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Frankenbrakes and brake improvement discussion

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
No frankenbrakes, but for anybody debating between the Cura 4's and code RSC's, I'm here to tell you that the Cura 4's feel like they have about twice the sponge and 8 times the power.

Will probably spend a few weekends sacrificing goats to get a good bleed on the cura 4's, or put them on my wifes bike and get a set of cura 2's for myself, which seemed way easier to bleed. Codes seem worthless (8" rotors, 29" wheel) compared to the curas.
 

Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,907
1,252
SWE
I just bleed some brakes with a steel bleed block from Trickstuff like this one
It is really good and I will probably never bleed brake again without it. It was super easy too feel the difference between spongy / kind of firm / firm. The plastic blocks generally stop at kind of firm...
On the down side, the universal version did not fit the cheap Shimano breaks so that I could use the pin to keep the block in place. I just used a rubber band instead.
You can also easily make your own.
 

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,071
3,780
sw ontario canada
I just bleed some brakes with a steel bleed block from Trickstuff like this one
It is really good and I will probably never bleed brake again without it. It was super easy too feel the difference between spongy / kind of firm / firm. The plastic blocks generally stop at kind of firm...
On the down side, the universal version did not fit the cheap Shimano breaks so that I could use the pin to keep the block in place. I just used a rubber band instead.
You can also easily make your own.
I have measured and stacked coins to the correct size to make both bleed and piston service blocks. A bit of tape and a zip tie to make a handle, and two stacks of coins matching piston diameter (4 pot calipers) and your good to go.
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,573
1,069
La Verne
No frankenbrakes, but for anybody debating between the Cura 4's and code RSC's, I'm here to tell you that the Cura 4's feel like they have about twice the sponge and 8 times the power.

Will probably spend a few weekends sacrificing goats to get a good bleed on the cura 4's, or put them on my wifes bike and get a set of cura 2's for myself, which seemed way easier to bleed. Codes seem worthless (8" rotors, 29" wheel) compared to the curas.
No sacraficing
But i really feel these are the answer for the rear brake when the hose is 15 feet long.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
I have measured and stacked coins to the correct size to make both bleed and piston service blocks. A bit of tape and a zip tie to make a handle, and two stacks of coins matching piston diameter (4 pot calipers) and your good to go.
I use a 10 mm Allen wrench.
 

Leafy

Monkey
Sep 13, 2019
542
350
Goddamn it, just looked at my usual Shimano sources and none will ship to Freedomland anymore, I guess I'm putting off dumping my GX drivetrain for XT a little longer, thank's for ruining my life.
The Chinese seem to not care about these restrictions, the important parts of XT seem to be about 80% off from USA prices on aliexpress.

I like that idea of the custom piston for the shimano levers. But I think if you had a class 3 anodizing hookup the better thing to do would be to take a brand new lever and hone the bore very lightly to only take like 5 tenths off and just get the whole lever anodized whatever color you want. Actually if you use an acid based striper to strip it the paint you might not even need that hone. Then preferably turn a copy of the stock piston out of steel.
 

Leafy

Monkey
Sep 13, 2019
542
350
Interesting, but are they real Shimano parts? Or Shamano?
The real deal. But being grey market factory left overs they have no warranty, or at least they're not supposed to. SRAM stuff from aliexpress generally have the serial numbers scratched off, but not shimano.
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,928
14,450
where the trails are
I think I finally got a solid bleed on my rear Cura 4, turns out it had almost as much air as fluid in the line, still worked better than most brakes though.


Anybody know of a Shimano style bleed cup that works on Formulas? My custom set up is a little bulky
I've carefully threaded my plastic shimano cup into the lever bleed port without fugging it up, but my formula bleed setup looks a lot like yours.

Ps: that's one sharp looking Egg you've got there.
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,010
1,146
El Lay
Can you send a link of which listing you bought from?

The real deal. But being grey market factory left overs they have no warranty, or at least they're not supposed to. SRAM stuff from aliexpress generally have the serial numbers scratched off, but not shimano.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
I think I finally got a solid bleed on my rear Cura 4, turns out it had almost as much air as fluid in the line, still worked better than most brakes though.


Anybody know of a Shimano style bleed cup that works on Formulas? My custom set up is a little bulky

I've been doing exactly what you have in that pic just with a way shorter hose out of the syringe so that it sits straight up and serves the same purpose as the shimano cup. Just no plug obviously.
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,057
1,298
Styria
I've been doing exactly what you have in that pic just with a way shorter hose out of the syringe so that it sits straight up and serves the same purpose as the shimano cup. Just no plug obviously.
So you're flushing the system Marsh style? Why you no 2 syringes?
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
I've carefully threaded my plastic shimano cup into the lever bleed port without fugging it up, but my formula bleed setup looks a lot like yours.

