[NWS]

(edited)

I've got Avid Juicy 3 disc brakes, 7" front and 6" rear. I feel like I have to pull a lot harder on the front brake lever than I'd like to.

I've got a little theory that simply going to a larger front disc might help balance that out. At $50 for a 203mm disc and $11 for a matching caliper bracket, it seems like a pretty straightforward thing to try.

Is a larger front disc likely to get me what I want, or am I going to be disappointed?

Thanks!

 

[alexrex20]

the rear brake will always require less force to lockup a tire, because of dynamic weight transfer.

consider it a good thing that the rear brake locks up first, and not the rear.

 

[honourablegeorge]

If your front wheel skids under hard braking, there's a good chance you're ending up on the floor.

 

[NWS]

Yes, I'm quite aware of these things. I know how much lever pull it takes to lock up the front, so I use less force than that. Don't we all?

I just want to get to that point with a bit less pull on the lever. Will a bigger disc get me there?

 

[car_nut]

Yes. A larger disc will require less lever force for the same amount of braking.

 

[NWS]

Excellent, thanks!

 

[Kaizer]

Have you tried changing pad compound? Going sintered will give more bite, atleast that's what I experienced. I have 180F and 160R with Shimano 485 hydro.

 

[NWS]

I hadn't even thought of it, but that's a good idea. I'll have to look into that.

 

[Bobby12many]

Why not give them a good bleed and see if that helps the feel/throw?

 

[NWS]

I installed a 203mm front rotor and took it for a ride yesterday and the 8" / 6" combo works like I had hoped. Thanks for the confirmation, car_nut.

I decided against mixing and matching pads just for the sake of simplicity. It never occurred to me to bleed them because they both feel perfectly normal - I just wanted to change the front/rear balance.