A big group, Id call that 20 ? (New annually renewing membership only. The significant differences are price, reliability and lever feel. I can 1-finger endo with a set of wet rim brakes on my road bike but that doesnt mean I would swap my XT discs for Tiagra rim brakes I love Hope for wheels/headsets, but it seems like even die-hard Hope fans cant really come up with reasons why Hope brakes are worth considering. Ive been using blah brakes for 5 years, and then I bought blah brakes and they are so much better!. Pusseywillow, what Bollox ! Thats definitely necessary as power is limp even compared to Shimano Deore. OP see if you can get a go on a set of Formula T1s. The most noticeable difference though is a crisper, better communicated feel all round, keeping heart rate reasonable even in the sketchiest, slipperiest, turn in or wipe out moments. Were pleased to say the Codes were nothing short of excellent. Prices are high though, and pads and accessories might be hard to find in an emergency. Shimano rotors will operate properly with Hope brakes when the following criteria are met: The diameter of the rotors should match the one supported by the brakes. While they require syringes to bleed, and they use DOT5.1 fluid, they seem to be practically invincible after thousands of miles of use. IME sintered pads have less bite than organic ones at low speed. Id recommend them. Light, fast, lever feel and quick pad engagement thanks to the Servo Wave levers. Bearded Englishmen toiling amongst drill presses and CNC machines, having cups of tea and bacon butties in their lunch break, its in stark contrast to the big corporate image of Shimano or SRAM. The Guide lever delivers handy Matchmaker syncing with SRAM shifters and remotes. The $259.99 DH-R is the flagship brake in the TRP EVO lineup, developed on the track with World Cup athletes specifically for racing at the highest levels and high-performance E-bikes. Hope cant forge parts like that so they cnc them, but it makes for a heavier and (for a given weight) weaker part. Avid Elixir (like every other Avid brake Ive ever owned) are not very good. HOPE Caliper RX4+ Postmount for SRAM | DOT - Silver - As New. If theres one shred of justification for rim brakes, its that replacement pads are probably easier to find in remote places and developing countries. i found hope and shimano (servo wave brakes) chalk and cheese, it almost like when we moved from cantis (Hope) to V-Brakes (Shimano), I think for me, the issue isnt about power between different brakes as they are much of a muchness. Andy Mccandish / Immediate Media Pistons: Two Fluid: Mineral oil Weight: 278g (front) Adjustments: Reach (TD). But, Id also consider TRP Spykes, depending on the location; as mentioned, the Shimano B01S type brake pads might be a little more common. Klampers come in short or long-pull and in post and flat mount. 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. My favorite hydraulic brakes for trail riding and bikepacking would also be a toss-up between the Hope Tech3 E4swhich have proven to be extremely reliable and offer some of the best power and braking modulation Ive tried to dateand the venerable 4-piston Shimano XT. If you want more raw power, as well as modulation, I suggest you check out the new Magura brakes. While hydraulic brakes seem much more complicated than mechanical disc brakes, the reality is, theyre really not. Guy Kesteven is Bike Perfect's technical editor-at-large. How about setup of the calipers, fit and forget or fit and faff? BL-MT200 hydraulic brake is easy to install and maintain. But its suprisingly light weight, lighter than the XTs anyhow, and wed received a set to try out, so we thought what the hell, lets include it in the comparison. Im honestly a little torn when it comes to picking an overall favorite type of brakes for bikepacking. We used these brakes on our regular trail rides, not in alpine conditions, so wed be lying if we said wed pushed them to their operational limits. When I was researching bike components for my first multi-month tour, I distinctly remember how mechanical disc brakes were considered a risky proposition by a large faction of internet experts at the time. The British manufacturer has been making brakes for almost as long as proper mountain bikes have been widely available and this their latest model builds on a long line of superb stoppers to be the best brake they've ever made. No idea how I keep ending up with sets (actually, yes I do, its because theyre often sold for under 50 and I just cant say no!). The first thing you will notice is Hope has opted for a four piston design for the caliper rather than the usual two pistons that most stock road brake calipers use. I think hydros are super reliable most of the time, but if one does fail for one reason or another, its difficult to do much about it, compared with carrying a spare steel cable. 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. The love-child of hydros and mechanical disc brakes is also worth mentioning here. 