Thanks! Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed. Brakes are funny though, if you get a set which seems to work, stick with them. I wanted something that was beautifully CNC machined and shiney, and not made in a sweatshop by immigrants. But you will get better modulation, and fewer warranty claims (based on my experience with multiple failed XTR levers and calipers). Bleeding brakes essentially means replacing the brake fluid to eliminate air or water from the system, or simply as scheduled maintenance to replace dirty oilsome contamination can penetrate the seals at the pistons and all brake manufacturers suggest a regular bleed. The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. In some ways, I prefer TRP Spykes, but they have a habit of backing off over bumpy descents. Guy Kesteven is Bike Perfect's technical editor-at-large. Worryingly, theres a massive variety of performance across the spectrum, and as well as character and power, theres also a wide range of weight and cost issues to juggle with when hunting down the best mountain bike brakes for your bike. Another option for drop-bar brakes that weve been impressed by more recently is Shimano GRX, which of course use mineral oil and a funnel to bleed. TESTED: Four-Piston Brakes - SRAM Code RSC, Shimano XT M8020 and Hope E4 - Flow Mountain Bike THE BEST WAY TO MAKE YOUR MTB HUB LOUDER!! Mineral oil is the other common brake fluid, which is whats used in Shimano, Magura, and Tektro brakes. Free delivery for many products! 'SHIMANO()16mgl2!10!!!3! Now this is by no means a scientific test. For the mechanical disc-specific top pick, things were all over the place, although TRP Spyke/Spyres were the clear winner. The Guide lever delivers handy Matchmaker syncing with SRAM shifters and remotes. The Shimano rotors especially look pretty low rent. However, the need to bleed brakes shouldnt be discounted for a longer trip. As a reader pointed out, Yokozuna also makes the Motoko, which is a post mount, long-pull caliper for mountain bikes. Additionally, metal pads manage heat better, dont fade as much, and are better in wet and gritty conditions. An oversized reservoir means it can handle even the most intensive e-bike descent without cooking and its a positive joy to bleed if you ever need to. Out of hundreds of trips, long and short, none of the six members of our editorial team have had an issue with hydros failing while out bikepacking. Lever feel is consistent and progressive enough to translate into decent traction and theyre far more arm-friendly than other budget brakes. I run 203/180mm rotors front and rear, which helps for bikepacking too.. Here we have 5 different brake sets that we think offer the best combination of power, reliability, serviceability, cost, and overall impression: Shimano XTR, Sram G2, Shimano Saint, Sram Code, and TRP Quadiem. Ive had both and liked them both. Its hard to be objective about brakes because its all about feel and we all like different things. Performance. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hope mono M4 hydraulic rear disc brake at the best online prices at eBay! Fractionally behind on power but still eyeball-straining and utterly reliable, with a feel that riders like at a bargain price are Shimanos Zee brakes. The best way to do the comparison is to split it into two sections: I`ve always had Avids, never had a problem with Juicys until recently. Which is better if youre only talking about two. Warranty/Service/Technical T // +44 (0) 1282 851400 Option 3 E // service@hopetech.com BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. Since then hes written several million words about several thousand test bikes and a ridiculous amount of riding gear. Singletrack uses affiliate services calledSkimlinksandwhich means we may earn revenue if you buy a product after clicking a link to a retailer on our site. Or your friends ? Generally speaking, the larger the rotors, the more stopping power. Just look at them theyre seriously glamorous. Hope Floating Disc Colorful stoppers that resist warping Specifications Sizes: 140mm, 160mm, 180mm, 183mm, 200mm, 203mm, 205mm, 220mm Mount: 6-bolt Weight: 146g (for 180mm) Today's Best Deals View at Sigma Sports View at Chain Reaction Cycles View at Leisure Lakes Bikes Reasons to buy We used these brakes on our regular trail rides, not in alpine conditions, so wed be lying if we said wed pushed them to their operational limits. No idea how I keep ending up with sets (actually, yes I do, its because theyre often sold for under 50 and I just cant say no!). The rebadged SLX lever means reach adjust is tooled not dialed, but still gets Servo Wave power assistance and dodges Free Stroke issues found on other brakes. If having brilliant backup is what youre after then nobody beats Hope, who has a van at practically every UK event and will bend over backwards to help if you have an issue. While I was up in Aviemore I thought I would get a ride in, so borrowed Bothy Bikes demo Bronson. I think the