[craigyboy]

thinking of buying a set of these brakes and am just wondering if anyone has much experience with them, specifically the reach adjustment. I've ran avid/sram for the last 5 years and absolutely love the brake lever setup but in five years im onto my third set of brakes, sick of sticky pistons and rebuilding leaky levers. I run my lever reach very close to the bar and bite point at the bar nearly and having looked at some formulas and am a bit concerned I might not be able to get the reach as close as if like. Anyone any experience with these, they seem like a fine brake otherwise.

 

[Udi]

You won't get the reach as close as you like on the stock brakes.
I have a sneaky mod for the T1's cam if running the older reach adjuster with a 2mm key which allows a closer reach, or if looking at RO (or T1 with tool-free reach) there is a solution involving aftermarket push rods. You can find them here.

Keep in mind if you go too close, the lever will physically bottom out on the body before reaching full MC piston travel and thus full braking force, so there is a limit to how far you can go. However it's definitely possible to have them substantially better than stock, just be wary of the limits.

 

[craigyboy]

As always udi man you have the answer, that's the route I will have to go. I was going to buy the more expensive RO but to be honest my bro runs the older 2011 T1's and they seem great though now formula bill them on there site as an enduro brake and not a DH brake haha, I can get a set of 2014 T1's much cheaper than the RO. I can't see how at one time pretty much the same T1 was there flagship DH brake and now it's an enduro brake. Surely just marketing BS!

 

[CBJ]

I have successfully bend mine a little bit in. Done this before on another lever never had problem. I like to run my levers really close to the bar.

 

[cableguy]

I couldn't use the stock RO as is. I don't know which idiot designed them, but the throw was way way out there. 2x more than any other brakes I have tried.

I had to buy the after-market rods. The 1st set that the guy sold me didn't work. He had to re-machine them (the half-spherical ones) to be more round. After that, it has been working fine.

 

[frorider]

Got R0s for $120, free shipping, at Wiggle a few days ago to add to my collection.

I have man hands though.

Crazy how cheap formula stuff is from the euro retailers.

 

[vinny4130]

I have ro brakes I'm not using because of this problem. I must try this!

 

[craigyboy]

Is there anyone else making this little shortened pushrod setup? Can't seem to get a response from this guy

 

[no skid marks]

You could get the R1 Racing lever/master cylinders. Different lever pivot point(closer to bar) makes them feel totally different(not sure I'm a fan over the older style). Adjuster screw screws right through but I doubt you'd get it hitting bar/grip with decent adjuster screw depth.

 

[katsooba]

i wonder if we can match and avid guide\code lever to the R0 caliper
would that work?
if so, that could be awesome

 

[1soulrider]

Mineral oil in Formula and DOT in Avid would be the first issue to overcome

 

[Banga]

Mineral oil in Formula and DOT in Avid would be the first issue to overcome

RO runs dot, only one formula model runs mineral.

 

[Udi]

i wonder if we can match and avid guide\code lever to the R0 caliper
would that work?

No, won't work.
MC piston is substantially different in diameter, thus hydraulic leverage ratio will be incorrect and lever throw will be excessively long (and likely hit grip).

It's not really a good idea beyond that anyway, the Formula levers are of much higher quality internally. A much better idea is running the new Formula "Racing" MC/lever, it's ergonomically much better than the older Formula lever design and allows the reach to be set much closer (including all the way to "too close").