Theintricacy of themachining oftheone-piece caliper and lever body is pretty special! Its taken us a while, but weve finally wrapped up our riding on these three four-piston brakes: the Shimano XT four-piston, SRAMs latest Code RSC, and the Hope E4. Hayes dominion use DOT 5.0 fluid the least maintenance brakes you'll find out there. Everything we love about XT brakes, but with more power and even better heat management. Concurrently, a growing number of riders were tossing old standards into the wind and running disc brakes on big around-the-world bike tours. Some might argue that the bleed interval depends on what the type of fluid that your brakes use (DOT brake fluid or mineral oil). We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. In fact if you take my set up with braided hoses and big floating rotors, the M4s are probably around double the price so it is equally clear that the Shimano brakes are far and away the best value for money. We dont have as much time on them, so we cant report on long-term durability, but Lucass experiences with them on the Curve Kevin of Steel and Bombtrack Hook EXT Ti he reviewed were very positive. On the other hand, there are many other reputable options out there such as Hope, Clarks, Magura and Hayes, each of which delivers impressive and trustworthy performance. Pros: Price, Reliability, Formula Cons: Reliability, Price, Spare Parts Support For information on Bike Perfect's testing procedures and how our scoring system works, see our how we test page. Please post more on this forum. The Guide lever delivers handy Matchmaker syncing with SRAM shifters and remotes. When it does, air makes its way into the system and compromises the compression forces of the otherwise incompressible brake fluid, resulting in a spongy or completely non-working lever. Very similar to jumping into a racing car compared to a normal road car the initial impression is where are the brakes? as you have to give the pedal quite a shove to get the initial bite but ultimately lots of power and control. But if youre weighing out the two options, I believe the choice has a lot to do with how long your trip is. A lot of people prefer mineral oil over DOT because its non-toxic and wont harm your skin or your bike if it spills. Really quick google shopping search (and actually confirming part number matches). 70.00 + 5.00 Postage. More exotic rotors might also require a matching set of pads. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Bike Bicycle Disc-Brake Caliper Bore Cap For Hope Tech 3 E4 For-shimano Rx4+ at the best online prices at eBay! It bites better in filthy weather with aftermarket sintered pads too, although beware using them with softer, cheaper Shimano rotors. Shimano claim 20% more grunt than a two-piston XT, but it felt like more! A big group, Id call that 20 ? You need to be logged in to use these features. Either way, the bite point adjuster dial feels crisper and clickier on G2 and the return feels faster and lighter thanks to improved piston seals at the calliper end. If you want more raw power, as well as modulation, I suggest you check out the new Magura brakes. Just like the XT's and Code RSC's, the DH-R EVO's perform exceedingly well if not better in certain aspects. So, youll need a specialized short-pull lever, like PAULs Canti Levers, in order to work with short-pull flat mount calipers. Shimano BL-MT200 is fit for any biking style and riders with smaller hands. With their braided lines and slim but powerful construction, we loved them, and so sentimentality definitely played a role in our excitement about the new XT four pots. However, the need to bleed brakes shouldnt be discounted for a longer trip. 'SHIMANO()16mgl2!10!!!3! Also, the tensile strength of Hopes aluminium alloy blows the magnesium on your formulas out the water. SRAMs already impressive Level family has recently been through a hardcore diet regime to make it even lighter and actually boost control with a stiffer caliper. Bespoken Word one down, eleven to go Watch Call of a Life Time a behind the scenes look at a grueling season of US gravel and MTB racing. What is it that sets our sport apart from most of the other sports/hobbies/lifestyles out there? Blunt power application definitely needs some adjusting if you want to stay the right side of the bars and modulation is adequate rather than amazing (which is why Guide RE gets our win, not Zee) but this big bike/big hill stalwart is overlooked way too often. Light, fast, lever feel and quick pad engagement thanks to the Servo Wave levers. The pair of 4-piston XTs I have on my trail bike have upward of 2,250 miles on them and havent been bled. I find this review anything but objective. The Level Ultimate is super speedy but the carbon lever and titanium bolt kit help the brakes get towards a super low weight that real weight weenies will value. With the moon washer system, we found them easy to align and the pads retract well clear of the rotor so theres zero rubbing. I can get parts for it and will be able to in 2020, my experience is that theyre [hopes] not very reliable, BURN HIM Ive always had mixed reliability results from Magura over the years though and failures tend to be terminal rather than tweak-able. Read on to find out the pros and cons of the two main types of disc brakes, some of our favorite models, the results of a reader survey we sent out last week, and what other factors you should consider. The Hayes Dominion A4 goes for $230 per wheel without rotor or adaptor. Took a few rides to stop dragging completely. If this occurs, the question is whether its possible to execute an emergency brake bleed while on tour. When