The Guide R brakes on my trail bike are a few years old and I'm looking to upgrade. Currently leaning towards Code RSC's or TRP DHR-Evo's. However the bike they are going on is a trail bike (SC Hightower 2018). The Guide R's have always worked for me and, after putting a 200mm rotor on the front, have plenty of stopping power. Will there be any gain in modulation or reliabiltiy in choosing a DH brake for my trail bike or is it over kill? Would the TRP Trail Evo's suit my needs better? Will the "trail" brake have better feel/modulation versus the DH brake? Most of the ride time will be spent on midwest singletrack where there are no prolonged downhills for brakes to get really hot. With a few trips each year to mountains for real fun. What would you choose and why?
DH brakes for Trail riding?
ianick
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Using Magura MT7 race line brakes with Shimano XTR levers (203mm front 180mm rear rotor) on my Canyon Neuron (trail bike) Enough power en modulation. For my self I do not see any overkill with this brakes on the Neuron.
On my Scott Scale I use Shimano XTR 9100 brakes with 160mm rotors. Some times the feeling that more power is needed. But bike is for XC trails and wanted it as light as possible. bike is 8.7 kilo.
On my Scott Scale I use Shimano XTR 9100 brakes with 160mm rotors. Some times the feeling that more power is needed. But bike is for XC trails and wanted it as light as possible. bike is 8.7 kilo.
This is true.
IME the weaker the brake, the “better” the modulation.
I put the word better in quotation marks because in truth, improved modulation just means it’s harder to lock the brakes up.
Decades ago, when disc brakes were new on the scene & Mike T. was king of the MTBR Brake Time forum (miss that guy), the general consensus after much discussion is that brake power and brake modulation lie at opposite ends of the same continuum.
Roll that one over in your head for a minute.
I’ll take power.
Cuz I can learn to modulate.
=sParty
This thread has turned into a modulation debate. For those that think modulation means weak need to look up trick stuff. Strongest brakes even made, wide range of modulation. For me brakes that have end stroke power mid stroke are like regressive suspension. You get all your travel easy. I like progressive where I only get max travel when I need it.
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You've made the right choice. Enjoy your trips!
And there's even the complication of how each person gauge the modulation.
Some solely modulate brake power by brake lever position (how far lever is pulled). This group'd hate non linear brake with big initial bite, AKA servo wave. Because the useful band of lever position is narrow, or they need the low brake power provided in the ramp up curve of servo wave which is significantly harder to gauge than the flat out part of the servo wave leverage curve.
Some solely modulate brake power by resistance felt at the finger. This group'd hate "mushy" brake like Sram because it doesn't give as good feedback force at the lever.
Most people use both sense, and can get used to all style of brake. But we shouldn't discount personal preference (or inability to wire their brain in another way), right?
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