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2009 Shimano Saint brakes. Rotor options?

Freeridin'

Monkey
Oct 23, 2006
316
2
Colorado
Do the 2 piece Shimano RT76 rotors (6 bolt) have any significant gains over the one piece RT75s?

They both weigh the exact same which I found surprising. Both 203mm come in at 197 grams.

2 piece rotors generally dissipate heat better, but I not too concerned with that considering they are saint brakes.

Are the 2 piece rotors stronger? Does it take a harder hit to bend them?

What else?
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
Shouldn't float as they're basically riveted to the carrier. I'd imagine they warp less.

I really wish they made those for a normal 6-bolt style in addition to the centerlock rotors. At the moment I'm using Formula rotors just because they're thicker.
 

Steve M

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2007
1,991
45
Whistler
2 piece floating rotors don't actually dissipate heat better - in fact all else being equal it'd have to be worse due to less conduction to the arms - but they do typically deal with the possibility of warping due to uneven heating (ie braking track is much hotter than the arms) much better than 1pc rotors. However, the Shimano ones are fully fixed, which can only be to do with either cost of manufacture, or weight. Since I have NFI what they weigh or cost, I'll leave it up to someone else to work out which.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
My question is this, comparing the Rt-75 and the RT-76, are any alleged performance gains worth paying twice as much for what is still essentially a disposable part?
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
My question is this, comparing the Rt-75 and the RT-76, are any alleged performance gains worth paying twice as much for what is still essentially a disposable part?
The reason for that price gap is pretty simple: Shimano wants everybody to use Centerlock rotors, that's why they put a better price on the 75s. They produce 6-bolt rotors in a much smaller quantity, so production costs blablabla... That's the BS they want you to eat, but in the bottomline, they are just trying to let go 6-bolts, and just produice and sell CL rotors.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
The reason for that price gap is pretty simple: Shimano wants everybody to use Centerlock rotors, that's why they put a better price on the 75s. They produce 6-bolt rotors in a much smaller quantity, so production costs blablabla... That's the BS they want you to eat, but in the bottomline, they are just trying to let go 6-bolts, and just produice and sell CL rotors.
The Rt-75's and Rt76's I reference are both 6-bolt, not centerlock.

Also, centerlock hasn't really caught on. Shimano would be shooting themself in the foot if they didn't produce 6 bolt rotors.
 

j-wasilenko

Chimp
Jan 7, 2008
15
0
Nelson, BC
I've been running the Hope rotors with mine and like the 2 piece design. Seems to work really well, haven't had any issues with the rivets coming loose, make a cool pinging sound when they are cooling down and have been amazingly strong. Only had to bend my rotor back into place once in 2 years now.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
I ran alligator sawblade rotors (are they windcutters???) on my saints for the last season, and they felt pretty good. I didn't get much noise unless the brakes were crazy hot (plattekill 15ft from the bottom) or dusty. I've considered going to the more substantial shimano rotors for a while, but I don't NEED to, so I'll be running the gators again next year.

Can't tell you which of the shimanos to use, but I'd pick whatever is cheaper. The saints are great brakes!
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
The Rt-75's and Rt76's I reference are both 6-bolt, not centerlock.

Also, centerlock hasn't really caught on. Shimano would be shooting themself in the foot if they didn't produce 6 bolt rotors.
Oops, my bad. Should read more carefully... Anyway, Shimano argues the RT76 rotor is more stiff and dissipates heat better than the one-piece RT75. If you ask me, it's not worth the extra money. If you feel Mogul-like, go for floating Hopes.
 

richgardiner

Monkey
Aug 19, 2008
224
26
I ran alligator sawblade rotors (are they windcutters???) on my saints for the last season, and they felt pretty good. I didn't get much noise unless the brakes were crazy hot (plattekill 15ft from the bottom) or dusty. I've considered going to the more substantial shimano rotors for a while, but I don't NEED to, so I'll be running the gators again next year.

Can't tell you which of the shimanos to use, but I'd pick whatever is cheaper. The saints are great brakes!
Out of interest, what adaptor + caliper/rotor size are you using?
Im trying to get a 203mm pm avid mount to work with my 203mm hope disc and saint caliper, but i cant move the caliper enough to one side to stop the disc rubbing :( and if i space out the adaptor, the rotor rivets foul the caliper...
 

Freeridin'

Monkey
Oct 23, 2006
316
2
Colorado
So pretty much they just look nicer.

Come to think of it do "standard" (simple one piece rotors) have any benefits or down falls over one another. Yes some are lighter and some might dissipate heat more efficiently.

As long as the rotor is 203mm they all work.

Or are there any that stand out specifically when paired with saints?
 

Huck Banzai

Turbo Monkey
May 8, 2005
2,523
23
Transitory
I'm running Hayes V8 rotors with my Saints; thick n juicy!

I dont think theres much in the way of performance difference between rotors. I'm sure there's something measurable -but I dont think its truly significant.

Wavy, drilled, thick, thin -- some may effect setup a little, but I doubt there is much difference in the sum performance.

There could be a KIA around here to claim otherwise, but that would be pretty Massengill.......
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
The only problem or difference I can really think of is surface contact area and heat dissipation. Heat aside, since I can't measure it and have not ever warped a rotor, even with death grip engaged, I do feel that pad contact area may have some effect on brake feel. I did notice some initial pulsing on my saints/alligator rotors. It wasn't terrible, and it really only happened at low speed, but it was disconcerting and made me want to swap for something else. I either stopped noticing it or it went away, eventually.