[Phil_T]

I am in the process of building up my new BLTC XL frame and I ended up spending way too much time trying to decide what to do for brakes as there are a lot of good products out there. I vintage race cars and good brakes are the key to doing well (amongst other things). Race cars (and motorcycles) almost always have larger more powerful brakes in the front and in that spirit I have purchase a 2011 Avid Code 4 piston front brake and an Avid Elixir X0 rear brake, with both running 185 rotors. I think this combination is going to work well as I weigh 200lbs and that equates to a lot of kinetic energy. I figure if I need more braking I can get a 203mm front rotor, or go smaller if the 4 piston is too powerful. Anyway I hope to have the bike built up in the next week or so and I will repost with my impression of the brake setup. Of course compared to my 6 year old Hayes brakes any new brake is going to work great!

 

[cdburch]

Way too much brake up front. The elixir would be more than enough. I'm 220 and i run elixirs on my v10

 

[eastshorebiker]

You can never have too much brake, modulation is the important thing.:nono:

 

[slimat99]

I'm running 185 code r up front and 160 code r in the back on my nomad. 2011 codes so the modulation is WAY better than older codes. It's not too much brake depending on the trails you are riding. Like eastershorebiker said, as long as there's modulation there's no such thing as over kill. The new code r's use the same lever as the elixir so the weight gain is only in the caliper. Because they are so strong you can run smaller rotors swapping dead weight in the caliper for rotational weight in the rotor. Pre 2011 codes have an on off feel that just sucks for light AM bikes, and they are noticeably heavier in the lever and caliper.

 

[JonG.]

I am in the process of building up my new BLTC XL frame and I ended up spending way too much time trying to decide what to do for brakes as there are a lot of good products out there. I vintage race cars and good brakes are the key to doing well (amongst other things). Race cars (and motorcycles) almost always have larger more powerful brakes in the front and in that spirit I have purchase a 2011 Avid Code 4 piston front brake and an Avid Elixir X0 rear brake, with both running 185 rotors. I think this combination is going to work well as I weigh 200lbs and that equates to a lot of kinetic energy. I figure if I need more braking I can get a 203mm front rotor, or go smaller if the 4 piston is too powerful. Anyway I hope to have the bike built up in the next week or so and I will repost with my impression of the brake setup. Of course compared to my 6 year old Hayes brakes any new brake is going to work great!

There is no way to have too much braking power, my weight is just about 70kg an I would never ever put an two piston brake in front of my Enduro bike. You could do it the same way as I did: get 2 avid X0 levers, 1 X0 piston and 1Code piston. Using an 203mm disc in front and 185mm in rear. Thats is for me the most lightweight and powerful combination I could think of

Cheers Jon.

 

[gticlay]

I'm running Saint 4-pots with 203mm rotors. There are times that I need MOAR brake so no you aren't over braking. Yeah when I want more brake it's 1/2 way down Whistler but you could easily ride that bike down Blue Velvet, Freight Train, and A-line just fine.

 

[JonG.]

I'm running Saint 4-pots with 203mm rotors. There are times that I need MOAR brake so no you aren't over braking. Yeah when I want more brake it's 1/2 way down Whistler but you could easily ride that bike down Blue Velvet, Freight Train, and A-line just fine.

Get the new code... its better than the saint, I've been running both of them.