[marshalolson]

Dropping my post from the sticky brake thread here, as it may be helpful.

>>>


Two year update on both TRP DHR (big bike, 220mm 2.3 rotors) and Hayes Dominion a4 (littler bike, 200mm 2.0 rotors).

They both work great. No issues at all. Other than a fresh bleed when I swap pads just for grins, they have both been flawless.

Feel-wise, Hayes is a little sharper off the top (Ala Shimano) and TRP build power more deeper in the stroke.

after years of endless brake woes, it’s really nice to essentially never think about them any more.

 

[4xBoy]

Paul klampers.

 

[Sandwich]

Paul klampers.

The_what.jpg

 

[jackalope]

Another TRP proponent here. I have 2 sets of the Quadiems, and they've been flawless. Neither are massively powerful in the sense of tossing you OTB if a leaf hits your brake lever, but more than adequate for my needs (which has included extended steep, brake draggy trails on occasion). @SuboptimusPrime put new thicc TRP rotors on one his bikes with Quads, and they're now obscenely powerful. So much so, I'd almost be worried about the DHRs with 220 rotors.

Heard great things about the Hayes as well, but no experience since Hayes Mags

 

[Sandro]

Udi, @Flo33 and myself reading this thread filled with plebs and their petty brake woes. Direttissimates.

 

[Electric_City]

I'll throw in some past experiences with Hayes. Go with me here...

In 2010 I put the Stroker Aces on my Remedy as "all mountain" was the thing before enduro. 200/180 on there. They were a 4 piston brake but made of magnesium I believe. They were only a couple of grams heavier than avid/sram guides. I thought that was impressive. The stopping power was great for that bike. I'd say even more stopping power than the E4's. But on the DH bike 200f/r, it was 2 finger braking or one STRONG finger braking a lot of the times. While they retailed for $200, I bought them for $100 each (all 4 sets). I bled them when I installed them and 7 years later, sold the bike without ever doing anything to them. These brakes also did what the Hopes do when you push the pads out. You'll have to pump the lever a couple of times to get the pads in far enough to make contact.

Cheap, somewhat strong, very reliable.

Ps. Their bleed kit was the same as it was in 1998.

 

[norbar]

Udi, Cornelius Kapfinger and myself reading this thread filled with plebs and their petty brake woes. Direttissimates.

Aren't they like sold out and not available before the machines take over the world?

 

[djjohnr]

Udi, Cornelius Kapfinger and myself reading this thread filled with plebs and their petty brake woes. Direttissimates.

How long does it take you to get replacement parts if you break something/need to rebuild?

 

[Sandro]

Aren't they like sold out and not available before the machines take over the world?

No idea, the delivery times that Trickstuff themselves quote have been outrageous for years. But shops always have some backordered and I waited less than a month for mine. Prices were already ludicrous when I got mine in 2020, but they were almost 30% lower than today, which makes the Direttissimas my least shitty investment of the past years.

 

[Sandro]

How long does it take you to get replacement parts if you break something/need to rebuild?

I’ve only needed pads over the last two years, but common replacement parts are usually in stock somewhere. Looks like I’d be screwed if I needed a plunger kit right now however. Should probably order a second set to be safe.

 

[toodles]

Ie. I've pushed out the old pads and put in brand new ones and the pads don't touch. I have to pump the lever to get the pads in far enough to contact. This is opposite of sram stuff where I'd spread the old pads, put the new ones in and have to force the disc between the pads. With that said, with the Hopes, the rotors don't drag.

Hope made the V4 compatible with their massively thick vented votor. It still works fine with a normal rotor as well but the fully retracted spacing is for clearance on the vented rotor I believe, hence why they need to be pumped out to work on a standard thickness rotor.

parts aren't as abundant as Shimano and sram. But I've never needed anything besides brake pads.

I'd debate this. You can buy literally every part of a Tech 3 lever and V4 caliper pretty much individually. Shimano sells only complete levers, complete calipers and roughly 48 varieties of hoses to connect the two.

 

[toodles]

Udi, Cornelius Kapfinger and myself reading this thread filled with plebs and their petty brake woes. Direttissimates.

Don't break a lever whatever you do. You won't be riding again until 2027

 

[Electric_City]

You can buy literally every part of a Tech 3 lever and V4 caliper pretty much individually. Shimano sells only complete levers, complete calipers and roughly 48 varieties of hoses to connect the two.

I'm aware of this and I agree 100%.

But people always make a big deal out of things like "if you break your lever at Whistler, good luck!" or "no shop I go to stocks Hope brake parts".

Like I said though, pads are the only thing that I've replaced and pieces-of-parts are available online.

 

[Jm_]

I'm aware of this and I agree 100%.