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 little faff with the extra bit at the end as per the Hope video but no real problem. Your just ANTI Hope ! (Image credit: Shimano) There are various differences between the two sets of rotors, the most noticeable of which is that the cooling fins are smaller in size on the XTR rotors and leave. On a bicycle, the hydraulic lever engages a plunger that pushes brake fluid from the master cylinder in the lever body through the brake line. Fair enough. While I was up in Aviemore I thought I would get a ride in, so borrowed Bothy Bikes demo Bronson. As well as making brakes, Magura is a massive automotive plastics manufacturer so perhaps no surprise they mix the two on their long-running MT series, but that definitely defines their character. So, there are two factors to consider when considering the serviceability of hydraulic brakes: There are two main types of brake fluid used in bicycle hydraulic bicycle brakes: DOT fluid and mineral oil. 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. Gave up on the brakes, but by crikey theyre pretty. Just look at them theyre seriously glamorous. Still regret selling them eventually, was never able to get the replacement set (the exact same brake) working as well. Another option for drop-bar brakes that weve been impressed by more recently is Shimano GRX, which of course use mineral oil and a funnel to bleed. However I accept that others will prefer the feel of the Shimanos as this is subjective personal preference. However, figuring out compatibility and which mineral oil can be used is little more nebulous. Feel and parts get Hope. As a comparison my Nomad has Evo tech M4s 183 / 183 Hatched in Yorkshire he's been hardened by riding round it in all weathers since he was a kid. Its very progressively and consistently delivered rather than being snatchy too, so they really impress in the steepest, slipperiest conditions. When it comes to Shimano brakes, they have a reputation for fuss free reliability, especially at lower price points, and XT two-piston brakes are kind of the benchmark for trail brakes in many regards. Examples: Shimano SM-RT56 is compatible with resin pads only ( literally written on the rotor) while SM-RT64 can work with both resin and metal pads. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, The new Shimano's have a huge issue with rattly brake pads that make it . In this article, we take a look at the pros and cons of different types of brakes, reveal some of our favorites, and present a video on the subject. Get the standard hose braided is a pain in the ass to work with. BA1 1UA. It delivers enough power to properly shock you the first few pulls but enough control to make the most of it at a bargain price. 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! That is not saying that the Shimanos are anything less than brilliant brakes, but all things being equal, in my opinion the Hopes are better. Hope M4 Rear Brake. 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. ), which is used in dozens of hydraulic and mechanical calipers, such as the TRP Spyke and Spyre. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Hope Floating Disc Colorful stoppers that resist warping Specifications Sizes: 140mm, 160mm, 180mm, 183mm, 200mm, 203mm, 205mm, 220mm Mount: 6-bolt Weight: 146g (for 180mm) Today's Best Deals View at Sigma Sports View at Chain Reaction Cycles View at Leisure Lakes Bikes Reasons to buy 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. Excludes Gift Memberships, Discount applies to first year. Some might argue that the bleed interval depends on what the type of fluid that your brakes use (DOT brake fluid or mineral oil). They were trimmed and installed without the need for a bleed, and have been working flawlessly since day one, save a little chirping squeak in the front brake that eventually went away. We haven't heard yet explicitly, but the XCR brake lever should also be compatible with the flat-mount version of the X2 caliper for those with a flat-mount XC mountain bike frame. DOT3 isnt the same as DOT5.1, which is whats used in SRAM/Avid and Hope brakes. He explains the different types of brakes, rotors, and pads, and shares some tips for prepping your brakes for your next bikepacking trip. Switching to (Shimano pattern) aftermarket pads really helps though. The one caveat is that larger rotors are more likely to get bent or warp. Singletrack uses affiliate services calledSkimlinksandwhich means we may earn revenue if you buy a product after clicking a link to a retailer on our site. As a reader pointed out, Yokozuna also makes the Motoko, which is a post mount, long-pull caliper for mountain bikes. 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. There is a linear feel to the Tech 4 levers and they have great modulation upon contact with the rotor without feeling spongey. Never had any problem beyond bleeding with mine and once had to sort out a stuckpiston in fairness I had not used the bike for 6 months ish, My view price or weight get Shimano Im trying to decide between Shimano Saints and Hope V4s. 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 used to use Shimano, but I hated the looks. 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. They really are under $70 for both brakes, plus rotors and relevant brackets and bolts and theyve also upsized the front rotor to 180mm. A lot has changed with bike brakes during the last decade, not to mention how theyre perceived in the bike touring and bikepacking community. While the design has changed a few times over the years theyve all been utterly, ridiculously reliable. Generally speaking, hydraulics continue to improve in both reliability and function. That means Deore has a significantly better feel than anything cheaper, flawless lever pull consistency (not a Shimano strongpoint recently) and relentless reliability. Limp even compared to Shimano Deore a linear feel to the Servo levers. 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