Enigma Evoke Di2

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Sniper68

It'll be Reyt.
Location
Sheffield
Following a caliper failure, I've been pondering the design capabilities of Shimano disc brakes.

I've always felt the flat bar XT brakes on my ebike are only just up to the job - I got through a set of pads (both ends) in under 3,000 miles before the rear caliper failed.

In other words, the brakes are designed to stop an average weight rider on a 12kg MTB, so they struggle with a big bloke like me on a 25kg twin battery ebike.

Equally, I wonder if your original brakes are designed to stop a racing snake on a 7kg plastic bike.

So they are found lacking when asked to stop a rugby player on a (very smart) titanium bike.

Just my theory, but if I ever buy another ebike, I will pay more attention to the capability of the brakes.
I never liked Shimano Hydros on MTBs.I found them a bit "wooden".Once I'd fitted Hope Tech M4s they were my brake of choice on all my MTBs for years:okay:
As well as working faultlessly they look damn good too.
RX4s for me.........
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
I never liked Shimano Hydros on MTBs.I found them a bit "wooden".Once I'd fitted Hope Tech M4s they were my brake of choice on all my MTBs for years:okay:
As well as working faultlessly they look damn good too.
RX4s for me.........

I've never got that far up the braking ladder.

My local bike shop rates Hope in general because the kit is usually serviceable and you can get the bits.

Sounds like it's worth paying the extra.
 
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russ.will

russ.will

Slimboy Fat
Location
The Fen Edge
Following a caliper failure, I've been pondering the design capabilities of Shimano disc brakes.

I've always felt the flat bar XT brakes on my ebike are only just up to the job - I got through a set of pads (both ends) in under 3,000 miles before the rear caliper failed.

In other words, the brakes are designed to stop an average weight rider on a 12kg MTB, so they struggle with a big bloke like me on a 25kg twin battery ebike.

Equally, I wonder if your original brakes are designed to stop a racing snake on a 7kg plastic bike.

So they are found lacking when asked to stop a rugby player on a (very smart) titanium bike.

Just my theory, but if I ever buy another ebike, I will pay more attention to the capability of the brakes.
To be fair, they've never failed to stop me, but there was never much feel at the lever and 10k miles of all-weather riding on them would probably demand more than a fluid change.

Even so, Shimano aren't the last word in braking and I'm lucky enough to be able to afford better.

Russ
 

Sniper68

It'll be Reyt.
Location
Sheffield
300 miles later, it still looks that clean. I just can't help myself!
I’m with you mate. 600+ miles and my Lynskey looks like it’s not touched Tarmac:okay:
It had its first clean last week when we got back from a damp week in Northumberland!Some of those back roads were covered in all sorts:laugh:It looked like I’d been off roading.
“A clean bike is a happy bike” has always been my motto:okay:
 
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russ.will

russ.will

Slimboy Fat
Location
The Fen Edge
Damn my cover is blown



Lend it to me for a week or two. I'll get it dirty in places that just can't seemingly be cleaned!

*Time spent cleaning is time that could be spend riding.
To be fair, crap weather hasn't coincided with riding opportunities, but that will change.

After 122 miles yesterday, it is now mildly dusty.

Russ
 
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russ.will

russ.will

Slimboy Fat
Location
The Fen Edge
A couple of weeks on a quick update:

I guess living somewhere less than hilly may have a bearing, but after a couple of hundred miles I reattached the bleed cup to the top of the master cylinders with a few millilitres of fluid in it. A few lever pumps released a few micro-bubbles that survived the initial install. Lever travel firmed up slightly, but perceptively.

A couple of hundred miles on from that and some opportunities to further bed the pads in with some braking from high speed and I cannot believe how distant the performance of the Hopes are from any Shimano caliper (and disc?) I've ever ridden. The bite point is seriously well defined and power one-finger ample. Lever feedback at any point is braille versus smooth paper. It's like removing your winter gloves and going bareback.

I thought they were a bit better and frankly, the tart in me would have paid for the 'look' but not any more. They're simply so much better I cannot imagine going back.

Okay, having had top end motorbike braking systems in my past (Brembo Goldline 4-pad-per-piston calipers with braided hoses) that cost as much as a respectable road bike may not have helped, but a reality check on Kay's BR-R7070 equipped Roubaix threw the comparison into sharper relief.

I used to think there wasn't much difference between my caliper bikes and the disc ones , except in the wet and even then braking 10m earlier expunged the difference. Indeed there are plenty of people that have posted as such and up to now I wouldn't have disagreed much. Yes, there were subtle advantages to disc, but not enough to make you want a wholesale frame upgrade. Indeed I still wouldn't junk a quality frame to go disc.

But if you're doing a frame up build, that is (in my mind) now a different story. To put it another way, the difference between 105/Ultegra or Rival/Force 22 is inconsequential in performance terms. Neither will make you go faster, but the Hope RX4s really do stop you faster with much more confidence and that difference is reflected in the price, which in terms of derailleurs, it is not.

Russ
 

JhnBssll

Veteran
Location
Suffolk
I've been using RX4's for a few years now and couldn't agree more, they're an excellent upgrade. I recently added them to my commuter bike - originally I only had them on my best 2 road bikes but I realised I carry much more weight on the commuter so it really should have good brakes too :laugh:

That bike is looking rather lovely, great work :okay: My ti has black calipers with purple bore caps but I have the orange ones on my Bianchi 😊
 
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