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Zee brakes vs formula the one

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
So new ride has zee brakes literally new...2016 or so not even broke I'm with ice tech rotors 203/180..

I have my beloved formula ones with 220mm front 200mm rear rotors.. they work amazing...just wondering what the difference would be since I won't be able to ride em hard for a little while and I'm selling off stuff I don't need...I wanted frame...

It if it's not broke don't fix it and keep running formula....

Just curious what the take is fr RM standpoint regarding ZEE brakes.

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Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,928
14,450
where the trails are
Zee brakes, esp with metal pads, work great.
Then again, you might (will?) start to get a wandering bite point as the pistons age, requiring more frequent bleeds and the probably "oh shit" moment.

I was riding XT and/or Saint forever, recently changed to TRP Evos and will never look back. 4,500' of rowdy, steep descending yesterday. I've owned and loved The Ones too (I think stoney still has those) but these TRPs are the shit.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
I appreciate it!!!!!
.
I had a oh shit moment 3 weeks ago with a rock in a dirty berm....never had a single crown twist to cause OTB....
Cost me 3 ribs, fractured hip type 3 tear AC and a shit case of pnuemonia...

So I'll keep my formulas lol...

I have no room in my life for WTF moments due to to known issues....Unknown kicks my ass already..
It's taken me 3 weeks to be able to ride and lift again....


So I'll pass and sell the zee brakes


I'll keep my eyes peeled for a set of trp and start reading reviews...I do love the ones...ebc red pads and 220 rotor...
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
I couldn't sell em to you, I'd lose sleep over nightmares of you crashing due to a bad product I sold you....lmao
Kidding if the price was right I'd lose no sleep....just make you sign a waiver lmao

Got a guy wanting em today so it will offset some of the cost on new bike

I do like the zee levers though I think it's a good design for my hands it fits really well...but I don't need anymore oh shit moments from outside sources....I do it all on my own already.
 
Last edited:
Feb 21, 2020
817
1,139
SoCo Western Slope
Zee brakes, esp with metal pads, work great.
Then again, you might (will?) start to get a wandering bite point as the pistons age, requiring more frequent bleeds and the probably "oh shit" moment.

I was riding XT and/or Saint forever, recently changed to TRP Evos and will never look back. 4,500' of rowdy, steep descending yesterday. I've owned and loved The Ones too (I think stoney still has those) but these TRPs are the shit.
Been looking at TRP brakes for a while now. Seems like they check all the boxes these days; mineral oil, same pads as Shimano 4 piston, and even a funnel bleed system.

It's like they took Shimano brakes, removed the wandering bite issue, made the rotors thicker, and went up to 220 and 223 rotors!
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,928
14,450
where the trails are
Been looking at TRP brakes for a while now. Seems like they check all the boxes these days; mineral oil, same pads as Shimano 4 piston, and even a funnel bleed system.

It's like they took Shimano brakes, removed the wandering bite issue, made the rotors thicker, and went up to 220 and 223 rotors!
they do use their own sized bleed fitting, none of my shimano or other misc bleed stuff worked. If you get a pair, I recommend that you buy a bleed kit.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
I couldn't sell em to you, I'd lose sleep over nightmares of you crashing due to a bad product I sold you....lmao
Kidding if the price was right I'd lose no sleep....just make you sign a waiver lmao

Got a guy wanting em today so it will offset some of the cost on new bike

I do like the zee levers though I think it's a good design for my hands it fits really well...but I don't need anymore oh shit moments from outside sources....I do it all on my own already.
my local bike park is only 1000' vertical, and the longest steep sections are under 100'.

if it makes you feel any better i'm still using saint m800 brakes from when they first came out. before the wandering bite point feature was introduced.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
my local bike park is only 1000' vertical, and the longest steep sections are under 100'.

if it makes you feel any better i'm still using saint m800 brakes from when they first came out. before the wandering bite point feature was introduced.
Lol man there is some oddball issues that have arose brake wise...I hadn't heard about the wandering point issue. Now I want to try and see if it's a heat issue or a mechanical issue....
Out of curiousity....
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
I hadn't heard about the wandering point issue
you haven't been around for a while. it's pretty well known. i have 2 sets of "affected" xt brakes, but the issue has only ever manifested itself when i flip my bike over, in part because the terrain around here doesn't have long / steep enough descents.
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,287
854
coloRADo
Just incase people are reading this and thinking they should burn all their Shimano brakes...

