better brake system

[markie87]

since my off road custom bike will be very powerful and high wattage, i don't feel particularly safe with typical cheap v brakes if going around 30mph, seems highly dangerous since they don't really work that well as it is with just normal riding,


any solutions to a powerful brake system? of the v brake kind, unless i can modify it somehow..

 

[Fat Rat]

Simply no as far as I can think on upgrading v brakes

If you want too stop hydraulic disc brakes and 203mm rotors work

 

[anotherkiwi]

Simply no as far as I can think on upgrading v brakes

If you want too stop hydraulic disc brakes and 203mm rotors work

One Magura hydraulic rim brakeis strong enough to destroy a wheel if you pull hard enough. From 20+ km/h to 0 km/h in about 60 cm from personal (painful) experience.

 

[Benjahmin]

+1 for Magura HS11. Bit of a handful to fit but instructions are good and, once done and set up, you can pretty much leave them alone.

 

[Fat Rat]

One Magura hydraulic rim brakeis strong enough to destroy a wheel if you pull hard enough. From 20+ km/h to 0 km/h in about 60 cm from personal (painful) experience.

Did it really destroy a rim ?
That is shocking
I’ve never destroyed a disc to the point it won’t stop you

 

[Trevormonty]

Magura also have brake leave with switch for HSxx range, ideal for kits.
You may need stronger rims to handle extra braking forces. My wife's bike has fine grooves in rim, I suspect to help with braking in wet.

In regards to setting them up, you only get one chance to do this as I'm finding out. There is plastic collar between slave cylinder and clamp, the cylinder slides on this during setup procedure. Once clamped tight collar ends up with grooves from matching grooves in cylinder, will not slide freely again. Will need replacing if you want to set it up again. This explains why I struggled trying set them up after factory did such a poor job.

 

[Fat Rat]

They sound like a load of hassle

 

[anotherkiwi]

Did it really destroy a rim ?
That is shocking
I’ve never destroyed a disc to the point it won’t stop you

Cheap Decathlon rim. I gave it the full handful unfortunately. Tyre fine. Brake pads fine. Rim buckled beyond repair. Ribs cracked... Think of a rim as a hollow 622 mm disk, stopping power is beyond enormous...

 

[Fat Rat]

Cheap Decathlon rim. I gave it the full handful unfortunately. Tyre fine. Brake pads fine. Rim buckled beyond repair. Ribs cracked... Think of a rim as a hollow 622 mm disk, stopping power is beyond enormous...

I suppose there great for a road bike just no use for an mtb that’s being used properly
As the old problems still exist
all but a much better brake force than a cable set up
Interesting thou .

 

[Trevormonty]

They sound like a load of hassle

Once setup correctly when new they are hassle free. Only adjustment between pad changes is lever pull screw as they wear. Torx 25 screwdriver on HS11, knob on HS22. With V brakes had to realign pads around half wear point as they operate at angle.

Pad change is remove one side with quick release lever and swap pad by hand, other side needs wheel removed to access. No tools needed, except wheel nuts if fitted. Actually slightly easier than disk pads which need few more tools, pliers or allen key for pad bolt/split pin, screwdriver or lever to wedge old pads apart.

Being rim brakes they don't suffer from bent rotors when wheel placed in an old style bike stand. Remember these are targeted at european commuter bikes.

Very good modulation unlike some of grabby MTB disk brakes.

 

[georgehenry]

Ordinary mountain bike rim brakes got really powerful towards the end of their development and worked well off road.

I managed to get a cheap pair of Mavic ceramic rimmed wheels for my old Marin rim braked bike that allowed me to put my brakes on as hard as I liked.

If you make the comparison with rotars and rims mine were 26inches not 203mm so no chance of over heating.

All that being said I do like my hydraulic disc brakes now. With that sort of hypocrisy perhaps I should go into politics.

 

[Fat Rat]

Ordinary mountain bike rim brakes got really powerful towards the end of their development and worked well off road.

I managed to get a cheap pair of Mavic ceramic rimmed wheels for my old Marin rim braked bike that allowed me to put my brakes on as hard as I liked.

If you make the comparison with rotars and rims mine were 26inches not 203mm so no chance of over heating.

All that being said I do like my hydraulic disc brakes now. With that sort of hypocrisy perhaps I should go into politics.

I always used to suffer from mud on the rims which made for poor braking
I Also used to wear rims out
And the slightest bit out of true and they used to rub
All the above made me delighted when disc brakes came out
A load less hassle if using the bike aggressively