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Done with my Zee brakeset.. whats next?

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Compared to brakes that don't work they might seem expensive, but that's it.
You said your Hayes Mags work fine, why'd you let the industry con you into overpriced Hopes?
It seems you don't even realise you've been lizarded.
 

ebarker9

Monkey
Oct 2, 2007
848
242
Semi-related, is there any actual difference between the Saint/Zee pads (H03C) and XT etc pads (J04C)? Been running the J04C's in my Zee brakes seemingly with no issues but wondering if I'm missing out by not running the correct pads. Been dealing with similar issues to what others are reporting with inconsistent lever travel but so far not motivated enough to try a different alternative.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
@ebarker9
Are you sure? The J04C (M785, M8000, etc) is only for their 2-pot brakes and physically shorter than the H03C (M820, M640) for the 4-pot caliper. As long as you have pads that fit (and they aren't rocking around), there's no substantial difference. If you actually do have the J04C in a Zee then you'd be running the wrong pad, but that should be pretty obvious if so.

Shimano did update the old F03C (original M785 pad) with a larger heatsink, plus a minor update for some very rare cases where the backing on the old F03C separated. The updated pad is called the J04C.
pads.jpg
 

ebarker9

Monkey
Oct 2, 2007
848
242
Nope, apparently not sure at all. Running the Deore M615 brakes and my brain evidently wasn't working this morning. Can confirm that the J04C works fine on those. On the plus side they've actually been pretty reliable, but could be more powerful. Maybe I'll look into the Hope Tech 3 V4's or Cura 4 Pots when they come out.

Edit: Can I run M640 calipers with the M615 levers?
 
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Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Nope, apparently not sure at all. Running the Deore M615 brakes and my brain evidently wasn't working this morning. Can confirm that the J04C works fine on those. On the plus side they've actually been pretty reliable, but could be more powerful. Maybe I'll look into the Hope Tech 3 V4's or Cura 4 Pots when they come out.
Edit: Can I run M640 calipers with the M615 levers?
  • Yes you can run M640 caliper / M615 lever but lever throw will be longer (+ higher peak force)
  • V4 / Cura4 probably won't give much power boost, just better consistency / reliability / durability
  • The pads on other brakes suck compared to J04C / H03C, particularly if you need sintered pads for your application (eg. wet weather use). Non-heatsink sintered pads permanently lose peak friction very quickly under proper DH use.
So if you don't have any major problems with Shimano brakes then there are some reasons to stick with them, especially if you're happy to run their cheaper parts (eg. 615, 640) and replace them every so often.
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
I'm in :maninlove: with my Cura (& Saints) so I say sell them and (a) keep your Saints on there or (b) try the Formulas.
I've got my eye on a set of TRP Quadiems...

My Saints are acting a bit funny (prob just in need of a 3-day bleed). So given that I'm not in love with them, AND my DH bike is currently brakeless, I might sell BOTH the new XTRs and my Saints.

Get Quadiems for the Nomad (overkill, but I'm after reliability), and find the cheapest pair of whatever I can find to get my DH bike rolling and sell that rig.
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
Not sure about long durability , but so far they've been flawless other than the incident when my daughter managed to somehow pull the hose out of the lever. I was pretty stoked about that discovery. :twitch:
Any updates on reliability you can share?
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,926
14,438
where the trails are
I've got my eye on a set of TRP Quadiems...

My Saints are acting a bit funny (prob just in need of a 3-day bleed). So given that I'm not in love with them, AND my DH bike is currently brakeless, I might sell BOTH the new XTRs and my Saints.

Get Quadiems for the Nomad (overkill, but I'm after reliability), and find the cheapest pair of whatever I can find to get my DH bike rolling and sell that rig.
What about the G-spec Slates? Anyone on those?
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
Well step one has been a flop.

My intensive research indicated that the Quadiems shared a lot with Shimano. Pads, fluid, etc...

My bleed kit has parts for Shimano, Magura and Tektro.

Figured I would bleed the rear, trim the lines and be good. Dude I bought them from had internal routing so I had to refill the rear. (Dumb)

Bolted everything up, trimmed the rear line and was setting up to refill the rear and discovered that my bleed kit fittings don’t work.

Tektro /= TRP apparently.

Mother fucker...

I even tried it now and even THAT didn’t work.

So now im bleeding my Saints again....

