New MTB brake recommendations needed.

[sideways dan]

Morning all! Having broken the master cylinder on my Hope M4 rear brake i find myself in need of replacements so i'm just after some recommendations please. It's for a Whyte 46 which I mainly ride at trailcentre's/singletrack red and black runs and regularly find myself 'a little out of control' so need to be decent stoppers!

Thanks in advance, Dan

[MrTom]

Elixir CR carbon on 185/203 depending on your weight. Might be overkil on 203, I run them on my DH rig.

[sideways dan]

Will give them a look thanks! Currently run 203 front and 185 rear if that makes any difference. Is it worth replacing both or just the rear??

[curlie467]

Shimano M595 deore brakes, cheap (f+r around £100 the pair). More than powerful enough, ridiculous with 203mm discs!, ultra reliable and not too bad aesthetics wise. They have adjustable reach levers and take xtr style pads, are simple to adjust and easy to bleed (didnt have to when i cut the hose down).

Definitely what i would buy again and again, i have had two sets and only havent got any at the moment as my mtb wont take discs on the back.

[a11y_m]

Can't go wrong with Shimano XT or XTR, although even the SLX are decent enough.

I've been using Formula RX on my two main MTBs after buying a bike with them fitted as OEM. I wouldn't have looked at them otherwise, but I prefer them over my older-style XTs in terms of overall power, modulation and general feel. I picked up a cheap new pair from ebay HK and they're great IME.

[Jimbo.]

Shimano SLX. Run them on my "normal" bike" and my DH/Alps bike with no issues whatsoever. Easy to bleed, use mineral oil rather than nasty, nasty DOT4, are plenty powerful enough, and are proving reliable.

[shalmaneser]

I think anything above SLX brakes is pointless really, they're very good indeed.

I would run them, but then I'd have Sram shifting and Shimano brakes, and that is NOT cool!

[Beyond Rational]

The M595 Deore do seem to be very good, better than the SLX on the dyno. I'm waiting for the new M785 XT brake, reviews seem positive so far.

[SteveS Cup]

If you have Hope on the front why not get another matching Hope for the rear?

[Flippin' Kipper]

Formula direct from the formula store.

http://store.formula-brake.com/

I got some Oro Bianchos and they are great.

[Badabing]

just had my first proper outing with my Hope Tech X2 setup. Great brakes and recommended.

[chrisga]

Hope spares are fairly readily available at most "good" bike shops, and if not hope themselves could sort you out no doubt. So could you not get the M4 fixed? Is it the old style silver M4, black and gold M4, silver M4 or tech M4? I upgraded juicy ultimates to M4's (the ones after black and gold but before tech M4) over the winter and am so glad I did. They are awesome.

[mackie1]

Another vote for SLX. Good value, plenty of power, good pad clearance and modulation.

[Mars]

I can't understand why you'd want anything "better" than the Tektro Dracos on my Whyte to be honest. They're powerful, have properly bushed levers, pads clear the discs (so no rubbing) and just work faultlessly everytime. what's "better" about others?

[Beyond Rational]

Have you taken that fairly light Whyte down a black run?

"Better" can come in reduced fade, greater braking force, better modulation, lighter weight etc. - sometimes you do get what you pay for.

[Mars]

No, of course not and whilst I take your point, I really think there's room to challenge perceptions based on marketing and little else. I already can't work out why different rim-brake/gearsets are so expensive when lesser/cheaper models just work. I find myself wondering the same about disc setups too.

[Jimbo.]

Mars said:

I can't understand why you'd want anything "better" than the Tektro Dracos on my Whyte to be honest. They're powerful, have properly bushed levers, pads clear the discs (so no rubbing) and just work faultlessly everytime. what's "better" about others?

As said, power, modulation, consistency/resistance to fade, reliability, adjustability, ease of maintenance etc.
Point a Tektro-equipped bike downhill somwhere in the Alps for a week, and you'll soon see!

[Beyond Rational]

Mars said:

No, of course not and whilst I take your point, I really think there's room to challenge perceptions based on marketing and little else. I already can't work out why different rim-brake/gearsets are so expensive when lesser/cheaper models just work. I find myself wondering the same about disc setups too.

Some people with rim brakes will be looking at your discs and asking the same question, because in their experience what they are familiar with, just works.

Why did you buy a Whyte when you could've got something that worked for less?

[Mars]

Beyond Rational said:

Some people with rim brakes will be looking at your discs and asking the same question, because in their experience what they are familiar with, just works.

Why did you buy a Whyte when you could've got something that worked for less?

I freely acknowledge I bought it because I take enjoyment in engineering. I'd never had discs before and like the concept. I had a whole list of items I wanted the bike to have, and some I specifically didn't want it to have. Some make logical sense, others are nothing more than aesthetics. I am one of those people who, having bought something, makes the most out of its use *because* I have bought it. I could have got as much exercise out of my old bike but I fancied a change and I am really enjoying it - it's mere presence in the garage spurs me into using it more.

Sometimes though, I genuinely seek better performance like the OP and I don't think we are always able to determine better products from those that are only mareketted as being better - expensive doesn't always mean better. In this case I'm absolutely willing to concede if it is the case - I was only asking the question and trying not to get up anyone's nose by challenging commonly-held perceptions.

[shalmaneser]

Beyond Rational said:

Have you taken that fairly light Whyte down a black run?

"Better" can come in reduced fade, greater braking force, better modulation, lighter weight etc. - sometimes you do get what you pay for.

This.