Disc Brakes with contact point adjustment

Shimano's XTs are supposed to have a similar adjustment but most of us have found it to have no effect. Sounds like you should get the Avid Elixir Rs. All other brakes have a fixed amount of lever stroke so setting the reach adjustment sets the end of the stroke as well.

Formula has a version of it and so does Hope.

Hopes don't have adjustment for the the contact point, they have adjustment for the bite point (as in the point in the lever throw where the bite point is felt).

How is this different? I've never owned Hope brakes but I assumed that they had this adjustment. What is "bite point"? I'm falling behind on my technical jargon again and need to catch up, please help out.

SteveUK said:

Hopes don't have adjustment for the the contact point, they have adjustment for the bite point (as in the point in the lever throw where the bite point is felt).

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That sounds exactly like what my J7's do.

Magura brakes with BAT have bite point adjustment. You can adjust the lever reach independently of where the master cylinder piston is activated.

Avid's Pad Contact Point Adjustment isn't actually a pad adjustment, it's a bite point adjustment for the lever. In Avid's own words: Note: The Pad Contact-Point Adjustment DOES NOT move the pads. (that's from this page http://www.sram.com/_media/pdf/avid/AVID_BrakeSetUp1.pdf).

fixbikeguy said:

How is this different? I've never owned Hope brakes but I assumed that they had this adjustment. What is "bite point"? I'm falling behind on my technical jargon again and need to catch up, please help out.

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I suppose it isn't, really. I think my mind has been befuddled by all that technical/marketing jargon!! I think perhaps I misunderstood the original point and thought that the adustment in question was one of pad position; in that the pads could be set further away, or closer to, the rotor in order to adjust the feel/performance of the brake.

To clarify, the Hope Tech and the Hope Moto levers have both a lever reach adjustment and a BPC (bite point control) adjustment that enables the rider to alter the point in the lever's travel at which pad contact is felt. The Mini lever had only the reach adjustment.

As far as I know there are no levers that offer adjustemnt for the position of the pads (pistons) in the caliper.

Any brake can be adjusted for bite point, though obviously it's easier on brakes that have a twiddly button for it. On a brake without all you need to do is remove the caliper, then gently feather the pads out, placing back on the rotor to check gap every few seconds... with judgment, you can get the bite point where you want it.

9 speed not sure how that works

9speed I have a question about feathering out the pads. I am not sure I understand how that works on the long term. If you feather the pads out and place back on the rotor (assume you found that sweet spot) don't the pads retract back the next time to the original position the next time you apply the brakes. Or do you feather out the pads and then bleed and that somehow sets a memory position. Can you explain further? Thanks, All

aljodro, that's pretty much it. You set your pistons position, then fill with oil. By overfillnig the system, the pistons won't retract all the way back in.

9speed said:

Any brake can be adjusted for bite point, though obviously it's easier on brakes that have a twiddly button for it. On a brake without all you need to do is remove the caliper, then gently feather the pads out, placing back on the rotor to check gap every few seconds... with judgment, you can get the bite point where you want it.

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I wouldn't call that a contact adjustment, maybe a properly adjusted brake. Contact adjustment takes place in the lever - point @ which fluid compression starts.

:nono:

PissedOffCil said:

aljodro, that's pretty much it. You set your pistons position, then fill with oil. By overfillnig the system, the pistons won't retract all the way back in.

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Overfilling the system ??? Good way to wreak havoc on the operation of your brakes

No, forcing the pads closer to the rotor and then filling the reservoir will not hurt the brakes. It will reduce the distance between the pads and rotor which will increase rubbing. This is most popular on XT and XTR brakes because they have a long lever through. However, it defeats the main advantage of these brakes which is their increased pad/rotor clearence (less rub) compared to every other offering.

Lelandjt said:

No, forcing the pads closer to the rotor and then filling the reservoir will not hurt the brakes. It will reduce the distance between the pads and rotor which will increase rubbing. This is most popular on XT and XTR brakes because they have a long lever through. However, it defeats the main advantage of these brakes which is their increased pad/rotor clearence (less rub) compared to every other offering.

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Could you explain the operation of a hyd. brake and how overfilling accomplishes this action ???

keen said:

Could you explain the operation of a hyd. brake and how overfilling accomplishes this action ???

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How overfilling would leave the pads closer to the rotor?

Overfilling a system can prevent full and complete pad retraction. There is not enough volume in the resi for the displaced fluid in the pumped out pistons in the caliper.

I am not sure what you lot are on about. This thread has got confusing.

Without putting any more fluid in the system, I simply removed the caliper from the rotor and very very gently feathered the pistons out, checking it by sliding it on the rotor every couple of squeezes, so as to get what I thought was a closer bite-point. Maybe I am using the term bite-point out of context? I just wanted the pads to engage sooner in the levers stroke, and that is what I got. Works great, and I didn't put any more fluid in the system.

SteveUK said:

I suppose it isn't, really. I think my mind has been befuddled by all that technical/marketing jargon!! I think perhaps I misunderstood the original point and thought that the adustment in question was one of pad position; in that the pads could be set further away, or close to, the rotor in order to adjust the feel/performance of the brake.

To clarify, the Hope Tech and the Hope Moto levers have both a lever throw adjustment and a BPC (bite point control) adjustment that enables the rider to alter the point in the lever's throw at which pad contact is felt. The Mini lever had only the throw adjustment.

As far as I know there are no levers that offer adjustemnt for the position of the pads (pistons) in the caliper.

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It is BPC and reach. I interpret throw to be the same as bite point/engagement point. Reach is where the lever sits at rest... but I suppose it's all semantics.