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Frankenbrakes and brake improvement discussion

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JB450

Chimp
Apr 13, 2024
5
12
As a supplement/offshoot to this, I have been running Tektro HD-M745 4 piston brakes for years, they were a cheap upgrade from the level t's that came on my 2018 Smuggler.

Mostly they were fine but the bite was a little weak (my local trails aren't the steepest or the longest). I tried some servowave xt's levers with the Tektro calipers and they were much better but leaking MC and wandering bite points kind of put me off them.

More recently I purchased some of the zrace levers to pair with the Tektro calipers. This combo (Zratros?) has been much more reliable than the "Shitros", and the power is definitely an upgrade from standard and pretty similar to the Shimano lever feel.

NOTE: Probably not the sort of brake combo many would be looking to emulate, but just putting my experience with fairly left field options out here.
Just changed the Tektro calipers out for some Sram Db8 calipers I got cheap. So, "Zrams" now.

Extremely happy with the feel of these now. Nice and firm bite point. Heaps of power.

A couple of mates have tried them (their brakes are, Hope Tech 4/V4, Dominions and DHR EVO). They have also been impressed, which is a nice change from the brakes I have run in the past :P
 

JB450

Chimp
Apr 13, 2024
5
12
Hmm, those DB8 calipers look appealing for hacking some SRAManos together. If anyone has a lead on cheap calipers, please chime in.
I was super lucky with this. I was browsing for other stuff and came across them for $60ea (AUD).

Must've got the last couple too as they don't have anymore stock.
 
Aug 7, 2024
48
42
You can find them for around $50 USD. It just surprises me that you can find Maven calipers for only $30 more. It really has me wanting to play with a set.
 

two-one

Monkey
Dec 15, 2013
208
211
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Got a bit frustrated with Hope yesterday.
I got my girfriend a new secondhand bike with Hope Tech 4 / V4 brakes, super pretty, hardly used.
But when you feather the front brake, you can slowly pull them to the bar. Clearly a master cylinder issue. Hope says: warranty issue, return them to the store... Well they have been standing in some germans attic for 2 years, so that's not possible.

So i figure i take the lever apart to see what's going on, hope brakes are rebuildable after all.
Turns out they use a security torx to keep the piston in the lever, argh, have to buy more special tools now.

Should have stuck with shiguras...
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,767
501
Got a bit frustrated with Hope yesterday.
I got my girfriend a new secondhand bike with Hope Tech 4 / V4 brakes, super pretty, hardly used.
But when you feather the front brake, you can slowly pull them to the bar. Clearly a master cylinder issue. Hope says: warranty issue, return them to the store... Well they have been standing in some germans attic for 2 years, so that's not possible.

So i figure i take the lever apart to see what's going on, hope brakes are rebuildable after all.
Turns out they use a security torx to keep the piston in the lever, argh, have to buy more special tools now.

Should have stuck with shiguras...
If it happens while riding when first delivering power, it's air in the caliper trapped behind one of the pistons. If you can pump up the brake and hold pressure, its not the MC.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,767
501
I have a need to bastardize some caliper to a Hope Tech 4 lever since their E4 caliper doesn't fit this frame. Who makes a DOT fluid compatible caliper that uses 4x 16mm pistons? That original spreadsheet appears to be way out of date.
 

two-one

Monkey
Dec 15, 2013
208
211
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
If it happens while riding when first delivering power, it's air in the caliper trapped behind one of the pistons. If you can pump up the brake and hold pressure, its not the MC.
First pump is solid, but when you lower the force to a light feather, it starts to move towards the bar.
I'll open it up today to see what's going on. I've got the security torx bits in the mailbox.
 

Milleratio

Monkey
Oct 24, 2021
118
75
Do any of you have or heard of experiences on Braking Incas 2.0 brakes? They do know the motorcycle side so I guess there's a theoretical possibility to make a decent product?

1726387616747.png
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!

Milleratio

Monkey
Oct 24, 2021
118
75
Paul Aston wasn't much impressed with them:

The similarities with BCA brakes are...nearly identical. The topic mentioned an interesting thing: "To use the Braking 3mm Wave rotor you need to add a spacer which has cute little cooling fins. You need to split the caliper and then re-bleed the whole system."

So can I machine a spacer to my Saint brakes and run a 3mm 220m disc? I'll have to split one extra caliper that has a broken piston.

1726420822563.png

1726420843692.png
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
56,042
22,066
Sleazattle

Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
2,074
1,442
SWE

Custom pistons from Seton tuning with "improved" surface. Not available on their website yet. Dominion and Maven available, maybe more
 
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bullcrew

3 Dude Approved

Custom pistons from Seton tuning with "improve" surface. Not available on their website yet. Dominion and Maven available, maybe more
Downamics knows his stuff had a few chats regarding stuff and detailed suspension as well as curves and leverages...he's ontop of his game for sure ..has a good handle on mechanical stuff.
 

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
24,734
12,514
In the cleavage of the Tetons
Ok, bear with me, kids. At 3:00 in the morning, (total insomnia) I had an idea for a product that must exist in some form already. Basically, I am looking for a very low power ‘sump’ pump. The idea is to have the intake inserted into a container of brake fluid, and the output go through a hose the same diameter of whatever your brake requires to connect to the bleed port or nipple. I would also like to make a locking ‘quick connect’ hose fitting for the Shimano bleed nipple.
This is very simple technology, I would imagine, and could be quite small and rechargeable.
It wouldn’t be revolutionary, but not ever having to faff with at least one less syringe could really, really simplify the bleed process.
Does anyone know how they add fluid to brake sets during initial setup at the manufacturers?
It has to be somewhat similar.
I definitely want to experiment with this over the winter.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
22,023
21,581
Canaderp
Won't that contaminate a lot more fluid than needed with a normal bleed?

What problem are you trying to solve with it?

The solution still seems to be @Nick 's Radic brakes :busted:
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
56,042
22,066
Sleazattle
What problems do you people have with bleeding brakes? Always been a pretty simple process for me and I generally only do lever bleeds. The key is doing the bleeding with the pistons extended. Pushing them out prior to pad insertion will help push air back up into the lever/syringe.
 

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
24,734
12,514
In the cleavage of the Tetons
It’s for maintaining a fleet of rentals. If the oil stays clean (it’s one way, in general) , the system stays closed, and will be much less susceptible to contamination. My idea is to have a sealed cap that runs one hose to the bottom of the Shimano jug, and the other end with a secure quick connect of some type.
Think doing 10 full bleeds as opposed to one or two.
Lever bleeds are obviously simple, this is more of production solution.
I already have the pump, hoses, and power sorted, now to figure out the secure quick connect.

It’s not addressing any ‘problem’, it’s to speed up and improve the entire process. I’m sure that thinking is in your wheelhouse, Westy.
I probably do 50 full bleeds a season.
 
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6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
17,272
14,740
It’s for maintaining a fleet of rentals. If the oil stays clean (it’s one way, in general) , the system stays closed, and will be much less susceptible to contamination. My idea is to have a sealed cap that runs one hose to the bottom of the Shimano jug, and the other end with a secure quick connect of some type.
Think doing 10 full bleeds as opposed to one or two.
Lever bleeds are obviously simple, this is more of production solution.
I already have the pump, hoses, and power sorted, now to figure out the secure quick connect.

It’s not addressing any ‘problem’, it’s to speed up and improve the entire process. I’m sure that thinking is in your wheelhouse, Westy.
I probably do 50 full bleeds a season.
I had something like that as part of a Hope bleed kit for my V2's years ago, pressurized by bike pump IIRC. It was too much faff and I never bothered using it.