Isn’t the whole point of facing to get a completely level surface in a 90° angle to the the thread?Any time I filed something I couldn’t...
Isn’t the whole point of facing to get a completely level surface in a 90° angle to the the thread?
Any time I filed something I couldn’t get it completely flat without rounding off any corners, and I doubt you could get it at the right angle by just eyeballing.
Isn’t the whole point of facing to get a completely level surface in a 90° angle to the the thread?Any time I filed something I couldn’t...
Isn’t the whole point of facing to get a completely level surface in a 90° angle to the the thread?
Any time I filed something I couldn’t get it completely flat without rounding off any corners, and I doubt you could get it at the right angle by just eyeballing.
thats why I asked the question before I start hacking at my 38's with a file from 1845 I inherited.
Ok. So after being on Shimano brakes (SLX, XT 4-pots and Saints) for an eternity I picked up a bike with Hayes Dominion A4. First impressions are that these are some nice feeling brakes and nice action and good stopping power, but no wow factor for me, at least for first impressions. I will try some other pads and also run them in the bikepark for more extensive testing for sure.
No wow factor in the parking lot or actually using them to stop going down a trail? Shimanos are VERY wow in the parking lot because of their on-off characteristic.
talk to me about facing brake mounts, imagine I know nothing about it (which is true lol)can it be done with a file and a calibrated...
talk to me about facing brake mounts, imagine I know nothing about it (which is true lol)
can it be done with a file and a calibrated eyeball or do you need special tools?
It can be done with a file, but 99% of the population lacks the skill to do that properly. The end result would most likely be neither flat nor perpendicular to the mounting bolts. Both issues would make brake setup more difficult.
I did my fork with a fine file, but I build prototype firearms parts for a living so I have above average skill with fitting parts with a file.
From my position of more or less complete ignorance on the matter, I thought the intention of facing the brake mounts was to get them to be perpendicular to the brake disc, not the mounting bolt axes?
Ideally one is the same as the other anyway... But yeah, the intention is for the face to be perpendicular to the wheel axle (which is how the tools look like as well). If the bolt is not perpendicular you can still use a cup and cone washer to adapt to it, but if the mounting face is not perpendicular, the caliper (or adapter) will not sit perpendicular either.
No wow factor in the parking lot or actually using them to stop going down a trail? Shimanos are VERY wow in the parking lot because...
No wow factor in the parking lot or actually using them to stop going down a trail? Shimanos are VERY wow in the parking lot because of their on-off characteristic.
I took them down a few of my steepest gnarliest trails in my local woods. Almost rammed a tree when i pulled the brakes and expecting the bite point to come real fast.
Anyhow, first test means nothing. I'm still sure they're great so I will give it more time.
Keep in mind that when you are facing the mounts, you are removing material. Hopefully it's not too much but you might need to modify your spacers afterwards to make sure the pads contact correctly, like those hope brakes from before.
Anyone use the hayes dominion hoses on hope tech v4? Found some for practically free and they are super stiff and beefy. ID is 2.5mm vs 2.1mm for the standard hoses. The standard hope barb seems to be too small but would it work with an olive compressing? Any idea on how this would change the character of the brakes?
Anyone use the hayes dominion hoses on hope tech v4? Found some for practically free and they are super stiff and beefy. ID is 2.5mm vs...
Anyone use the hayes dominion hoses on hope tech v4? Found some for practically free and they are super stiff and beefy. ID is 2.5mm vs 2.1mm for the standard hoses. The standard hope barb seems to be too small but would it work with an olive compressing? Any idea on how this would change the character of the brakes?
considering the very lowe price of the braided hoses, why not going that direction?
Anyone use the hayes dominion hoses on hope tech v4? Found some for practically free and they are super stiff and beefy. ID is 2.5mm vs...
Anyone use the hayes dominion hoses on hope tech v4? Found some for practically free and they are super stiff and beefy. ID is 2.5mm vs 2.1mm for the standard hoses. The standard hope barb seems to be too small but would it work with an olive compressing? Any idea on how this would change the character of the brakes?
considering the very lowe price of the braided hoses, why not going that direction?
How do we actually if the braided hose makes the brakes any better? I’ve always thought that it only protects the outer shell which is not so critical in cycling. I assume all hydraulic brake hose have hard plastic innertube that withstands the pressure and does the magic.
How do we actually if the braided hose makes the brakes any better? I’ve always thought that it only protects the outer shell which is not...