The Shimano wandering bite point thing isn't the end of the world. I still love all my Shimano brakes, but it's because I understand them and have learned to deal with them.

A few things I've learned:

1) When you start getting that wondering bite point, bleed the lever using the cup. Following all the bleeding protocols that have been touted. (too many to list here, but usually everyone already knows) That usually clears everything up. [I haven't found significant enough proof that a "full bleed" to be better than just a "lever bleed" with Shimano. YMMV.]

2) When pads start getting thin, replace them. Don't wait until they're totally gone. This can contribute to the issue. Check your pads when you bleed. If in doubt, swap them out.

3) Never store your bike anyway other than like it is being ridden. Hard to do some times with holiday travel, storage, shuttling, even lifts. But doing this can get air into the lever. See #1. [I've been so anal as to tell the liftees to NOT put my bike on the front wheel hanger on the side of the lift, and to wait for the tray. He didn't like it, but then again, he doesn't ride my bike :))

Happy Trails!

And let us know just how awesome your new brakes are!
 
Feb 21, 2020
817
1,139
SoCo Western Slope
Agreed, I still love the feel and function of Shimano brakes. They do require more work in general (bleeding) to keep them running consistent. But it is very easy to put the funnel on and do a bubble bleed.

They are difficult because I really like letting the bike sit upside down to get the lower bath oil back around the bushings and foam wipers in the fork. Makes them feel soooo nice.

But can also make the Shimano brakes feel sooo sketchy..... :eek:

The wandering bite point tends to rear it's ugly head in the worst times like super rough terrain or just after you lean the bike over to rail a berm...and find the lever hitting the bar.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
Just incase people are reading this and thinking they should burn all their Shimano brakes...

The Shimano wandering bite point thing isn't the end of the world. I still love all my Shimano brakes, but it's because I understand them and have learned to deal with them.

A few things I've learned:

1) When you start getting that wondering bite point, bleed the lever using the cup. Following all the bleeding protocols that have been touted. (too many to list here, but usually everyone already knows) That usually clears everything up. [I haven't found significant enough proof that a "full bleed" to be better than just a "lever bleed" with Shimano. YMMV.]

2) When pads start getting thin, replace them. Don't wait until they're totally gone. This can contribute to the issue. Check your pads when you bleed. If in doubt, swap them out.

3) Never store your bike anyway other than like it is being ridden. Hard to do some times with holiday travel, storage, shuttling, even lifts. But doing this can get air into the lever. See #1. [I've been so anal as to tell the liftees to NOT put my bike on the front wheel hanger on the side of the lift, and to wait for the tray. He didn't like it, but then again, he doesn't ride my bike :))

Happy Trails!

And let us know just how awesome your new brakes are!
So how does all that stop the lever engagement from moving outwards when you are on steep sustained terrain where subsequent squeezes result in this phenomenon? Eventually the lever is engaging damn near full-out. If you can let go and let it reset for a second, it goes back to normal, but you can't "let go" on terrain like that...
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,287
854
coloRADo
So how does all that stop the lever engagement from moving outwards when you are on steep sustained terrain where subsequent squeezes result in this phenomenon? Eventually the lever is engaging damn near full-out. If you can let go and let it reset for a second, it goes back to normal, but you can't "let go" on terrain like that...
Yeah man, I'm not sure. I'm no Shimano Scientology Scientist :) But I'd assume there was air in there.

I went to Crested Butte this summer and had that happen. It was weird. Like they were totally pumped up, but depending on the terrain, I could repeatedly squeeze the lever and get them "back to normal". Like for some reason, the brakes let me "reset" them on a flow trail with really choppy braking bumps, but not on a super steep chute trail that was actually really smooth. I was thinking I should bleed the brakes. Perhaps the altitude had something to do with it as well?

That was with XTR 4pots that I haven't bleed yet in over a year. Still haven't.