But people always make a big deal out of things like "if you break your lever at Whistler, good luck!" or "no shop I go to stocks Hope brake parts".

Like I said though, pads are the only thing that I've replaced and pieces-of-parts are available online.

I did break a lever in bellingham when my 785-era lever MC decided to puke. It was hell trying to get something jerry rigged up, as the 7/8000 series was out and you couldn't hook that up to the shifter and all I needed was some kind of band/ring for the shifter so it would mount on the bar. Ever ever doing integrated crap again. Give me separate rings.

 

[buckoW]

do you still have the eurotrash haircut?

Long hair.
Do you have a conservative east coast haircut?

 

[Westy]

Another TRP proponent here. I have 2 sets of the Quadiems, and they've been flawless. Neither are massively powerful in the sense of tossing you OTB if a leaf hits your brake lever, but more than adequate for my needs (which has included extended steep, brake draggy trails on occasion). @SuboptimusPrime put new thicc TRP rotors on one his bikes with Quads, and they're now obscenely powerful. So much so, I'd almost be worried about the DHRs with 220 rotors.

Heard great things about the Hayes as well, but no experience since Hayes Mags

Same here. Really like the Quadiems, not the most powerful but I jerk off a lot so hand strength isn't an issue.

Also I hate the term 'power' when talking brakes. It doesn't mean what people mean. Should be using 'gain'.

 

[Flo33]

How long does it take you to get replacement parts if you break something/need to rebuild?

Friend killed his Piccola lever during a race in August, sent the whole brake to TS, had a working one five days later.
Their service and lead times on service works are like the performance of their brakes, second to none.
Love my DRTs.

 

[norbar]

No idea, the delivery times that Trickstuff themselves quote have been outrageous for years. But shops always have some backordered and I waited less than a month for mine. Prices were already ludicrous when I got mine in 2020, but they were almost 30% lower than today, which makes the Direttissimas my least shitty investment of the past years.

If I didn't spend 300$ on doctors and needed to spend another 400-600$ on a new FF helmet I would have considered them but with my currency to dolar and euro being 2x worse than 10 years ago (seriously) I want to actually do some riding this winter not just squeezing my brakes in my flat. Otherwise I'd probably chase them.

 

[norbar]

Long hair.
Do you have a conservative east coast haircut?

Is Jon rocking the Armie Hammer?

Same here. Really like the Quadiems, not the most powerful but I jerk off a lot so hand strength isn't an issue.

Also I hate the term 'power' when talking brakes. It doesn't mean what people mean. Should be using 'gain'.

The term should really be "bite". How much strength do you need to apply to lock the rear wheel under heavy load. As that's what's really important. You don't want to be deathgripping the levers just to slow down.

 

[ianjenn]

I'm aware of this and I agree 100%.

But people always make a big deal out of things like "if you break your lever at Whistler, good luck!" or "no shop I go to stocks Hope brake parts".

Like I said though, pads are the only thing that I've replaced and pieces-of-parts are available online.

Save a set of your old brakes and use a possible backup.

1. Hope brakes have incredible modulation.
2. Magura MT7 have a bit more power than the DH braided cable Hopes I feel with less modulation even with their better lever.

 

[Gary]

Incredible modulation = industry bullshit "takes lever ages to lock the wheel"

fingers (generally) have incredible fine motor skill.

 

[jonKranked]

Long hair.
Do you have a conservative east coast haircut?

i keep my head shaved because i'm lazy, and it makes it easier to check for ticks.

 

[norbar]

Incredible modulation = industry bullshit "takes lever ages to lock the wheel"

fingers (generally) have incredible fine motor skill.

I could not agree more. Hence my crude joke about sad girlfriends. Also modulation = you feel brake pad wear more so even more bullshit.

 

[norbar]

i keep my head shaved because i'm lazy, and it makes it easier to check for ticks.

In all seriousness a shaved hair takes more work than running long hair.

 

[Andeh]

Incredible modulation = industry bullshit "takes lever ages to lock the wheel"

fingers (generally) have incredible fine motor skill.

I was trying to explain modulating Dominions to a friend this weekend. I was like, since there's so little piston friction, you don't feel much in the lever until you lock up, and the throw is pretty short. But you hear/feel the pad/rotor vibration through your hands, so that's how I know that I'm just feathering the brake. Then obviously add pressure if I need to slow down more. Feels kind of Shimano-y (but less seal drag). It did take a couple rides to readjust coming from the old paradigm of "modulation = how far past increased resistance until you lock up."

