Explain to me how brakes have improved in the past few years.

[Mattydv]

As the title suggests.

Recently bought a new bike, and with the upgrade I've gone from '07 XTR to '14 Elixir 7. The XTRs feel incomparably better to me, but I've had numerous people (especially shop staff) tell me that the 7's would have more stopping power etc etc due to the changes in technology, and the feel of new brakes is just something to get used to.

After only a few days the Elixirs are close to being cut and simply thrown away. It's hydraulic pressure on pads, how much yearly improvement can it see?

 

[link1896]

Would you rather drive a top of the line bmw 740i from 2007 or a Hyundai Getz from 2014?

 

[Fatherpaul]

The Shimano, XT, SLX and XTR brakes from the last say 4 years are the best brakes on the market, chuck what you have get the Shimano's, then you will see how far technology has improved since your 07 XTR. So much easier on maintenance also than an Elixir if you ever need it.

 

[moorey]

It's not really talked about on here much, but avids are shite. There! I said it!

 

[Mattydv]

Would you rather drive a top of the line bmw 740i from 2007 or a Hyundai Getz from 2014?

Those Elixir's are a Getz? Geez, I have been out of riding for a while. I thought they were an SLX equivalent!

SLX is the new LX, right? :target:

 

[The Duckmeister]

The Shimano, XT, SLX and XTR brakes from the last say 4 years are the best brakes on the market, chuck what you have get the Shimano's, then you will see how far technology has improved since your 07 XTR. So much easier on maintenance also than an Elixir if you ever need it.

'07 XTRs are only one generation older than the current generation (1.5 if you want to count the most recent, slightly evolutionary M9000/M8000 XTR/XT), so not really all that outdated. I have a set of same generation XTs on one bike & current SLX on the other, and the older brakes are still Very Good.

Master:slave cylinder volume ratio, as well as bore:stroke ratio of both & pad surface area contribute to a brake's power moreso than "techonogical developments".

 

[The Duckmeister]

Geez, I have been out of riding for a while.
SLX is the new LX, right? :target:

You really have been out for a while..... SLX replaced LX in '08 ('09-spec).

 

[Dales Cannon]

It's not really talked about on here much, but avids are shite. There! I said it!

Wow, never heard that before.

 

[Mattydv]

'07 XTRs are only one generation older than the current generation (1.5 if you want to count the most recent, slightly evolutionary M9000/M8000 XTR/XT), so not really all that outdated. I have a set of same generation XTs on one bike & current SLX on the other, and the older brakes are still Very Good.

Master:slave cylinder volume ratio, as well as bore:stroke ratio of both & pad surface area contribute to a brake's power moreso than "techonogical developments".

Exactly what I'm after, cheers mate.

You really have been out for a while..... SLX replaced LX in '08 ('09-spec).

Eh, I looked at world cup results in '08 - but that was about it.

 

[Minlak]

The Shimano, XT, SLX and XTR brakes from the last say 4 years are the best brakes on the market, chuck what you have get the Shimano's,(Yes they are probably the best VALUE brakes on the market)

It's not really talked about on here much, but avids are shite. There! I said it!

And boom there we go every brake thread in existence summed up in 2 lines.

Just a quick FYI there are more manufacturers than just those 2.

Hope???(yes yes hope fanboi)

Formula???

To answer your question with out fanboi rhetoric.

You need to bed the pads in (not saying you didn't know this you just don't state it).
Being Elixer's there is a good chance they need a bleed from factory to even be usable.
Pad construction if the new ones are organic and the old ones sintered there is a difference.
Rotors will make a huge difference to the overall effectiveness of the brakes.
Maybe you are just going faster on the new bike :flypig:

You are moving from a top of the range 07 brake to a middle of the road yumcha 14 brake I wouldn't have expected a lot of difference in actual performance.

 

[DeBloot]

The biggest improvement to my brakes has been throwing the Juicy's in the shithouse and using XT's
I still use an 07 pair of LX's on a spare bike, and while they obviously lack the feel of the newer Shimano's
They shit all over Juicy's that came new on an 2010 bike - they're the ones I binned a few years ago

 

[JTmofo]

The Shimano, XT, SLX and XTR brakes from the last say 4 years are the best brakes on the market.

Ride some Hopes......:gossip:

Totally subjective as feel between manufacturers is very different, some people prefer Shimano, some Hope, some Formula, some Magura, but very few Avid.

 

[pharmaboy]

Matty, Elixirs are to brakes as Gloria Jeans are to espresso.

One penny black (blackbird for the cairns angle) is current xtr, roller door is 07 xtr

Does that help, or is that complete Dutch to you?

 

[Mattydv]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Matty, Elixirs are to brakes as Gloria Jeans are to espresso.

One penny black (blackbird for the cairns angle) is current xtr, roller door is 07 xtr

Does that help, or is that complete Dutch to you?

Ha! Nice analogy, gotcha.

 

[99_FGT]

I'm in a minority, but I'm not the only one who prefers avid. Had x0s and they were great(admittedly the shop build and bleed was done by the polar bear), upgraded to guides and don't regret it at all.
Elixir trail (on the other bike) feel noticeably different to the guides

 

[JTmofo]

Guide are totally different design to the tapered bore of the Avids.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Back to the original point.... The Elixir series was introduced around 2008, and only underwent minor changes since then, so there aren't any technical advancements compared to the '07 XTRs.

Avid Trail brakes are essentially an after-the-fact hybrid of Elixir & Guide; they use the Elixir Taperbore lever/reservoir, and the four-pot calipers carried over to the Guide, which use new levers.