[owenpga]

Any suggestions on upgrades that would make a noticeable difference
in performance for my trek. Brakes seem a bit sluggish a 300 miles.
possibly considering new rotors and better pads but
don't know what to
look at. Aside from brakes, the bike performs well for a former road racer from years ago and new to the mtb world after new partial knee.
thanks for any recommendations.
Owen

 

[tigris99]

Not sure what you mean by sluggish brakes.

"Upgrading" pads and rotors is likely a waste. More so the rotors, not going to gain a thing by changing them. Pads if you can find something aftermarket that's better than stock will be a treasure hunt.

Now you can just get better Shimano brakes. slx would be a noticeable upgrade in that Dept. Xt level about the same just a more refined feel at the levers.

Anything else just ride it till it wears out then upgrade. Nothing wrong with the rest of the bike.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[owenpga]

Sluggish = not super responsive

i was told that metallic pads were better than the resin by mechanic ?
the current rotors say “use resin only pads”

 

[Lsx408ci]

Sluggish = not super responsive

i was told that metallic pads were better than the resin by mechanic ?
the current rotors say "use resin only pads"

try shimano xt or slx, best bang for $ .. Unless you go pricey with magura or srams g2

 

[tweeder82o]

speaking of brakes upgrade, are there like stages of upgrades?

example:

stage 1: pads only
stage 2: stage 1 + calipers and pistons
stage 3: stage 2 + levers

end example

do you always upgrade the lever and the pistons together? (assuming your using all the same system: dot vs mineral oil)

if the fluid stays the same, do you need to change the hose?

 

[jcd46]

SLX ftw

 

[Boulder Pilot]

Ride your bike. You're not going to gain anything by "upgrading" your brakes at this point because your existing brakes can handle anything you expose them to at the moment. As you gain experience you will learn what you NEED to upgrade.

 

[eb1888]

I agree on the SLX at least for your front brake. Which does most of the controlled braking if you're using your brakes correctly.
And a very strong front brake will make a big dif in your control and confidence when you ride sections that are a little beyond your skill level or your bike's equipment level.
And a front SLX bolts right on without any need to cut the hose or bleed anything.
I have this setup on my loaner bike for new riders.

Next would be a much better fork. Manitou Mattoc Pro is at the top of the pile.

 

[fredcook]

Going from resin to metallic/sintered isn't a silver bullet. In fact, they can sometimes actually feel a bit more "sluggish" under normal riding. What they are good for is when you heat up the brakes under aggressive use. Resin will begin to fade sooner. But honestly, most average riders couldn't tell the difference. It depends on how aggressive the user is. Just my opinion.

I'd do what most have suggested. Ride what you have until they wear out, then upgrade if you feel the need. It's easiest to buy a complete set... calipers, levers, pads, disks, assembled and pre-bled, etc., and slap 'em on, than it is to piece meal it.

 

[owenpga]

Thank you

 

[twodownzero]

If you really want to upgrade, install a larger rotor on the front and move your front rotor to the rear. I have bikes with metallic and others with organic pads and I can't tell the difference. I apply the brakes as needed and both of them stop. Both have enough power to eject me over the bars any time I'm not careful. If yours aren't like that, something is wrong. But they will be more powerful if your rotor diameters increase.

 

[bcriverjunky]

I second bigger rotors.

 

[MTBpedal_Pusher]

Xt or Slx would be a great upgrade and you can usually find a kit at a decent price. Also check the classified sales people are always upgrading.

 

[}{yBr!D^]

I started out with my DV9 with SLX M7000 they were good brakes but felt the fade over time (each run), after that I switched to J04C Metallic pads felt a better bite but still was lacking adjustability on the fly so I ultimately went with Code RSC a bit bigger rotors 180mm F/R don't want them warping... I'm not doing heavy downhills but the added bite really helps with the 4 pistons. Still running stock pads they came with.

As mentioned above it's best to keep riding and get a good feel for the bike don't just upgrade on initial feel. Then upgrade accordingly or as things break/fail or degrade.

If you really feel the need to replace the brakes to fine tune things then going guide or code might be your thing or something more expensive but do your research and look into reviews before purchase.

 

[The.Doctor]

I am a complete newbie so might be off, but if its possible to upgrade to thru axles, perhaps look into that. Things like cushcore can be sort of like insurance for your tires, and onyx hubs give you instant engagement and make your ride ninja silent.