 

[norbar]

I was trying to explain modulating Dominions to a friend this weekend. I was like, since there's so little piston friction, you don't feel much in the lever until you lock up, and the throw is pretty short. But you hear/feel the pad/rotor vibration through your hands, so that's how I know that I'm just feathering the brake. Then obviously add pressure if I need to slow down more. Feels kind of Shimano-y (but less seal drag). It did take a couple rides to readjust coming from the old paradigm of "modulation = how far past increased resistance until you lock up."

You can have resistance but it's super annoying when it comes from flexy shit cables (cough cough sram). I still think old Magura Gustavs were the best brakes I've ever tried.

 

[ianjenn]

Incredible modulation = industry bullshit "takes lever ages to lock the wheel"

fingers (generally) have incredible fine motor skill.

On'Off brakes are for the geriatric folks. Do you think the McLaren F1 had anti-lock or insta lock brakes? F N that thing was firm as fuck and the weak test drivers complained of leg pump-up. Keep in mind I haven't had Hopes since my Zerode but they could be adjusted to lock at bars or within about 1/3" of lever throw....

 

[norbar]

On'Off brakes are for the geriatric folks. Do you think the McLaren F1 had anti-lock or insta lock brakes? F N that thing was firm as fuck and the weak test drivers complained of leg pump-up. Keep in mind I haven't had Hopes since my Zerode but they could be adjusted to lock at bars or within about 1/3" of lever throw....

The thing is no MTB brakes are on off. People assume some brakes are on off because they have fat fingers.

Also I'd rather avoid us needing to do finger squats to be able to stop our bikes. We are not professional athletes even if some of us are reasonably fit.

 

[ianjenn]

Yeah my hands are sort of big the LG gloves are very tight....

 

[jonKranked]

The thing is no MTB brakes are on off. People assume some brakes are on off because they have fat fingers.

or are just oblivious.

 

[Westy]

I think modulation was an issue decades ago when a riders COG was about a half inch behind the front axle.

 

[norbar]

I think modulation was an issue decades ago when a riders COG was about a half inch behind the front axle.

I mean even then I didn't have issues. Granted when I had gustavs I was a skinny 55kg boy (don't ask. I am small framed) but I didn't drag my brakes on full lock constantly.

 

[jackalope]

Since "modulation" is no longer an acceptable term, I will just say that some brakes take a pico-newton of force to lock the fucking things up which actually makes stopping harder. That seems easy enough to manage with your incredibly sensitive hand sticks in the parking lot, but not so much when your hands are smoked halfway through a descent and you're sliding down a slick AF rock slab.

 

[Westy]

Since "modulation" is no longer an acceptable term, I will just say that some brakes take a pico-newton of force to lock the fucking things up which actually makes stopping harder. That seems easy enough to manage with your incredibly sensitive hand sticks in the parking lot, but not so much when your hands are smoked halfway through a descent and you're sliding down a slick AF rock slab.

But do you have RM arms?

 

[StiHacka]

 

[sethimus]

The_what.jpg

you need one of those to understand

 

[jackalope]

But do you have RM arms?

View attachment 183792

I think the larger issue is I'm not 400 kgs and don't go 75 kph down 80% grades for 45 straight minutes. Being an American, I can at least target the 400 kgs as a life goal

 

[Gary]

F1is the most irrelevant thing possible to 99.99999999999999999999% of the worlds population.

You ride a fucken push bike FFS

 

[HAB]

Since "modulation" is no longer an acceptable term, I will just say that some brakes take a pico-newton of force to lock the fucking things up which actually makes stopping harder. That seems easy enough to manage with your incredibly sensitive hand sticks in the parking lot, but not so much when your hands are smoked halfway through a descent and you're sliding down a slick AF rock slab.

I've been doing a ton of brake testing, and I'm kind of finding the opposite. More brake helps keep your hands fresher since you're not having to haul on them as hard, and your fine motor control is better when you're at a more moderate effort. I'm all for overkill.

 

[jackalope]

I've been doing a ton of brake testing, and I'm kind of finding the opposite. More brake helps keep your hands fresher since you're not having to haul on them as hard, and your fine motor control is better when you're at a more moderate effort. I'm all for overkill.

Interesting, as that is somewhat true for me at the very beginning, but not in any way the case later down the descent - not because my hands are tired from squeezing the coward prongs, but because my hands are smashed to bits by unrelenting bumpies (regardless of fork setup). And then there's panic braking in my particular case, where my line is all over the place like a Russian border, and I need to shave off some force vectorz post haste - and inadvertently locking shit up is less than ideal. I run OG Shimano 810s on my DH bike with 200 mm rotors and strong sized wheels, so they're wicked powerful (or is it "gainful" now?) and I prefer the feel of my TRPs on my other bikes. All that said, I'd like to try out Subopt's newly upgraded TRPs, as they seem so damn strong I'd have to wear a full-face to keep my dentures from flying out.