warrior
from St. Louis, Mo. USA
Date Reviewed: September 8, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Berryman | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Cames standard on Iron Horse bike | | Strengths: | The brakes have a more positive feel than linear pull v-brakes and have adequate braking power with good modulation. | | Weaknesses: | The brakes can squeal loudly at times. I think the return springs could stand to be a little stronger to better handle the greater amount of cable friction on the rear brake cable. | | Bike Setup: | Full suspension with 6 inch rotors | | Bottom Line: | I like the brakes compared to linear pull brakes I've used. They have a very positive feel and good modulation control. They don't have any tendency to grab or lock up the wheel when applied hard. The brakes sometimes squeal when applied if they have been running with one of the pads touching the rotor instead of having the proper .015 in. clearance between each pad and rotor. If they have been running with the right clearance they don't squeal. The brakes themselves are not really getting out of adjustment when they loose their clearance, but the wheel axle seems to be shifting in the drop-out slot enough to change the gap between the rotor ( mounted to the wheel) and one or the other of the pads (mounted to the frame of the bike). Usually just releasing the axle quick release and retightening it is all thats needed to re-center the rotor between the pads and quiet them down. This is easy to check visually just by looking at the gap in the caliper. Perhaps all disc brakes on quick release wheels will tend to have this happen. It's probably a good idea to ride the bike after a wheel has been taken off and put back on to settle the axle, and then adjust the brakes. The slot the axle sits in has enough slop to let the axle shift a little from side forces on the wheel.
The brakes have the right amount of power for the type of cross country trail riding that I do. I think they are a good value for inexpensive discs and will leave them on the bike until they wear out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Les Burns
a Weekend Warrior
from hudds, West yorks, UK
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Came with Kona Fire Mountain | | Strengths: | Front brake ok. | | Weaknesses: | Rear brake cables fill with silt and other debris causing them to stick and grate. Awful action. This was also true of the HMX1 I had on another bike. Cable pull discs are not worth it, get Vs | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes HMX1 | | Bike Setup: | '06 Kona Fire Mountain | | Bottom Line: | Forget them and get a proper hydro, they are not much more money anymore. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc
a Cross Country Rider
from teaneck
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Strong stopping power. Usally silent. | | Weaknesses: | Heavy. ear peirceing shreiks and small loss of power when wet. | | Bottom Line: | When buying remember that these are mechanical, and dont expect hydro performance. With that in mind these do their job well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
|
$
