Disc Brake Upgrade Options

[SpokeyDokey]

I'm happy with the Spyres overall........................................................the front one gives excellent braking and feedback.

That's about all you need really. Back brake is only there for eg braking in a slippery bend in lieu of the front if you have to or in case the front one fails. Hardly ever use my rear one.

 

[Tom B]

I was recommended hydraulic shimano m615 here on this forum.

Never looked back, nice feel, nice modulation easy to maintain and cheap.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I was recommended hydraulic shimano m615 here on this forum.

Never looked back, nice feel, nice modulation easy to maintain and cheap.

On a drop bar cross bike?

 

[Tom B]

On a drop bar cross bike?

In fairness no on a flat bar commuter, I've also bought them as calipers only and put them on a MTB.

Surely if you have suitable levers it won't be an issue?

 

[Spoked Wheels]

You cannot upgrade from anything to cable disc brakes. It is always a downgrade, no matter what the starting point. Get decent rim brakes or hydraulic disc brakes.

I disagree. I find the Avid BB7 better than Dura Ace, Ultegra and 105 I have tried on other bikes.

I guess your next post will say, get better pads the point is this, the Dura Ace, Ultegra and even 105 are pretty good, nothing to complaint about but the Avid BB7 are better IMO. I'm not complaining on any of the brake sets I have.... the only problem I see is with rim brakes in the wet and that could be improved with better pads.

In all fairness, all the mechanical disc brakes I ever used before the BB7 were rather poor. Having said that, I understand that modern mechanical disc brakes are very good indeed.

 

[EasyPeez]

Do 10speed full hydro systems exist?

It seems so, but only SRAM as far as I can tell - http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_582788_-1___
I'm not a huge fan of SRAM levers and £300+ is way more than I'm looking to spend. Can't find any 10-speed Shimano or Campy options. Don't even think Campagnolo have started doing road disc brakes yet?

Factor in that you'd probably need new wheels if you have to go 11spd

Yep, that's one of the things stopping me. For the price of new wheels, shifters, calipers, cabling, cassette etc I might as well go n+1

Back brake is only there for eg braking in a slippery bend in lieu of the front if you have to or in case the front one fails.

True. So surely now's a better time to get it sorted than waiting until I find the front brake's gone while doing 35mph downhill?

 

[EasyPeez]

I've just checked and my road bike has a 160mm rotor on the front but 140mm on the back. Would swapping the back one out for a 160mm rotor increase the grab at all? And if I did this, would I need to adjust/alter anything else, other than maybe move the caliper on the frame slightly?

Turns out I already have Jagwire cables with compression-less outers, so no real upgrade possible there I don't think, although I am going to try putting a new cable on the rear this week.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I've just checked and my road bike has a 160mm rotor on the front but 140mm on the back. Would swapping the back one out for a 160mm rotor increase the grab at all?

Although a larger disc produces more leverage, the extra grip is meaningless because a back wheel already has more braking force than the type of frame can handle. Under maximum deceleration on a bicycle the back wheel has no meaningful grip and the front wheel does all the stopping. If you use the back brake only, the rear tyre locks up so easily that you can achieve it with an 80mm disc. Larger discs are generally not used for more braking force, but for better heat dissipation.

And if I did this, would I need to adjust/alter anything else, other than maybe move the caliper on the frame slightly?

Yes, you would have to fit another adapter between caliper and frame. These are available for all common disc sizes.

 

[EasyPeez]

Although a larger disc produces more leverage, the extra grip is meaningless because a back wheel already has more braking force than the type of frame can handle. Under maximum deceleration on a bicycle the back wheel has no meaningful grip and the front wheel does all the stopping. If you use the back brake only, the rear tyre locks up so easily that you can achieve it with an 80mm disc. Larger discs are generally not used for more braking force, but for better heat dissipation.

Ok, sounds like that's a hiding to nothing then.

I'm thinking either semi-hydraulics for the roadie and hand the Spyres down, or just more Spyres for the CX at this point. So long as I get rid of the BB5s I think I'll be happy!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Ok, sounds like that's a hiding to nothing then.

I'm thinking either semi-hydraulics for the roadie and hand the Spyres down, or just more Spyres for the CX at this point. So long as I get rid of the BB5s I think I'll be happy!

Some products are so bad that even a poor second-last choice is better. I have no experience with the BB5s but the underlying problem with mechanical disc brakes, whether the first section is hydraulic or cable, is the high mechanical advantage required by disc brakes. A high mechanical advantage means by definition, longer travel in the cable and the amount of travel required is almost always just on the limit of what a typical brake lever can provide.

The cocktail of long travel and travel by gritty cable, is a poor one. The only way to live with it is to frequently change the cable and cable outer, keep cable routing as simple as possible (impossible with under-tape cables, rear brakes and especially tandem rear brakes) and, impeccable disc/pad cleaning regime. Good luck.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

So long as I get rid of the BB5s I think I'll be happy!

My understanding is that the BB5s offer poor performance and they aren't as easy to adjust as the BB7s

I believe Shimano make some good disc brakes

 

[Andrew Br]

I've got Spyres and BB7s and I actually rate the BB7s above the Spyres; they seem to have more stopping power and the feel is better. I also find it difficult to set up the Spyres with a short lever travel and no rubbing, The LBS haven't done any better.

My favourite bike has a Hope V-Twin:-
http://www.hopetech.com/product/v-twin-brake/

It enables me to keep my Campag shifters and use hydraulic discs.
If you want to go down the hydraulic route, it's probably the most cost-effective way of doing it.

 

[Siclo]

If you fit Hy-Rd's you'll need a lever with a 2.5 pull ratio to avoid the long lever travel issue, not sure where the cut off is I think with shimano it's 5700 in the 105 flavour, earlier stuff won't work well, latest 11 speed stuff works. A dob of copper slip grease on the rear of the pads stops them 'juddering'.

 

[EasyPeez]

My favourite bike has a Hope V-Twin:-
http://www.hopetech.com/product/v-twin-brake/

So that's a Hy/Rd set-up, equivalent to the Spyre Hy/Rd? And so requires just a caliper swap and no new levers or cable etc?
It looks like they're retailing at £200+ which is a lot more than the Spyre Hy/Rds...is that the kind of figure you splashed out?
Based on @Siclo 's advice above they might be a bad match with my 4600 set up anyway, which would mean a lever change.

 

[Siclo]

@EasyPeez , @Andrew Br 's setup is a cable lever with the cable running to Hope's box of tricks mounted under the stem (?), after the box of tricks is hydraulic hose to the caliper so you get to keep your current levers. Calipers, discs etc in with the box of tricks cost about £220

His Spyres are on a different bike than the V-twin.

TRP Hy-Rd is cable all the way to the caliper, hydraulics all in the caliper, cost approx £180 for the pair plus levers.