conclusion to this thread has to be buy whatever you like, all have pros and cons, just dont buy Avid, as they are shiiiiite! I switch things up a lot, and for that reason, Ive often opted for mechanical brakes on test builds. Think thats just due to my braking style, I dont drag brakes, I tend to be on them or off them. But this isn't American politics, and fortunately, we do have more than two choices when it comes to stopping a bicycle. Initially I struggled with the performance of the Hopes, but after sessions with a Psychotherapist, Ive managed to change my way of thinking and along with slowing down my riding, I now believe they are every bit as powerful as my old Shimanos. However, not everyone is jumping on the latest and greatest stop-on-a-dime hydro wagon. Hayes absolutely dominated the disc brake market at one time but lost that lead in a big way. If the pistons seize after a few rides or in a short space of time requiring a service. Power comes on with plenty of control, with quite a linear feel, that translates to great braking control at slower speeds in particular. Two piston caliper Alloy lever blade Tool-free reach adjust 392g SRAM Level TLM - $170 One other thing to consider is the type of brake mounts on your bike. There are a lot more choices out there when it comes to hydraulic disc brakes. Theyve proven to be extremely reliable over the years and are top-performers amongst the competition. Free . How about setup of the calipers, fit and forget or fit and faff? Design and Build. . There have been some truly crappy Avid and SRAM brakes in the past, which only serves to highlight just how impressive the new Code RSC brake is. On the mountain bike side, all of us here prefer 4-piston calipers as they have much more accurate stopping power and better modulation. This process is automatic. Im not sure that is really very much of an issue. The reason hydraulic disc brakes are more powerful than mechanical disc brakes is that the master cylinder multiplies the force put into the brake lever through the line, creating more braking force than what was applied at the brake lever. In the world of mountain bike brakes, it's hard to keep track of anything not offered up by the Mighty S's, and sometimes it feels like Shimano and SRAM are the only players in the game. 60.00 + 4.69 Postage. If the Alps or at least the local downhill trails/bike park are a regular riding destination, then power and top to bottom control obviously trump weight saving. Shimano claim 20% more grunt than a two-piston XT, but it felt like more! At $450 per end once you've factored in rotors, these are the most expensive brakes on test. Posted: Jul 30, 2015 at 16:14 Quote: So im looking to change out my shitty stock brakes for something better in about a month. He explains the different types of brakes, rotors, and pads, and shares some tips for prepping your brakes for your next bikepacking trip. I would always buy HOPE ! We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. Hope Tech 4 V4 brakes review Hope ups the power Our rating 4.0 USD $265.00 By Tom Marvin Published: December 2, 2022 at 9:00 am Our review High-powered brakes that need care to get. Most MTBs can now accept well above 200mm rotors front and rear, with DH and eBikes now commonly using dual 220mm rotors. MisMatch 1.2 fits Shimano brakes: BL-M9020, BL-M9000, BL-M8000, BL-M7000, BL-M6000 Shimano Shifters and MatchMaker X-equipped SRAM or Avid Brakes: MisMatch 2.0 - DISCONTINUED MisMatch 2.1 - DISCONTINUED MisMatch 2.2fits Shimano shifters with removable I-Spec integration plates: SL-M9000-I, SL-M8000-I * Does NOT fit SL-M7000-I Brake pads come in all shapes and sizes. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Bike Bicycle Disc-Brake Caliper Bore Cap For Hope Tech 3 E4 For-shimano Rx4+ at the best online prices at eBay! There were also a lot of folks who wrote in with either Yokozuna Ultimo or Juin Tech GTs, the clear-cut cable-actuated hydraulic option. A big group of people you ride with are obviously HOPE Less. For hydros, theyre also a cinch to bleed, as long as you have the Shimano bleed funnel. While hydraulic brakes seem much more complicated than mechanical disc brakes, the reality is, theyre really not. Hope Front & Rear Brakes for Cruiser, SRAM Front & Rear Brake Caliper-Side Pull Bicycle Brakes, SRAM Front & Rear Brakes for Tricycle, Metal brake pads (sometimes called metallic or sintered) are made from bonded metallic particles. Thin rotors result in extra modulation. Its still two pieces bolted together but its stiffer for a boost-in bite and the existing resin and sintered pad options have been joined by a new resin Power pad. Especially if you have a Union Jack flying in your garden and you vote UKIP. So the good news is that we have the choice of two different brakes with very different styles and equally brilliant in their own way. If youre in a country or locale with modern bike shops, thats one thing, but in developing nations or areas far removed from such amenities, one might have to improvise. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. You will be redirected once the validation is complete. Gave up on the brakes, but by crikey theyre pretty. Ive got a pair of C2s and two pairs of Minis that are still going strong. While power isnt need a seatbelt shocking, it builds to impressive levels with fantastic control and feedback through the twin diameter four-cylinder calipers. Junkyard How very dare you its ALL about the looks ! I should state up front that I love Hope brakes and have used them for the last 6-7 years, but will try to be as objective as possible. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. fair enough if you are talking about initial price, but i bought my last set of hopes s/h safe in the knowledge that I can get spares easily if they are knackered and will last me 10 years +, and if MTB wasnt all about looks and snobishness wed all be riding canyons and on-ones and santa cruz, yeti etc would be out of business, Thnx Superficial.. Ill give the sintered pads a try. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. Prices are high though, and pads and accessories might be hard to find in an emergency. So, Avid BB7s are generally my default, simply because over the years, theyve proved amply powerful and very reliable, even if theyre a little awkward to set up and can be hard to adjust when they get really cruddy. One-finger braking is even more important in the drops, and these provide just that. Own both, would agree with nearly all that. Get the standard hose braided is a pain in the ass to work with. Not only are they ridiculously cheap for a pair of fully hydraulic brakes but theyre one of the few sets that dont feel spongy or numbly wooden at the lever. A couple of weeks ago I had to take my new Bronson back to Bothy Bikes for them to return the Fox 34 forks to Mojo for a warranty issue. The M8020 brakes look just like Shimanos Saint downhill brakes. Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. That is not saying that the Shimanos are anything less than brilliant brakes, but all things being equal, in my opinion the Hopes are better. Concurrently, a growing number of riders were tossing old standards into the wind and running disc brakes on big around-the-world bike tours. The main issues are servicing, parts availability and life. Bent rotors and a lack of replacement parts and pads were the main concerns. And for me, Shimanos win on all three of those metrics. Hope Tech3 E4s are reportedly just as easy. Most hydraulic brakes can be operated with just one finger, which frees up the others for better handlebar control, resulting in less hand fatigue on long rides. Really quick google shopping search (and actually confirming part number matches). Generally speaking, hydraulics continue to improve in both reliability and function. How they deliver that power is quite different though. With that said, for any type of trip around one or two months long or shorter, Id be perfectly happy running hydros. +1 To make sure he rarely sleeps and to fund his custom tandem habit, hes also penned a handful of bike-related books and talks to a GoPro for YouTube, too. That means they invested serious R&D time in their Dominion comeback brake and its been worth it. to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal, Mechanical disc calipers are generally very reliable, Theyre also simple, making them easy to repair, maintain, and change pads, Replacement cables and levers are easy to source since theyre essentially the same as rim brakes, Mechanical disc brakes are less expensive than good hydraulics, Many popular models use common types of brake pads, making them relatively easy to source replacements, Mechanical disc calipers offer very little modulation (feathering, or control of braking force), The additional force required can result in hand fatigue, They require regular pad adjustment because of cable stretch, Mechanical disc calipers are heavier and brake slower, Hydraulic disc brakes are more powerful and faster stopping, Theres less force required, resulting in less hand fatigue, One-finger operation frees up more digits for better control off-road, Hydros offer superior modulation (control of braking force), Theres very little adjustment required because calipers/pistons self-adjust, Hydraulic disc brakes have smoother operation because there is no cable friction, Hydros require a periodic bleed (depending on the model), Theyre a royal pain to move from bike to bike, Because hydraulic brakes rely on in-compressible fluid, they can fail due to the fluid being compromised (details in Traveling with Hydros section below), Some models may use pads that are more difficult to source in places lacking modern bike shops, You have to be careful not to accidentally compress the pads when the front wheel is out, There may be a worry aspect when touring, such as housing getting snagged during transportation (like on the roof of a bus). 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