They actually feel pretty awesome...
 

roflbox

roflborx
Jan 23, 2017
3,163
834
Raleigh, NC
resident WC insight provider jackalope has some non-gwin quadiuems, and they have been working well so far (better than his dropper post)
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
resident WC insight provider jackalope has some non-gwin quadiuems, and they have been working well so far (better than his dropper post)
Good to hear. Need to find a bleed kit to set them up. Will prob be a week before I get to try mine out. Fah.
 

dbnickles

Chimp
Apr 21, 2009
11
2
I've been on the G-quads for about a year now, love them..They have a much better modulation then my saints and XT's in my opinion. took a bit longer to bed the pads then others though..its the only brake I've been on that I set it and forget it...plus they are sexy as hell!!
 

chris_f

Monkey
Jun 20, 2007
390
409
Everyone I speak to say they're down on power compared to Saints though. Not just a bit, but significantly so.
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,596
5,894
in a single wide, cooking meth...
Sore-rhee (as they say here in Canadia), but as roflbox said, mine have continued to be baller AF. FWIW, I threw the OEM resin pads in my 810 Saints and once they bedded in, they've been good as well. But mainly, I like the TRPs because I don't have the bleed them all the fucking time, regardless of how easy that process is perceived to be with Shimanos.
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,926
14,438
where the trails are
Sore-rhee (as they say here in Canadia), but as roflbox said, mine have continued to be baller AF. FWIW, I threw the OEM resin pads in my 810 Saints and once they bedded in, they've been good as well. But mainly, I like the TRPs because I don't have the bleed them all the fucking time, regardless of how easy that process is perceived to be with Shimanos.
So, would you know if their bleed fitting thread/pitch is shared with any other brands?
(asking for a friend)
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
Sore-rhee (as they say here in Canadia), but as roflbox said, mine have continued to be baller AF. FWIW, I threw the OEM resin pads in my 810 Saints and once they bedded in, they've been good as well. But mainly, I like the TRPs because I don't have the bleed them all the fucking time, regardless of how easy that process is perceived to be with Shimanos.
Precisely why I’ve made the move.

Of course I’ve still not tried them since I can get them bled yet...
 

TrumbullHucker

trumbullruxer
Aug 29, 2005
2,284
719
shimzbury, ct
My Zee review after 6 days in Whistler

Condish: hard packed brake bumps, dusty ( except for the bits on Top Of World and Creekside )

Brand new Alligator semi-metallic pads installed

omf wow such bling

Shimano Ice 203mm up front, 180mm in back ( DW-DHR with WC up front and R2C in back if that makes any difference )

The brakes before the new pads still strong when working... after lift rides I almost always had to pump up both levers till where the actually starting gripping. Once I started rolling on trail, they usually puffed up.
----
During Whistler they performed much better with newer pads. Rode for 6 days and ONLY my front went dead maybe once a day The second throw always caught though. And rear always caught. Still not stoked but an improvement.

And I friggen loving the pads.. got them for like 20 bucks off universal cycles and they are still locking up after my bitch ass dragging
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
Yeah. My Saints were thoroughly bled and went rando-throw on me late in the day today.

Garbage.

But the lever ergonomics are so perfect....
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
358C0202-9C93-4DB6-A71D-3AD0FDA2635F.jpeg


Tektro bleed fittings work. I’m just an idiot.

The little seal ring was deep down in the port, and in the crappy light of my shed, I didn’t see it.

Definitely a different lever feel. Not 100% sure my pads are bedded in. Test tomorrow am.
 

amishmatt

Turbo Monkey
Sep 21, 2005
1,263
396
Lancaster, PA
I have the same brakes and my Shimano bleed funnel and syringe worked just fine for me. The lever shape is different for sure, but I got used to it fast. They've been perfect for the six months I've been riding them with no change in lever feel, just consistent all the time. And as expected, way better modulation than my old XTs. I'm super happy with them.

Power has never been an issue for me, but I'm not a big guy and I'm not riding very hard because I still have a dislocated finger from a crash back in March.
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,596
5,894
in a single wide, cooking meth...
View attachment 129629

Tektro bleed fittings work. I’m just an idiot.

The little seal ring was deep down in the port, and in the crappy light of my shed, I didn’t see it.

Definitely a different lever feel. Not 100% sure my pads are bedded in. Test tomorrow am.
Nice, keep us updated. As mentioned previously, my experience mirrors amishmatt's so far. I switched out the OEM resin pads for OG Shimano metal pads and they've been great, but I have a feeling I never fully bedded in the OEM pads. I say that because I threw them in my 810 Saints last week in Whistler and they were money. Also FWIW, TRP is supposed to have some metal pads out soon as well. All that said, I'm mainly super stoked my TRPs have never gone full @TrumbullHucker Saints when I really need to stop :panic: