Trail bike brake recommendations

marks

Likes Bikes
I have a 2017 stumpy with the standard SRAM guides and 1 of the brakes has finally died ( piston sticking in lever assembly ).
What would folks recommend? I am 94 KG so need plenty of stopping power.
Looking into Hopes but have not had much to do with them. Prices for Hopes seem reasonable enough from CRC.
 

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
Guides will be better than Hopes. I'd just buy the new piston kit and have someone with knowledge on SRAM brakes bleed them for you. The Guide's are a great brake, getting the new piston will be cheaper and get you a good result.
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
Guides also have a 2 year warranty. Check the serial number on the caliper to see the manufacturing date. The first two numbers are the week of manufacture, followed by a “T” ( for Taiwan I think) then the next number will be year of manufacture, 7 being 2017, 8 being 2018 etc. If they are still in warranty contact SRAM, if not do what Dozer suggests.
 

Minlak

custom titis
TRP are going to be my next brakes. However currently hope E4 are my go to for everything :) Fuck sram always an issue somehow every time I have had them.
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
Shimano Zees for $250 from ze germans are hard to beat.

The Formula Curas also look very good too, but the bleeding may not be as fool proof.

Maguras are good if someone else is doing the setup and bleeding.

Hopes feel spongey to me.

Sram can eat a bag of dicks.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
 

Minlak

custom titis
Also if getting hopes look at Pushys as well they are pretty competitive and local got my last ones there especially if they do a discount day like 15% off etc.
 

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
I'm digging Saints for a bit of everything, and they're not much more $ than 4pot XT or ZEE.

Might be able to help you out on a set of Hope in any colour for a good price too... Swing us a PM if curious.
 

born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
On my previous bike I was constantly upgrading & evolving the brakes as I rode faster and steeper stuff.
I can be a bit of a tight arse at times so I was always looking for deals 'n' used stuff.
Below is the final configuration I ended up with and it was absolutely rock solid. Completely consistent & fade-free at Maydena & Blue Derby, all day every day. I'm nudging 100kg at riding weight & the bike was an XL and weighed about 14-15 kgs.
There's nothing flashy about any of it, but fuck me it was effective.....and the whole lot prolly cost me a couple of hundred bucks.

Front....
Lever: Shimano SLX M675 (used, scumtree)
Caliper: Shimano SLX M675 (used, Scumtree)
Pads: Shimano, metal, finned ice-tech
Rotor: Clarks floating 203mm

Rear....
Lever: Shimano XT 785 (new, ebay)
Caliper: Shimano SLX M675 (used, scumtree)
Pads: Shimano, metal, finned ice-tech
Rotor: Shimano RT66 180mm
 

oliosky

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Guides also have a 2 year warranty. Check the serial number on the caliper to see the manufacturing date. The first two numbers are the week of manufacture, followed by a “T” ( for Taiwan I think) then the next number will be year of manufacture, 7 being 2017, 8 being 2018 etc. If they are still in warranty contact SRAM, if not do what Dozer suggests.
or if you are vaguely handy. Do this

Worked a treat for a set of guide r's i had.
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
Grab a set of slx brakes and a Zee caliper for the front. 8 inch rotors all round and you'll be right.
 

poita

Likes Dirt
I run mt6, I love them, but I hate bleeding them. Formula Cura will be my next brake and they've just released cura4 which sound like they might suit you? Check with Krischan @ eightyonespices for price
 

Hal-9000

Likes Dirt
I'm also after some advice.

Got a new bike a month ago that came with Guide R 4 pots. As we know the bite point is not adjustable and it engages too close to the bar for me. The issue is, I brake with one finger but use my middle finger as I get more power and feel from it vs my index finger. With the Guides, my index finger gets squashed between the lever and bar when trying to brake as the bite point is too close to the bar. (Aslo the guide engagement point seems a little variable at times).
Anyway, I see you can buy Guide RSC levers for about $140 each online which would give me the bite point adjustment. Or, for the same money, get a full XT 2 pot brake.

Are the Guide 4 pots that much more powerful that XT 2 pots?

Cheers.
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
I'm also after some advice.

Got a new bike a month ago that came with Guide R 4 pots. As we know the bite point is not adjustable and it engages too close to the bar for me. The issue is, I brake with one finger but use my middle finger as I get more power and feel from it vs my index finger. With the Guides, my index finger gets squashed between the lever and bar when trying to brake as the bite point is too close to the bar. (Aslo the guide engagement point seems a little variable at times).
Anyway, I see you can buy Guide RSC levers for about $140 each online which would give me the bite point adjustment. Or, for the same money, get a full XT 2 pot brake.

Are the Guide 4 pots that much more powerful that XT 2 pots?

Cheers.
No. You are better off selling the guides to someone gullible and getting the XTs. If you get the metal pads for the XTs they will cream the guides.

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