How do we actually if the braided hose makes the brakes any better? I’ve always thought that it only protects the outer shell which is not so critical in cycling. I assume all hydraulic brake hose have hard plastic innertube that withstands the pressure and does the magic.
Not sure 100%, Trickstuff claims their Beta Kevlar hoses to be rated for 860bar or similar while the Goodridge Braided to be rated for 1360bar ( might be 1340 and 840 can’t remember the exact number but the difference is still huge )
Therefore a stiffer line should provide a sharper bite point and more consistent feel given there’s no room for expansion.
The plastic hose inside will expand its what’s around that might prevent it.
This is probably the reason why Pros use Shimano hoses on TRP as they find the TRP not stiff enough
@AndehM & @FaahkEet had inquired about aftermarket levers on sram brakes in the tech rumors thread. I am moving the response to that over here. I have freedom coast levers on my TRP DHR Evo's and I have them on a set of maven bronze. I also have a set of Oak Components levers that I previously had on a set of Code RSC and now on a set of Maven Ultimate.
I quite like the levers on the DHR Evos... I would consider aftermarket levers on those brakes a must. That being said, it took me a bit to adjust to running my finger just inside the lever hook. From years of riding stock sram levers, I had learned to put my finger directly on the hook, which can be a slight bit less comfortable with the freedom coast machining on the hook for some reason.
I say this because that is my impression on the difference between running the freedom coast and the oak components levers on maven brakes as well. Both are good from an ergonomics perspective... but the oak components have a slightly more comfortable hook then the freedom coast do, so it makes it a bit easier to run the lever position on the bars, such that your finger is resting within the hook when in use.
One thing that I have found as consistent with the aftermarket levers... is that the reach adjust is not as sufficient with the different lever shape. For whatever reason, I cannot setup the reach adjust so that the lever bottoms out on the grip when you wind them all the way counter clockwise (lever's in). This is mostly fine if you have reach adjust, but not fine if you are on base/bronze level brakes, or are the kind of person that does not want to use reach adjust because of the swing link cam profile.
That being said, when setup properly, the maven bronze that I have them on (on my 25' santacruz bullit) ends up with the last little bit of lever throw about 1/8" from the bar at full lock. It feels a bit like I would like them to go just a bit further, that way I could adjust them out to exactly where I want them. Overall, I'd equate it to having to run rebound or compression all the way to one side of the adjuster, sure it feels good and that's the best setting that is available, but you're always wondering what if I could go a bit futher. I'd likely end up back at the same place, but I still wonder.
Overall however, I do like the aftermarket lever feel. I'd say that they are not as impactful to the feel/performance or perception of the brakes as it was on the codes, but it is a nice improvement and for sure the lever feels more solid, like there is less flex.
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:
Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also the brake comparison website he shows is such a good resource: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl Not sure how no one's found it yet.
I'm actually doing something kind of similar with a set of brakes currently. Picked up a set of sram db8 calipers for cheap and am running them with formula cura levers (coming from cura 2 calipers). This results in quite a bit less power because of the reduced hydraulic ratio (4.36 vs 5.22) but you do gain access to like an order of magnitude more aftermarket pad options and get more piston rollback (pad-rotor clearance). Not wanting to mess with modifying internal components so I'm currently getting a new set of lever blades machined that increases mechanical advantage from 7.1 to 8.5. This will boost the total advantage to slightly higher than DHR Evos, Cura 4s, or Tech 3 V4s. Here's my lever design for those interested:
In addition to increasing leverage it also reduces the tolerance between the lever blade and master cylinder body which significantly reduces the bushing play present in stock cura levers. I've got a previous version I'm currently running that reduces bushing play but has about the same leverage as the formula "feel control" levers in the highest leverage setting but allow the lever to be run much closer to the bar. I found the range of reach adjust on the formula levers to be too far out. Those are 3d printed out of titanium and look like this:
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also...
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:
Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also the brake comparison website he shows is such a good resource: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl Not sure how no one's found it yet.
I'm actually doing something kind of similar with a set of brakes currently. Picked up a set of sram db8 calipers for cheap and am running them with formula cura levers (coming from cura 2 calipers). This results in quite a bit less power because of the reduced hydraulic ratio (4.36 vs 5.22) but you do gain access to like an order of magnitude more aftermarket pad options and get more piston rollback (pad-rotor clearance). Not wanting to mess with modifying internal components so I'm currently getting a new set of lever blades machined that increases mechanical advantage from 7.1 to 8.5. This will boost the total advantage to slightly higher than DHR Evos, Cura 4s, or Tech 3 V4s. Here's my lever design for those interested:
In addition to increasing leverage it also reduces the tolerance between the lever blade and master cylinder body which significantly reduces the bushing play present in stock cura levers. I've got a previous version I'm currently running that reduces bushing play but has about the same leverage as the formula "feel control" levers in the highest leverage setting but allow the lever to be run much closer to the bar. I found the range of reach adjust on the formula levers to be too far out. Those are 3d printed out of titanium and look like this:
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also...
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:
Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also the brake comparison website he shows is such a good resource: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl Not sure how no one's found it yet.
I'm actually doing something kind of similar with a set of brakes currently. Picked up a set of sram db8 calipers for cheap and am running them with formula cura levers (coming from cura 2 calipers). This results in quite a bit less power because of the reduced hydraulic ratio (4.36 vs 5.22) but you do gain access to like an order of magnitude more aftermarket pad options and get more piston rollback (pad-rotor clearance). Not wanting to mess with modifying internal components so I'm currently getting a new set of lever blades machined that increases mechanical advantage from 7.1 to 8.5. This will boost the total advantage to slightly higher than DHR Evos, Cura 4s, or Tech 3 V4s. Here's my lever design for those interested:
In addition to increasing leverage it also reduces the tolerance between the lever blade and master cylinder body which significantly reduces the bushing play present in stock cura levers. I've got a previous version I'm currently running that reduces bushing play but has about the same leverage as the formula "feel control" levers in the highest leverage setting but allow the lever to be run much closer to the bar. I found the range of reach adjust on the formula levers to be too far out. Those are 3d printed out of titanium and look like this:
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also...
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:
Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also the brake comparison website he shows is such a good resource: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl Not sure how no one's found it yet.
I'm actually doing something kind of similar with a set of brakes currently. Picked up a set of sram db8 calipers for cheap and am running them with formula cura levers (coming from cura 2 calipers). This results in quite a bit less power because of the reduced hydraulic ratio (4.36 vs 5.22) but you do gain access to like an order of magnitude more aftermarket pad options and get more piston rollback (pad-rotor clearance). Not wanting to mess with modifying internal components so I'm currently getting a new set of lever blades machined that increases mechanical advantage from 7.1 to 8.5. This will boost the total advantage to slightly higher than DHR Evos, Cura 4s, or Tech 3 V4s. Here's my lever design for those interested:
In addition to increasing leverage it also reduces the tolerance between the lever blade and master cylinder body which significantly reduces the bushing play present in stock cura levers. I've got a previous version I'm currently running that reduces bushing play but has about the same leverage as the formula "feel control" levers in the highest leverage setting but allow the lever to be run much closer to the bar. I found the range of reach adjust on the formula levers to be too far out. Those are 3d printed out of titanium and look like this:
I’ll be honest, that big of a change in master cylinder diameter doesn’t sound wonderful. Comparing the distance you’d have to move the master cylinder to move the pads the same amount, it’s a 56% increase. That’s a lot of lever throw… one conclusion I’ve come to is that massive power and good lever feel aren’t really attainable without decreased pad retract. Swing link kind of gets you there but there’s a stiff portion of lever throw it has to move through.
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also...
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:
Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also the brake comparison website he shows is such a good resource: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl Not sure how no one's found it yet.
I'm actually doing something kind of similar with a set of brakes currently. Picked up a set of sram db8 calipers for cheap and am running them with formula cura levers (coming from cura 2 calipers). This results in quite a bit less power because of the reduced hydraulic ratio (4.36 vs 5.22) but you do gain access to like an order of magnitude more aftermarket pad options and get more piston rollback (pad-rotor clearance). Not wanting to mess with modifying internal components so I'm currently getting a new set of lever blades machined that increases mechanical advantage from 7.1 to 8.5. This will boost the total advantage to slightly higher than DHR Evos, Cura 4s, or Tech 3 V4s. Here's my lever design for those interested:
In addition to increasing leverage it also reduces the tolerance between the lever blade and master cylinder body which significantly reduces the bushing play present in stock cura levers. I've got a previous version I'm currently running that reduces bushing play but has about the same leverage as the formula "feel control" levers in the highest leverage setting but allow the lever to be run much closer to the bar. I found the range of reach adjust on the formula levers to be too far out. Those are 3d printed out of titanium and look like this:
I’ll be honest, that big of a change in master cylinder diameter doesn’t sound wonderful. Comparing the distance you’d have to move the master cylinder to...