Ps: that's one sharp looking Egg you've got there.
Actual Shimano brand bleed cup? I have 4 different off-brand ones and they're all too fat and hit the lever clamp. I doubt it's an issue with plastic threads, but I have a stainless syringe fitting for Shimano that's not the correct thread for the Formulas. I need to buy a lathe, shit was so much simpler when I could waste an entire day at work making bike parts in an effort to save $5.

All hail Rid Egg! I still fail at taking decent pics and posting a real review in the Rid Egg thread, but the thing is a magical vessel that makes me appear to be a much better rider than I actually am.

I've been doing exactly what you have in that pic just with a way shorter hose out of the syringe so that it sits straight up and serves the same purpose as the shimano cup. Just no plug obviously.
The lack of a plug doesn't really bother me, I just use a 3rd syringe to get the excess fluid out of the one I turned into a cup up top, leaks a little when you remove it, but it's mineral oil so who cares.. Thinking the thing to do is track down a syringe that accepts the hose straight off the yellow plastic fitting, as of now I only have 1 that fits those and use it at the caliper, and run a shorty hose there like you're saying.

Or buy a lathe?

Probably buy a lathe.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
vetinary syringes are your best friend. I tried the marsh method but i couldn't get a decent bleed out of it.
The Marsh method seems like it works fairly well to make a 95% good brake back to 100%, but if there’s trapped air it doesn’t work.

I prefer the cup on the lever, syringe on the caliper method because it never seems to fail, assuming you give it enough time to get all the tiny hidden bubbles out, which I definitely did not on the first go-around.
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,057
1,298
Styria
More like shimano style.

Mostly because the formula syringes suck and the clamps don't actually seal the hoses.
I also made the mistake of buying the Formula kit. They suck.

Also damn you all with that avatar swapping nonsense, Westy.
 

dovbush66

Monkey
Aug 27, 2018
195
218
Ireland
might have been mentioned before but Sunstar-Braking are making an mtb brake. About the same price as trickstuffs (150 euro less). No reviews or anything up but they're a pretty big OEM, i wonder if they will make a more budget version at some point.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
might have been mentioned before but Sunstar-Braking are making an mtb brake. About the same price as trickstuffs (150 euro less). No reviews or anything up but they're a pretty big OEM, i wonder if they will make a more budget version at some point.

Thank god they have that word on the lever so I don't forget what they're for.


And screw all the people that buy gold bike parts making companies think that's something they should make.

They look stout, that's for sure.
 

chris_f

Monkey
Jun 20, 2007
390
409
Woo might run his mouth here on the forums, but he's secretly relieved that someone finally made brakes that said what the levers are for to avoid any confusion and probably already has these on order.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Hey @chris_f
You should post your Cura4 vs. MT7 (vs. V4 maybe) showdown once you've put a bunch of ride time on the Cura4s.

Also yes I kidwoo am relieved that someone made instructional levers, some of the scratches on my brake levers are from when I came to almost a dead stop at a middle point in the bikepark, then my hands gave way and I completely let go of the levers and grips just before the bike stopped moving and I had one of the more spectacular crashes one can have at 2km/h. Of course the only people waiting there were two chicks, staring at me in confusion. Thankfully my ego was preserved by the stabbing anguish of scratching a DRT lever for the first time.
 

chris_f

Monkey
Jun 20, 2007
390
409
@Udi I absolutely plan on doing that. Things are looking good this year so I think a lot more bike park trips are in the cards. Should get some time on both systems then.

Sorry to hear about your scratched levers and ego!
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
There is no way the 4-piston Magura levers compatible with the (older) 2-piston calipers, is there?
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Also yes I kidwoo am relieved that someone made instructional levers, some of the scratches on my brake levers are from when I came to almost a dead stop at a middle point in the bikepark, then my hands gave way and I completely let go of the levers and grips just before the bike stopped moving and I had one of the more spectacular crashes one can have at 2km/h. Of course the only people waiting there were two chicks, staring at me in confusion. Thankfully my ego was preserved by the stabbing anguish of scratching a DRT lever for the first time.
Too much credit.

I trip over my own feet in the lift line.
 
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6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,828
13,063
There is no way the 4-piston Magura levers compatible with the (older) 2-piston calipers, is there?
They might be, but given the cost of a new set of MT5's from Germany, is it even worth trying?

edit:
$200 shipped with two new 180mm rotors:
 
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