putting the power in, the best brake to liken the Dominions to is the Hope Tech 3 E4. Andy Mccandish / Immediate Media Pistons: Two Fluid: Mineral oil Weight: 278g (front) Adjustments: Reach (TD). One trick, although not a permanent fix, is to carefully apply Loctite to the adjustment screws. Cant believe how powerful they are for the weight. Watch Kriss Kyle riding a BMX bowl suspended under a hot air balloon in his spectacular new film, Don't Look Down, Merida has gone full rad on its OneSixty 8000 enduro mountain bike and it rides very well indeed. Make sure youre getting the 615s though as the lower numbered Deore brakes are noticeably more numb. Heres what Cass Gilbert had to say: Its hard to go back to mechanicals after hydros but when I do, its generally Avid BB7s set up with compressionless cable housing. What's your preference Fivetones E*POWAH Master Patreon Feb 11, 2019 899 901 Cheshire Mar 8, 2020 Free . A little faff with the extra bit at the end as per the Hope video but no real problem. Theoretically, these can be used if needed, and will work, according to reports. They don't fade at all under constant braking like the Codes or XTs did, and didn't have the wandering bite point that has plagued Shimano for years. Or your friends ? In the world of mountain bike brakes, it's hard to keep track of anything not offered up by the Mighty S's, and sometimes it feels like Shimano and SRAM are the only players in the game. With just two cylinders and no power boost linkage, outright power is unsurprisingly down on big four-pot DH brakes but within a slightly firmer squeeze of most four-pot trail brakes. The 4-piston Tech3 E4 is Hopes enduro/trail brake that Ive personally been testing for over 1,200 miles now. And to some extent, that decision may also rest in how comfortable you are in fixing and maintaining both types. Most hydraulic brakes can be operated with just one finger, which frees up the others for better handlebar control, resulting in less hand fatigue on long rides. I think build quality is something Avid suffer from, going by the user reports, primarily the factory bleeds suck. Please, It appears you're using an old version of Internet Explorer which is. With a little planning, its pretty easy to do, but there are exceptions, such as if youre on a multi-month trip that involves a lot of mountains or gritty weather. My qualm with hydraulics isnt reliability; Ive used them on several big trips, including the three-week Tian Shan Traverse and the four-week Altravesur. Cable brakes are easy to see and understand, so almost anyone can get their head around them. The cost difference is MASSIVE though. I went with Hope as the pros/cons suit my requirements. Which is best is just down to personal preference and priorities. A couple of weeks ago I had to take my new Bronson back to Bothy Bikes for them to return the Fox 34 forks to Mojo for a warranty issue. Swing Link leverage change, bite point adjustment that actually works, easy reach adjustment and sweet syncing with SRAM remotes and shifters at the bar end of the RSC are brilliant. Over two days, we challenged each brake on Hope Technology's computer controlled dynamometer. Can I use this instead of shimano hose or do they have some vastly different internal diameter or something similarly funky? Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). I know that says more about eBay but it paid for my upgrade to tech 4 Evos ? You can also get 100% pure mineral oil in most pharmacies, and baby oil is mineral oil-based, but may contain fragrances or other additives. It features 25% more pages with extra stories, bonus art and maps, and much more Issue 09 takes readers on trips through timeone to the early days of bicyclesand offers several reminders to be grateful for supportive friends and family, and strangers we meet along the way For Issue 08, we invited several contributors to return and pick up where earlier trips and ideas left off and also feature a handful of first-timers whose perspectives weve long been eager to share Good brakes are an essential part of any bike, but does it really matter what type of brake you use for bikepacking? Thanks in advance for spreading the word! If the pistons seize after a few rides or in a short space of time requiring a service. Or family ? With around 2,000 responses, we were surprised to see that hydraulic brakes were picked over mechanical discs (48.2 to 42.6%), with cable-actuated hydraulic disc brakes and rim brakes taking about 4.8 and 4.1% of the vote. It's designed to offer all-out stopping power, with a reduced 9mm lever piston that clamps hybrid composite pistons to the rotor with the most force in the range. For example, Shimano recommends that recreational mountain bikers bleed XT brakes annually; if that were taken literally, one significant 500-mile bikepacking trip would translate to a year of rectrational riding. Endura has entered the helmet market across the pond, with helmets now certified to USA standards and on sale now. Yes they give an opinion but they give reasons YMMV, 1. Bespoken Word positive bike vibes emanating from Tuscany, Watch Atherton Racing's Jim Monro slaying Coronet Peak in New Zealand, Pro bike Cameron Masons 2023 British Nationals winning Specialized S-Works Crux, Bespoken Word small changes, big differences, Test your mettle with five of the toughest mountain bike races from around the world, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert take centre stage this weekend in a Cyclocross World Championship showdown. Nice one. But you will get better modulation, and fewer warranty claims (based on my experience with multiple failed XTR