I’ll be honest, that big of a change in master cylinder diameter doesn’t sound wonderful. Comparing the distance you’d have to move the master cylinder to move the pads the same amount, it’s a 56% increase. That’s a lot of lever throw… one conclusion I’ve come to is that massive power and good lever feel aren’t really attainable without decreased pad retract. Swing link kind of gets you there but there’s a stiff portion of lever throw it has to move through.
Yeah I agree that seems like pushing it past the point of practicality. You can see in the video he’s having to run the lever reach super super far out to compensate.
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also...
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:
Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also the brake comparison website he shows is such a good resource: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl Not sure how no one's found it yet.
I'm actually doing something kind of similar with a set of brakes currently. Picked up a set of sram db8 calipers for cheap and am running them with formula cura levers (coming from cura 2 calipers). This results in quite a bit less power because of the reduced hydraulic ratio (4.36 vs 5.22) but you do gain access to like an order of magnitude more aftermarket pad options and get more piston rollback (pad-rotor clearance). Not wanting to mess with modifying internal components so I'm currently getting a new set of lever blades machined that increases mechanical advantage from 7.1 to 8.5. This will boost the total advantage to slightly higher than DHR Evos, Cura 4s, or Tech 3 V4s. Here's my lever design for those interested:
In addition to increasing leverage it also reduces the tolerance between the lever blade and master cylinder body which significantly reduces the bushing play present in stock cura levers. I've got a previous version I'm currently running that reduces bushing play but has about the same leverage as the formula "feel control" levers in the highest leverage setting but allow the lever to be run much closer to the bar. I found the range of reach adjust on the formula levers to be too far out. Those are 3d printed out of titanium and look like this:
Related to the video above, using a magura mt7 caliper might have helped due to a very small pad rollback compared to something like the trp's. might have also not to have needed to go so small on the master cylinder diameter as the mt7 calipers have 4x17mm pistons compared to the 4x16mm pistons on trp caliper. would be interesting to see the results of how the this would reduce the lever throw and maintain a similar level of hydraulic pressure within the system. (Not an engineer but just guessing)
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also...
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:
Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also the brake comparison website he shows is such a good resource: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl Not sure how no one's found it yet.
I'm actually doing something kind of similar with a set of brakes currently. Picked up a set of sram db8 calipers for cheap and am running them with formula cura levers (coming from cura 2 calipers). This results in quite a bit less power because of the reduced hydraulic ratio (4.36 vs 5.22) but you do gain access to like an order of magnitude more aftermarket pad options and get more piston rollback (pad-rotor clearance). Not wanting to mess with modifying internal components so I'm currently getting a new set of lever blades machined that increases mechanical advantage from 7.1 to 8.5. This will boost the total advantage to slightly higher than DHR Evos, Cura 4s, or Tech 3 V4s. Here's my lever design for those interested:
In addition to increasing leverage it also reduces the tolerance between the lever blade and master cylinder body which significantly reduces the bushing play present in stock cura levers. I've got a previous version I'm currently running that reduces bushing play but has about the same leverage as the formula "feel control" levers in the highest leverage setting but allow the lever to be run much closer to the bar. I found the range of reach adjust on the formula levers to be too far out. Those are 3d printed out of titanium and look like this:
Nice job, there is already aftermarket lever option for cura on the market though, with longer/shorter options and running on bearings instead of bushings too 🙂https://www.ebay.com/itm/125531213076
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also...
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:
Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also the brake comparison website he shows is such a good resource: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl Not sure how no one's found it yet.
I'm actually doing something kind of similar with a set of brakes currently. Picked up a set of sram db8 calipers for cheap and am running them with formula cura levers (coming from cura 2 calipers). This results in quite a bit less power because of the reduced hydraulic ratio (4.36 vs 5.22) but you do gain access to like an order of magnitude more aftermarket pad options and get more piston rollback (pad-rotor clearance). Not wanting to mess with modifying internal components so I'm currently getting a new set of lever blades machined that increases mechanical advantage from 7.1 to 8.5. This will boost the total advantage to slightly higher than DHR Evos, Cura 4s, or Tech 3 V4s. Here's my lever design for those interested:
In addition to increasing leverage it also reduces the tolerance between the lever blade and master cylinder body which significantly reduces the bushing play present in stock cura levers. I've got a previous version I'm currently running that reduces bushing play but has about the same leverage as the formula "feel control" levers in the highest leverage setting but allow the lever to be run much closer to the bar. I found the range of reach adjust on the formula levers to be too far out. Those are 3d printed out of titanium and look like this:
Nice job, there is already aftermarket lever option for cura on the market though, with longer/shorter options and running on bearings instead of bushings too 🙂https://www.ebay.com/itm/125531213076
I'm sure those are a great option and bearings definitely create a more durable pivot but isn't it more fun to make something yourself? The higher leverage levers I've designed are a bit longer than those as well since I'm starting with a slightly lower hydraulic ratio. Definitely not advocating that what I'm doing makes sense economically or time investment wise but at the end of the day tinkering on and modifying bikes is a fun and rewarding way to spend your time.
