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Frankenbrakes and brake improvement discussion

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,628
5,443
CALIPER HALVES!
Caliper singles!
1667645758012.png


EDIT- I hope they aren't polished like that, I've never understood why people polish things that need to radiate heat, it's silly. Sandblast and black ano FTW!
 
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Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,750
439
MA
No you’re putting the screw driver between the caliper and back of the pad pushing it towards the rotor and if the opposite pad is rubbing you’ll enter up pushing it further away. But if you center the caliper on the rotor and then pump up the pads and have a pad that rubs you probably need to exercise and clean the pistons more.
Following up here. I have Magura's so I can't pull the pads towards the rotor because magnets... However pushing the rubbing pad with a screw driver with a flathead towards the caliper and pumping the levers did the trick and took care of the pad rubbing.

Awesome suggestion! Much appreciated
 

otolo

Chimp
Nov 13, 2022
3
7
She went well!
The hose did not separate from the lever body and I didn't die :)

Power was good but I had an episode where the bite point shifted closer to the handlebar after a rowdy ride trough a rock garden. It's corrected it self with more rowdy riding. Maybe It was some air in the system. I missed having tool-free lever reach adjustment in this situation.

It worked but comparing it to a shigura setup it falls short for me. Only advantage is the ability to have one spare lever for both front and rear brake.

Bonus photo
Sram fittings compressed on Magura hose. Looks better than the shimanos that I have seen..
 

Boozzz

Chimp
Sep 12, 2019
80
84
Amsterdayummm
Another quick note on Hope quality: finally got my rear T4V4 brake back from their warranty department after almost two months of waiting, with a replaced MC and serviced caliper. Apparently the MC issue had something to do with a faultily set up CNC machine, affecting quite a few brakes. Anyway, three rides in, still seems ok.

But now the front caliper has crapped out. Howling, no power, and, of course, small drive side piston leaking leaking leaking. British engineering :banghead:
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,927
14,442
where the trails are
Do any of you run (or have experience with) 2.3 mm wide rotors with Shimano brakes? I have heard conflicting things. Would love to hear your thoughts.
I currently have TRP 2.3 rotors on the RFX paired with XT 8120 brakes. Very little lever throw, they actually feel really good, but I have no idea how they'd perform over long descents, if they'd rub, etc. I have XT rotors for this bike (which is for sale) just haven't swapped them on the wheels yet.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
Couple of my mates now running those Alixpress brake systems on trail and XC bikes (~$160 pair delivered). I'm genuinely impressed by the quality and performance of the things for the price. They use Hope E4 pads and common bleed fittings.

If you need a set of brakes for cheap they're worth looking into. Their power is on par with the Hope E4, so probably best for XC applications etc, not for full on Enduro/DH or big descents. And the colours look awesome
Ali brake.jpg
 
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OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Just chiming in with another vote for the TRP DH-R EVO's, at least as far as initial impressions go. Just put a set on my heckler and so far I've been super happy with how they compare to the Code RSC's they replaced. I went with the 223/203 rotor combo and the amount of power, control, and consistency is super impressive. Only time will tell how they hold up over time, how often they need maintenance/bleeding, etc., but so far I am pretty damn stoked. :thumb:
 

zebulon13

Chimp
Jan 15, 2023
7
0
Hello,

is it possible to combine mt7 master cylinder ( w custom oak component levers ) with trickstuff c41 calipers ?
 
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Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,057
1,298
Styria
Hello,

is it possible to combine mt7 master cylinder ( w custom oak component levers ) with trickstuff c41 calipers ?
Why would you want to do this? The master caliper area of the MT7 is ~87 mm² compared to 64 mm² of the DRT's. And the slave piston area of the c41 is smaller than the MT7's, you would lose a lot of hydraulic leverage and therefore power. The other way round is what a lot of people are doing, which results in a very powerful brake.
 

zebulon13

Chimp
Jan 15, 2023
7
0
Why would you want to do this? The master caliper area of the MT7 is ~87 mm² compared to 64 mm² of the DRT's. And the slave piston area of the c41 is smaller than the MT7's, you would lose a lot of hydraulic leverage and therefore power. The other way round is what a lot of people are doing, which results in a very powerful brake.
OK

( because look of lever is nice )
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
OK

( because look of lever is nice )
1673904874605.png


VS

1673904986677.png


Just my opinion obviously, I'd never considered that people would want the Magura for aesthetics. I might be alone on that one this, but personally I'd always thought literally every other brake on the market has a nicer made, better looking lever than Maguras do.
 

zebulon13

Chimp
Jan 15, 2023
7
0

Attachments

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,057
1,298
Styria
Hello, can C41 caliper clear 2.3mm rotor thickness ?
I'm not sure, my 2 mm Formula monolithic rotor fit with not much air left when I had new pads installed. TS sells a 2.05 mm rotor so that's a given. I'll check the German forums and report.

Edit: seems to work, people are running this combo
 
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zebulon13

Chimp
Jan 15, 2023
7
0
I'm not sure, my 2 mm Formula monolithic rotor fit with not much air left when I had new pads installed. TS sells a 2.05 mm rotor so that's a given. I'll check the German forums and report.

Edit: seems to work, people are running this combo
to me it appears an awesome powerfull combo, isnt it ?
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
IMHO power is not directly dependent on or a result of rotor thickness. Heat management and stability are the main reasons for running thicker rotors.
The sense of increased power might come from the shorter lever throw. I went from 1.8 to 2 mm thick rotors and the shorter lever throw definitely made it easier for me.

But as you said stability is one of the main reasons (for me at least) for running thicker rotors. I changed mine because the Formula I had before got warped and distorted at their own will.
 
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StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
So, remember when every jackwad with a CNC lathe pumped out any old thing?
Is this a modern version, or are these the dog’s bollocks?

I mean, 13%!!!

Can't be worse than Shimano calipers so it's probably worth the three hundos.
 

troy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 3, 2008
1,006
739
#ULTIMATE MIX 'N' MATCH

I need new brakes for next budget project. Have some 1st gen Code calipers laying around (both levers are dead).
I want to use Deore levers and bleed it with DOT 5 silicone based oil. I've read a few threads (not very common solution) that it works, and ppl had no problems during months of use. Deathwish much? Change my mind.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
#ULTIMATE MIX 'N' MATCH

I need new brakes for next budget project. Have some 1st gen Code calipers laying around (both levers are dead).
I want to use Deore levers and bleed it with DOT 5 silicone based oil. I've read a few threads (not very common solution) that it works, and ppl had no problems during months of use. Deathwish much? Change my mind.
Anything first gen Code needs to get nuked into orbit.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
What was the deal with them?
Relatively weak, could never get good power out of them, except when they started the turkey-warble and extreme vibration thing, then I basically couldn't use the brakes because the vibrations were so bad I'd lose control. They just basically sucked at the whole braking thing.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
Relatively weak, could never get good power out of them, except when they started the turkey-warble and extreme vibration thing, then I basically couldn't use the brakes because the vibrations were so bad I'd lose control. They just basically sucked at the whole braking thing.
They still seemed better than Elixirs. :panic:
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
I used to have to bleed mine halfway through the day at Diablo and those aren't even long runs. I think I warranty claimed on them a couple of times and sold them the final time.

I can't recall what I went to...