Frankenbrakes and brake improvement discussion
- Thread starter Udi
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Anyone have any possible upgrade ideas for MT5s? My riding style is...well lets just say I roasted the shit out of my rotors at Whistler. They have great power like the Zees I used to have, but they are quite more spongey feel.. lots of modulation vs the Shimano bite feel
I have 203mm Storm rotors, and HC levers, and stock pads.. Was thinking of a 220mm rotor in the front....
I have 203mm Storm rotors, and HC levers, and stock pads.. Was thinking of a 220mm rotor in the front....
Chuck some Shimano levers on them? That seems to make them silly powerful. Otherwise, try some Galfer green pads in them.
Thanks for the reply, I started reading up on the Shigura setups, sounds awesome. Sorry if this was already talked about.
I've been running a 220 in back on my DH bike for the last year with much success. Just got back from Whistler and my MT5 setup ran great.
ooo interesting, I just assumed they were all Galfer made
Here's a link to hope's doc outlining the different pads. Seems the lazy e-bike pads are an organic compound with high fade resistance and longevity. https://www.hopetech.com/_repository/file/1/Default/documents/HopeBrakePadUsageGuide.pdf
What's the MC diameter on those DB8?
I haven't tried because I like the stock levers, but these look interesting albeit expensive.
It depends on what feel you're looking for. I've used the HC1 (I think that's their name, the 1 finger lever), the HC3 (the fancy adjustable Danny Mac 1 finger lever), and the Bruni HCW lever. The main advantage of the HC3 over the HC1 is you can effectively get the bite point very close or very far from the bar by moving the normal reach adjust in/out and then the lever tip in/out. The lever overall has a pretty firm feel overall due to the reduced leverage. The HCW is longer, and therefore increases leverage. It has dramatically less activation feel compared to the 1 finger options.
I've used the MT5 both with the stock long levers and the shorter levers that come with the Trail Sport brakes, since I bent both long levers around the pivot point. The shorter levers are unfortunately also short on power, plus they feel wooden. I personally don't like them, but do have big hands.
Same as mentioned above - the one-finger version has less power, however some people prefer the feel. I mounted them up, decided they weren't what I was looking for and then swapped back to the two fingers. If you want the one fingers I'm selling mine - never seen dirt.
Buddy with not a lot of $$$ just bought a Giant Stance with Shimano MT200 calipers - resin only rotors, blah blah.
I Suggested larger rotors/metallic pads and I am on the hunt for such, but...
I'm a SRAM guy. Don't know Shimano brakes for shit. Looking for a metallic pad to replace his stock resin pads (and will get larger rotors as well) Have looked at some Shimano compatibility charts, but it seems they don't make one to fit?
The E01S seems like it (at least in pics online) may work. Thoughts? Other aftermarket folks making anything mettalic to fit?
Worst case we at least get him larger rotors and he just burns through resin pads I guess. Working on getting hime a dropper as well. I already set hime up tubeless with a better front tire than the stock and tweaked a few things the shop he bought from just fucked up. Also trying to get him to take it back and swap for a large - the medium is way too small. You don't know what you don't know though.
I Suggested larger rotors/metallic pads and I am on the hunt for such, but...
I'm a SRAM guy. Don't know Shimano brakes for shit. Looking for a metallic pad to replace his stock resin pads (and will get larger rotors as well) Have looked at some Shimano compatibility charts, but it seems they don't make one to fit?
The E01S seems like it (at least in pics online) may work. Thoughts? Other aftermarket folks making anything mettalic to fit?
Worst case we at least get him larger rotors and he just burns through resin pads I guess. Working on getting hime a dropper as well. I already set hime up tubeless with a better front tire than the stock and tweaked a few things the shop he bought from just fucked up. Also trying to get him to take it back and swap for a large - the medium is way too small. You don't know what you don't know though.
I can't say for sure, but yeah the E01S look pretty similar.
The product page for them says resin only, but not sure why that'd matter?
SHIMANO Hydraulic Disc Brake 2-Piston MTB Caliper | SHIMANO BIKE-EU
With ONE WAY BLEEDING, the SHIMANO MT200 hydraulic disc brake offers braking power adjusted for entry level riders.
bike.shimano.com
I can't say for sure, but yeah the E01S look pretty similar.
The product page for them says resin only, but not sure why that'd matter?