Quick question, I have a friend who had arthritis and his hands give up on longer descents. He's currently running Code RCSs with 200 rotors (and sintered pads). I'm just looking at options to make his life easier and (in increasing costs) the list is: pads (Sinter & co?), 220 mm rotors, Hayes Dominion A4, Mavens, 1k brakesets (Trickstuff, Intend, Radic & co.).
new shimano stuff coming, new hope levers not far off. TRP evo pro
I have issues with my right thumb that cant handle long descents - something i Tried to learn was proper braking and not dragging etc.. (and important not to death grip as this makes it wwaaay worse) Ended up with mavens to dish out immense power when needed but braking properly really changed not only my thumb issues but I gained decent speed overal.
Quick question, I have a friend who had arthritis and his hands give up on longer descents. He's currently running Code RCSs with 200 rotors (and...
Quick question, I have a friend who had arthritis and his hands give up on longer descents. He's currently running Code RCSs with 200 rotors (and sintered pads). I'm just looking at options to make his life easier and (in increasing costs) the list is: pads (Sinter & co?), 220 mm rotors, Hayes Dominion A4, Mavens, 1k brakesets (Trickstuff, Intend, Radic & co.).
Am I missing something?
if he's got hand issues, i think he doesn't need to spend extreme money on Trickstuff or similar, but i wouldn't waste money on "polishing the turd" aka pads and rotors on the codes, they're hard to pull and not that powerful.
Definitely i'd go with Either Hope V4 or Dominions, if the hand situation is really bad maybe the Kahas as they're super light but power ramps immediately giving fingers a very easy job
Talking to a friend who rides Dominions he mentioned the lever pull is light, but you need to squeeze hard to get power from them (and he can compare to Codes RSC on another bike).
A heavy lever pull in the freestroke is still much lighter than applying the power and if the Code has an advantage in the power delivery part of the stroke (due to the swing link) it might be better than a Dominion after all (as per @CascadeComponents comment on the previous page).
We'll possibly try a 220 rotor because we have one in the fleet and maybe try to align to have a test ride on the Dominions. I'll report back if/when we do something.
new shimano stuff coming, new hope levers not far off.TRP evo proI have issues with my right thumb that cant handle long descents - something i...
new shimano stuff coming, new hope levers not far off. TRP evo pro
I have issues with my right thumb that cant handle long descents - something i Tried to learn was proper braking and not dragging etc.. (and important not to death grip as this makes it wwaaay worse) Ended up with mavens to dish out immense power when needed but braking properly really changed not only my thumb issues but I gained decent speed overal.
Quick question, I have a friend who had arthritis and his hands give up on longer descents. He's currently running Code RCSs with 200 rotors (and...
Quick question, I have a friend who had arthritis and his hands give up on longer descents. He's currently running Code RCSs with 200 rotors (and sintered pads). I'm just looking at options to make his life easier and (in increasing costs) the list is: pads (Sinter & co?), 220 mm rotors, Hayes Dominion A4, Mavens, 1k brakesets (Trickstuff, Intend, Radic & co.).
Am I missing something?
I have chronic hand problems, there are some complexities in what you need to think about because issues are unique to everyone. What aggravates his issues? Force at the lever? Lever too far out? Lack of power? My issues are related to cubital tunnel syndrome causing nerve damage that creates hand pain, my issues are aggravated when the lever blades are out too far (so I run them close), brakes have power issues or fade (I'm 220lbs so this is a thing), but not so much when the lever force is high unless there is major clenching to get power.
I would flat out avoid Dominions. They aren't bad brakes but they are going to require a fair amount of lever force once the pads engage, the freestroke is light but the buildup in pressure required is fairly significant if you have problems. The power is also kindof middling compared to most options and heavier riders on longer descents having to manage hand problems will get worse due to fade. You'll find you really have to clench them to get lots of power when they heat up and the levers have to run somewhat far off the bar. They were great when they came out but IMO there are better options available today. For a normal rider without issues, this is less of a problem, but if you have issues like I do then it's a problem.