Hasn't happened again even after going to Vail for a long weekend (back to high altitude). Now that I think about it, I have no idea. Weird. I'd blame it on the vortexes but we don't have any of those in CO that I know of :think:
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,928
14,450
where the trails are
I used Shimano brakes (XT and Saint) forever, since 755s, and never had a truly oh-shit moment riding, but I was super aware when they'd start to feel off and bled them very often. For as easy as it is, it became preventative maintenance for me. Quick 10-min bleed and they felt great for the week.

Did I mention how much I love these dhr-evos? :cupidarrow:
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Well my formula ones , enc red and 220 rotor is on the Evo....figure I sought out this brake set a while back and I have COOKED rotors and the brakes have done me well..only 1 time I had to keep cooling rotor down with camelback...they glazed and we were rutter steering ass end down roch chutes...no stopping just use it like a boat rutter and try to turn....
Long, steep as hell, nasty rocks and loose crap...but absolutely badass....granted I smoked pads too so it was a trifecta of crap....but they held on even red hot and smoking , even that set of cheap pads at luge a few months ago held on...still stopped and rotor was smoking.....

Don't know how they compare to new code Rs....
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
So newer CODE R vs. ZEE???

M9 has code R and they were good at summit I wouldn't say my all around favorite brakes, but worked and I did put them through some serious shit.....

So what's the take I can bed and bleed the zee easily enough and swap pads...I have 220/200 rotor combo both bikes already...so rotor size is large and newer.....not glazed or worn...
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,828
13,064
No issues with my new Code RSC and 220mm rotors, not the cheaper Code R levers.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Yeah I got a set of code r for $100 front rear rotors new from a e-bike guy...figured I couldn't go wrong...

I'd love to try RSC..the adjustment is why I like my Ones.....but I have zee and r, one works decent if the other has more grab then that may be a good choice....
 
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bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
I've had them not work right after a meticulous bleed. Seems they're good for a season and after that they don't like going through rocks.
Yeah that's not where you want failure...I'm all about hucking and going fast enough to ride on top but not without a brake lol...

Does anyone have a take on code r vs zee!!

Or is it really that bad to just avoid the zee.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,192
19,158
Canaderp
Try both out..

I know personally I wouldn't ride with Code R's, at least not with how they feel on my girlfriend's bike (sample size of 1, yeah I know). They always feels very spongy, kind of that feeling where you need to question if they are starting to do anything or not.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Try both out..

I know personally I wouldn't ride with Code R's, at least not with how they feel on my girlfriend's bike (sample size of 1, yeah I know). They always feels very spongy, kind of that feeling where you need to question if they are starting to do anything or not.
I'll look to maybe swap em and run a few shuttles this weekend....
On m9...
 

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,071
3,780
sw ontario canada
Granted, they are only on the trailbike, but another vote for the Dominion A4's.
The big bike , has Hope T3V4's and I would not mind going to 220/225 or whatever they are rotors. Love the feel, but they are not as strong as the A4's.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
Granted, they are only on the trailbike, but another vote for the Dominion A4's.
The big bike , has Hope T3V4's and I would not mind going to 220/225 or whatever they are rotors. Love the feel, but they are not as strong as the A4's.
Yep, you need to over-rotor the Hopes to have good bite. I'm really happy after doing that, good power and such, but equal size, there are better options for all out power/bite.

I just got me a TRP 2.3 223 to replace my magura 220 Storm for next season...
 

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,071
3,780
sw ontario canada
Yep, you need to over-rotor the Hopes to have good bite. I'm really happy after doing that, good power and such, but equal size, there are better options for all out power/bite.

I just got me a TRP 2.3 223 to replace my magura 220 Storm for next season...
That is what I am looking at to replace my toasted old-school 203 Magura Venti's
Any thoughts? Issues with the extra width and alignment rub etc?
 
Feb 21, 2020
817
1,139
SoCo Western Slope
But air is spongy, pretty obvious IME.
Whatever is in there (air/water/alien blood) expands when heated from continuous braking (leading me to think it's mostly in the caliper), thus pushing the lever out. When you release to reset, it bleeds the excess fluid into the reservoir and back to normal. The air/water/blood may or may not go out and the same is likely to happen again.

The issue with Shimano brakes is they have a problem with letting "something" in. Whenever I go to bleed them, air is always present in the reservoir.

In other new, these arrived yesterday. Damn that lever/master piston is chaunchy as my boy would say! The XTR finish is a nice touch. :D

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