SHIMANO Hydraulic Disc Brake 2-Piston MTB Caliper | SHIMANO BIKE-EU
With ONE WAY BLEEDING, the SHIMANO MT200 hydraulic disc brake offers braking power adjusted for entry level riders.
yeah, that was the chart i was checking.
i think the resin-only is for the rotors that come with. can't imagine the caliper would be resin only. just have to find metallic pads that fit.
if there aren't any, then at least larger/better rotors will help.
tried to convince him to spend a bit more off the top (or go buyer direct at his pricepoint) to no avail. now he's going to spend as much, if not more to "upgrade" things to make the bike suck less. all my spare shit is sram/not centerlock, to not too much i can help him with there.
replaced the 29x2.35 forekaster front with a 2.35 magic mary. got him setup tubeless. got his shifting working better. tweaked his air pressures for sag,and gave him a shock pump (and basic tutorial on its use) straightened up his bar/stem/lever/shifter setup. greased up and tightened up his stock cup & cone hubs.
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Did you still like the "less activation feel" of the HC-W ? How are they compared to recent Shimanos? I have never used my MT5s yet (with the stock 2 finger levers) but I just ordered the HC-W levers and I'm wondering if I should cancel my order or not...
I haven't used Shimanos for a few years so I can't really compare the feel very well (since XT M786 version). I ditched Shimano over the wandering bite points. The HC-Ws were on my friend's ebike that I rode for 3 days, but I rode the HC3s for a couple years. I really like light lever feel. I find it makes a massive reduction in arm pump on long descents. Chasing that is why I went from MT7s (with the HC3, before the HC-W was released) to Codes and then recently to Dominions.
Less than both the HC-3 and whatever the 1 finger HC lever is called (without the fancy adjustments). If I had to rank activation force of the various Magura levers, it'd be like: HC3 / Danny Mac > HC 1 finger > old 2 finger lever > HC-W / Bruni
Thanks @Andeh, really appreciated! Looking forward to try those MT5s.
They are pretty awesome on my fat bike in snow*.
*one of those rare one off situations where half functioning brakes are a good thing, so you dont end up on your back when youre front wheel locks up.
Probably wouldn't have helped @Full Trucker in this situation.They are pretty awesome on my fat bike in snow*.
*one of those rare one off situations where half functioning brakes are a good thing, so you dont end up on your back when youre front wheel locks up.
Deeper softer than it looked?
It's always fun exploring what you think you van ride through vs what you can.
I always refer to this video, where less is more when it comes to braking on snow and ice. I learned quick.
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Deeper softer than it looked?
Has anyone tried Goodridge/Hope braded lines on Sram Code RSC's? Been a Hope guy forever, my DH bike came with Codes and just not stoked on them. Wondering if braded lines might gain me a little more firmness?
That looks familiar.
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Think of how long they had to wait to get their ripoff copy.That looks familiar.
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I have a pair of E4s with regular hoses and a pair of V4s with braided hoses. The difference in power feels too big to be attributable to the slightly bigger pistons of the V4s alone, but the internet wisdom says the braided hoses contribute nothing. Also, the braided hoses are likely too thick to fit in frames with internal routing.
I'd love to see a scientific hydro hose expansion and heat build-up shoot out. I'm not sure if any MTB disc brake brands make hydro hose in-house (possibly Turkstuff or Shimano?).
Shimano, SRAM, Formula, and Hayes (the brakes I have on hand at home) hoses all have visually subtle differences in construction, particularly of the outer coating/sleeve. Are MTB brakes hoses "all the same" or nah?
(I don't really care what motorsports or other industries are doing with hydro hoses unless they are adaptable to MTB.)
Shimano, SRAM, Formula, and Hayes (the brakes I have on hand at home) hoses all have visually subtle differences in construction, particularly of the outer coating/sleeve. Are MTB brakes hoses "all the same" or nah?
(I don't really care what motorsports or other industries are doing with hydro hoses unless they are adaptable to MTB.)
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The braided hoses should reduce overall flex in the system making for less lever travel for the same amount of braking force.
Also thinking if the inside diameter of the braded line is slightly bigger meaning moving more fluid. I had them on some Hope M4's and M6's in the past. Went from nylon to braded on the M6's and did feel a slight more lever firmness. Just wondering if it may improve the Codes. This is going on a 20/21" Commencal Supreme DH and I have already upgraded the rotors to Hope 2 piece 220mm.
Given the fluid pressure in the line, I don't think the diameter matters at all. If anything, a smaller inner diameter + thicker hose walls would result in shorter lever throw because less expansion.
There's also a 4 piston version.That looks familiar.
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