If their issues are aggravated by levers being far out (this changes the pressure points in your hand), then Maven, Hope, Intend, or Radic would be a good choices. The Radics have a very short throw with basically no deadstroke, lots of power, but a somewhat awkward lever shape. The Hopes have a very light pull with more length required, but not as much as something like the Maximas. The Mavens have an initial firmness to the lever but the additional force required to put power down is minimal compared to the others, it stays somewhat consistent, and the power available is really high and comes on very fast. If hand fatigue related to lever force is an issue then I'd rule those out in favor of Hope. The Intends will be somewhere between all of this, light throw, short-ish lever, some deadstroke but not a ton, no real fade issues, but hard to acquire - this is what I use, though, and found for me that these and the Hope T4 V4 were the best options.
If the levers being further out is OK then Maximas would be an option, but they require a longer lever throw than most of the options above to get the same power, but i tis a very light/smooth pull even compared to Hopes.
So, light throw: Hope (shorter), Maxima (longer); Firm throw but fairly linear power delivery: Maven; Short deadstroke, close to the bars: Radic. Flatly avoid: Magura, Shimano, Formula, Hayes
Something like the Fasst Flexx bars would be worth considering also, they make a huge difference in damping impacts to your hands through the bars. That said, after years of chasing this, I've just concluded I have to accept that it'll always be limiting to me and limit what I can do. These things mitigate and help but not eliminate, so it's important to listen to your body and not push things too far, when it starts feeling bad or weak - stop - people you ride with will just have to accept that and he'll have to come to terms with it, at least I have.
Correct.
thats why I asked the question before I start hacking at my 38's with a file from 1845 I inherited.
Ok. So after being on Shimano brakes (SLX, XT 4-pots and Saints) for an eternity I picked up a bike with Hayes Dominion A4. First impressions are that these are some nice feeling brakes and nice action and good stopping power, but no wow factor for me, at least for first impressions. I will try some other pads and also run them in the bikepark for more extensive testing for sure.
No wow factor in the parking lot or actually using them to stop going down a trail? Shimanos are VERY wow in the parking lot because of their on-off characteristic.
@brash yeah, don't...
It can be done with a file, but 99% of the population lacks the skill to do that properly. The end result would most likely be neither flat nor perpendicular to the mounting bolts. Both issues would make brake setup more difficult.
I did my fork with a fine file, but I build prototype firearms parts for a living so I have above average skill with fitting parts with a file.
From my position of more or less complete ignorance on the matter, I thought the intention of facing the brake mounts was to get them to be perpendicular to the brake disc, not the mounting bolt axes?
Ideally one is the same as the other anyway... But yeah, the intention is for the face to be perpendicular to the wheel axle (which is how the tools look like as well). If the bolt is not perpendicular you can still use a cup and cone washer to adapt to it, but if the mounting face is not perpendicular, the caliper (or adapter) will not sit perpendicular either.
I took them down a few of my steepest gnarliest trails in my local woods. Almost rammed a tree when i pulled the brakes and expecting the bite point to come real fast.
Anyhow, first test means nothing. I'm still sure they're great so I will give it more time.
Keep in mind that when you are facing the mounts, you are removing material. Hopefully it's not too much but you might need to modify your spacers afterwards to make sure the pads contact correctly, like those hope brakes from before.
Anyone use the hayes dominion hoses on hope tech v4? Found some for practically free and they are super stiff and beefy. ID is 2.5mm vs 2.1mm for the standard hoses. The standard hope barb seems to be too small but would it work with an olive compressing? Any idea on how this would change the character of the brakes?
considering the very lowe price of the braided hoses, why not going that direction?
I have the hayes hoses in hand, not the braided
How do we actually if the braided hose makes the brakes any better? I’ve always thought that it only protects the outer shell which is not so critical in cycling. I assume all hydraulic brake hose have hard plastic innertube that withstands the pressure and does the magic.
Not sure 100%, Trickstuff claims their Beta Kevlar hoses to be rated for 860bar or similar while the Goodridge Braided to be rated for 1360bar ( might be 1340 and 840 can’t remember the exact number but the difference is still huge )
Therefore a stiffer line should provide a sharper bite point and more consistent feel given there’s no room for expansion.
The plastic hose inside will expand its what’s around that might prevent it.
This is probably the reason why Pros use Shimano hoses on TRP as they find the TRP not stiff enough
@AndehM & @FaahkEet had inquired about aftermarket levers on sram brakes in the tech rumors thread. I am moving the response to that over here. I have freedom coast levers on my TRP DHR Evo's and I have them on a set of maven bronze. I also have a set of Oak Components levers that I previously had on a set of Code RSC and now on a set of Maven Ultimate.
