Brakes

Spider987
Spider987 Posts: 189
edited November 2008 in MTB general
If i got some XTR hyrdaulic caliper brakes can i use avid, hope or hayes levers?

Comments

  • chrisga
    chrisga Posts: 587
    cheap at the mo on the crc flooded sale...

    not sure about lever compatability though. I would hazard a guess and say not as the piston stroke in the lever would have to move enough fluid for the piston in the caliper and would have to be matched. I may be wrong though.... I guess it would be an expensive experiment!
    http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7231/6933696372_603c9ce220_b.jpg
    http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5220/5458655980_a4baa7e6e1_b.jpg
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  • Spider987
    Spider987 Posts: 189
    chrisga wrote:
    cheap at the mo on the crc flooded sale...

    not sure about lever compatability though. I would hazard a guess and say not as the piston stroke in the lever would have to move enough fluid for the piston in the caliper and would have to be matched. I may be wrong though.... I guess it would be an expensive experiment!

    Yer thats my thinking, at £15 each i cant really go wrong though.
    i wouldnt mind if they dont, but if they could take summit like the avid ultimate lever then that would be better.
  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    No, you can't use anything other then Shimano levers. Not sure if all Shimano levers will be compatible.
    "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    Spider987 wrote:
    If i got some XTR hyrdaulic caliper brakes can i use avid, hope or hayes levers?

    NO.
    wrong fluid.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Spider987
    Spider987 Posts: 189
    You can use shimano fluid cant you?
    Actually i could just put in dot4 in both and id be ok wouldnt i?
  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    no.
    "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    Spider987 wrote:
    You can use shimano fluid cant you?
    Actually i could just put in dot4 in both and id be ok wouldnt i?

    NO
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Spider987
    Spider987 Posts: 189
    Really?
    Ive got to put the same fluid in each?
    what if i bought some brakes and bleeded them and i put in a diffrent oil?

    Oh wait anyway if i bleeded them id of put a whole new lot of oil in wouldnt i?
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    brakes that use mineral oil need to use mineral oil or the seal will fail.

    Brakes that use DOT fluid need to use DOT or the seals will fail.

    they are not usable with the wrong fluid.

    not to mention the differing sizes of pistons.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Spider987
    Spider987 Posts: 189
    Do you know anywhere where i could read up on this? As im really confused about the whole thing now!
    I always thought you could put any oil into any brake. (Obviously not car oil and things like that but things like this http://www.twenga.co.uk/offer/20235/853 ... 32435.html)
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    no you can not put any oil in any brake.

    Ask questions and i can give you answers.

    But read the manuals.

    Shimano and Magura use Mineral oil.

    the rest use DOT3 DOT4 or DOT5.1 which are mixable.

    DOT5 is not used in cycle brakes and is not mixable with any of the above.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Spider987
    Spider987 Posts: 189
    Thats cleard it abit up thanks!
    Is there a diffrence performance wise between mineral oil and DOT's?
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    Spider987 wrote:
    Thats cleard it abit up thanks!
    Is there a diffrence performance wise between mineral oil and DOT's?

    the boil point of DOT is higher. Mineral is not hygroscopic
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Spider987
    Spider987 Posts: 189
    nicklouse wrote:
    Spider987 wrote:
    Thats cleard it abit up thanks!
    Is there a diffrence performance wise between mineral oil and DOT's?

    the boil point of DOT is higher. Mineral is not hygroscopic
    Okies thanks:)

    and heres a link to them
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=21305
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=21306

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