levers and calipers). I should state up front that I love Hope brakes. Hayes' new Dominion gives a more progressive, lighter feel and some neat touches like sideways caliper adjustment. Additionally, a larger rotor offers more braking surface to dissipate heat. $139.99 + $12.75 shipping. Have both, shimano are decent enough and great value for money but the hopes outperform them by a long way ime, but cost roughly twice as much. There are many factors to consider, including mechanical vs. hydraulic, types of pads, and reliability. TRPs Quadiem brake has been refined with input from downhill mountain bike legend Aaron Gwin and while the basic version doesnt have the polished finish of his signature model, performance is basically identical. Not only are they ridiculously cheap for a pair of fully hydraulic brakes but theyre one of the few sets that dont feel spongy or numbly wooden at the lever. Theres a lot of free stroke and no bite point adjust too so you need to like a lever-on-bars feel. Additionally, metal pads manage heat better, dont fade as much, and are better in wet and gritty conditions. I also like that fact the spares are available for Hope brakes, which means that when a seal or piston breaks after about 10 years use, I can buy a new one and spend hours and hours fitting it, rather than having to buy a whole new lever assembly for the princely sum of upto 25! Fair enough. This is particularly important with the added weight of bags and gear. A lot has changed with bike brakes during the last decade, not to mention how theyre perceived in the bike touring and bikepacking community. Almost all automobiles use DOT fluid, but usually DOT3. Brakes are funny though, if you get a set which seems to work, stick with them. Folding Electric Bike for Adult 1000W-Samsung 48V 17.5AH Battery- TESGO STT Fat Tire E-Bike, 20"x 4.0 Mountain Bike, Fork & Hydraulic Brake, Shimano 8-Speed, Electric Bicycle for City Commuter Beach After that peculiar bike brake renaissance, mechanical discs became the gold standard for bike tourers, and disc brakes have all but replaced rim brakes across all categories of cyclingsave retro-tech aficionados, classic bike enthusiasts, and the budget/mass-market side of the industry. Or downgrade depending on how big your riding group is ! But.weigh quite a bit, feel a wee bit wooden and suffer from brake fade sooner than id like (on 203mm!). Im kind of with Richmtb. Here are a few that we really like, all of which weve put thousands of miles on, both bikepacking and unloaded riding. Hatched in Yorkshire he's been hardened by riding round it in all weathers since he was a kid. Carry on. For more info, check out our full Hope Tech 4 E4 brake review. disc brake, mountain bike, Hayes, Shimano, TRP. Reach and bite point are tuneable and the blade uses cartridge bearings for a really smooth feel. Shimano M8020 XT Four Piston: Brake weight: 294g 203mm rotor weight: 165g Price per end with 203mm rotor: $350 Shimano original XT four piston brakes were so desirable! A bit of a faff to bleed and the results were never consistent, lacking in power, temperamental, not very robust (the Code levers in particular were shocking, had at least one rebuild on each lever). But, they are pretty expensive (have you seen how much rotors cost!). I had a set of Tech M4 years ago which just worked perfectly. The M8020 brakes look just like Shimanos Saint downhill brakes. Anyone going from Hope to Shimano like me will find the Shimanos a bit grabby with not a huge amount of feedback with which to judge the lock up point. Excludes Gift Memberships, Discount applies to first year. Flat mount calipers offer a compact design and a cleaner look. In fact, theres practically no difference. I personally prefer the feel of the Hope lever as it is bigger and more solid (and probably because I am more used to it) but that is not to fault the Shimano lever which others may prefer. to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal, Mechanical disc calipers are generally very reliable, Theyre also simple, making them easy to repair, maintain, and change pads, Replacement cables and levers are easy to source since theyre essentially the same as rim brakes, Mechanical disc brakes are less expensive than good hydraulics, Many popular models use common types of brake pads, making them relatively easy to source replacements, Mechanical disc calipers offer very little modulation (feathering, or control of braking force), The additional force required can result in hand fatigue, They require regular pad adjustment because of cable stretch, Mechanical disc calipers are heavier and brake slower, Hydraulic disc brakes are more powerful and faster stopping, Theres less force required, resulting in less hand fatigue, One-finger operation frees up more digits for better control off-road, Hydros offer superior modulation (control of braking force), Theres very little adjustment required because calipers/pistons self-adjust, Hydraulic disc brakes have smoother operation because there is no cable friction, Hydros require a periodic bleed (depending on the model), Theyre a royal pain to move from bike to bike, Because hydraulic brakes rely on in-compressible fluid, they can fail due to the fluid being compromised (details in Traveling with Hydros section below), Some models may use pads that are more difficult to source in places lacking modern bike shops, You have to be careful not to accidentally compress the pads when the front wheel is out, There may be a worry aspect when touring, such as housing getting snagged during transportation (like on the roof of a bus). 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