I quite like the levers on the DHR Evos... I would consider aftermarket levers on those brakes a must. That being said, it took me a bit to adjust to running my finger just inside the lever hook. From years of riding stock sram levers, I had learned to put my finger directly on the hook, which can be a slight bit less comfortable with the freedom coast machining on the hook for some reason.
I say this because that is my impression on the difference between running the freedom coast and the oak components levers on maven brakes as well. Both are good from an ergonomics perspective... but the oak components have a slightly more comfortable hook then the freedom coast do, so it makes it a bit easier to run the lever position on the bars, such that your finger is resting within the hook when in use.
One thing that I have found as consistent with the aftermarket levers... is that the reach adjust is not as sufficient with the different lever shape. For whatever reason, I cannot setup the reach adjust so that the lever bottoms out on the grip when you wind them all the way counter clockwise (lever's in). This is mostly fine if you have reach adjust, but not fine if you are on base/bronze level brakes, or are the kind of person that does not want to use reach adjust because of the swing link cam profile.
That being said, when setup properly, the maven bronze that I have them on (on my 25' santacruz bullit) ends up with the last little bit of lever throw about 1/8" from the bar at full lock. It feels a bit like I would like them to go just a bit further, that way I could adjust them out to exactly where I want them. Overall, I'd equate it to having to run rebound or compression all the way to one side of the adjuster, sure it feels good and that's the best setting that is available, but you're always wondering what if I could go a bit futher. I'd likely end up back at the same place, but I still wonder.
Overall however, I do like the aftermarket lever feel. I'd say that they are not as impactful to the feel/performance or perception of the brakes as it was on the codes, but it is a nice improvement and for sure the lever feels more solid, like there is less flex.
Have the oak levers on maven silvers. Can confirm, lever feels less flexy which translates to a bit more power. Not super noticeable, but it’s there.
Mounting them was a bit of a hassle but definitely an upgrade from stock levers imo
Figure a lot of people here will find this interesting:
Basically he reduces the master cylinder diameter from 10 to 8mm which significantly increases hydraulic advantage. Also the brake comparison website he shows is such a good resource: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl Not sure how no one's found it yet.
I'm actually doing something kind of similar with a set of brakes currently. Picked up a set of sram db8 calipers for cheap and am running them with formula cura levers (coming from cura 2 calipers). This results in quite a bit less power because of the reduced hydraulic ratio (4.36 vs 5.22) but you do gain access to like an order of magnitude more aftermarket pad options and get more piston rollback (pad-rotor clearance). Not wanting to mess with modifying internal components so I'm currently getting a new set of lever blades machined that increases mechanical advantage from 7.1 to 8.5. This will boost the total advantage to slightly higher than DHR Evos, Cura 4s, or Tech 3 V4s. Here's my lever design for those interested:
In addition to increasing leverage it also reduces the tolerance between the lever blade and master cylinder body which significantly reduces the bushing play present in stock cura levers. I've got a previous version I'm currently running that reduces bushing play but has about the same leverage as the formula "feel control" levers in the highest leverage setting but allow the lever to be run much closer to the bar. I found the range of reach adjust on the formula levers to be too far out. Those are 3d printed out of titanium and look like this:
That comparison site is great!
Wish it was updated, it’s got old stuff and missing the newest, would be sick if it had all the new ones
I’ll be honest, that big of a change in master cylinder diameter doesn’t sound wonderful. Comparing the distance you’d have to move the master cylinder to move the pads the same amount, it’s a 56% increase. That’s a lot of lever throw… one conclusion I’ve come to is that massive power and good lever feel aren’t really attainable without decreased pad retract. Swing link kind of gets you there but there’s a stiff portion of lever throw it has to move through.
Yeah I agree that seems like pushing it past the point of practicality. You can see in the video he’s having to run the lever reach super super far out to compensate.
Related to the video above, using a magura mt7 caliper might have helped due to a very small pad rollback compared to something like the trp's. might have also not to have needed to go so small on the master cylinder diameter as the mt7 calipers have 4x17mm pistons compared to the 4x16mm pistons on trp caliper. would be interesting to see the results of how the this would reduce the lever throw and maintain a similar level of hydraulic pressure within the system. (Not an engineer but just guessing)
Nice job, there is already aftermarket lever option for cura on the market though, with longer/shorter options and running on bearings instead of bushings too 🙂https://www.ebay.com/itm/125531213076
I'm sure those are a great option and bearings definitely create a more durable pivot but isn't it more fun to make something yourself? The higher leverage levers I've designed are a bit longer than those as well since I'm starting with a slightly lower hydraulic ratio. Definitely not advocating that what I'm doing makes sense economically or time investment wise but at the end of the day tinkering on and modifying bikes is a fun and rewarding way to spend your time.
Quick question, I have a friend who had arthritis and his hands give up on longer descents. He's currently running Code RCSs with 200 rotors (and sintered pads). I'm just looking at options to make his life easier and (in increasing costs) the list is: pads (Sinter & co?), 220 mm rotors, Hayes Dominion A4, Mavens, 1k brakesets (Trickstuff, Intend, Radic & co.).
Am I missing something?
new shimano stuff coming, new hope levers not far off.
TRP evo pro
I have issues with my right thumb that cant handle long descents - something i Tried to learn was proper braking and not dragging etc.. (and important not to death grip as this makes it wwaaay worse)
Ended up with mavens to dish out immense power when needed but braking properly really changed not only my thumb issues but I gained decent speed overal.
if he's got hand issues, i think he doesn't need to spend extreme money on Trickstuff or similar, but i wouldn't waste money on "polishing the turd" aka pads and rotors on the codes, they're hard to pull and not that powerful.
Definitely i'd go with Either Hope V4 or Dominions, if the hand situation is really bad maybe the Kahas as they're super light but power ramps immediately giving fingers a very easy job
Talking to a friend who rides Dominions he mentioned the lever pull is light, but you need to squeeze hard to get power from them (and he can compare to Codes RSC on another bike).
A heavy lever pull in the freestroke is still much lighter than applying the power and if the Code has an advantage in the power delivery part of the stroke (due to the swing link) it might be better than a Dominion after all (as per @CascadeComponents comment on the previous page).
We'll possibly try a 220 rotor because we have one in the fleet and maybe try to align to have a test ride on the Dominions. I'll report back if/when we do something.
New hope levers?
I have chronic hand problems, there are some complexities in what you need to think about because issues are unique to everyone. What aggravates his issues? Force at the lever? Lever too far out? Lack of power? My issues are related to cubital tunnel syndrome causing nerve damage that creates hand pain, my issues are aggravated when the lever blades are out too far (so I run them close), brakes have power issues or fade (I'm 220lbs so this is a thing), but not so much when the lever force is high unless there is major clenching to get power.
I would flat out avoid Dominions. They aren't bad brakes but they are going to require a fair amount of lever force once the pads engage, the freestroke is light but the buildup in pressure required is fairly significant if you have problems. The power is also kindof middling compared to most options and heavier riders on longer descents having to manage hand problems will get worse due to fade. You'll find you really have to clench them to get lots of power when they heat up and the levers have to run somewhat far off the bar. They were great when they came out but IMO there are better options available today. For a normal rider without issues, this is less of a problem, but if you have issues like I do then it's a problem.
If their issues are aggravated by levers being far out (this changes the pressure points in your hand), then Maven, Hope, Intend, or Radic would be a good choices. The Radics have a very short throw with basically no deadstroke, lots of power, but a somewhat awkward lever shape. The Hopes have a very light pull with more length required, but not as much as something like the Maximas. The Mavens have an initial firmness to the lever but the additional force required to put power down is minimal compared to the others, it stays somewhat consistent, and the power available is really high and comes on very fast. If hand fatigue related to lever force is an issue then I'd rule those out in favor of Hope. The Intends will be somewhere between all of this, light throw, short-ish lever, some deadstroke but not a ton, no real fade issues, but hard to acquire - this is what I use, though, and found for me that these and the Hope T4 V4 were the best options.
If the levers being further out is OK then Maximas would be an option, but they require a longer lever throw than most of the options above to get the same power, but i tis a very light/smooth pull even compared to Hopes.
So, light throw: Hope (shorter), Maxima (longer); Firm throw but fairly linear power delivery: Maven; Short deadstroke, close to the bars: Radic. Flatly avoid: Magura, Shimano, Formula, Hayes
Something like the Fasst Flexx bars would be worth considering also, they make a huge difference in damping impacts to your hands through the bars. That said, after years of chasing this, I've just concluded I have to accept that it'll always be limiting to me and limit what I can do. These things mitigate and help but not eliminate, so it's important to listen to your body and not push things too far, when it starts feeling bad or weak - stop - people you ride with will just have to accept that and he'll have to come to terms with it, at least I have.
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