cable disc brake problems!

bradford

I recently bought a coyote vermont mtb,which came with clarks cable disc brakes all round.They need to come off as they don,t work that well and have a 160 rotor front and 140 rear which i found odd?I am looking to replace the calipers with better ones and keep the exsisting cables and v brake levers.But am not sure that any calipers will fit the 140 rear rotor,could i change the rotor to160?any advice please!

Sir HC

Cable disc brakes have never been that great.

Merlins have brakes on offer at the moment. I'd recomend the Avid Juicy 5's, http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/mountain- ... 5-set.html
They are a doddle to setup and are very reliable.

bradford

Cheers bud for a quick reply! bradford.

turnerjohn

If you can streach to full hydro then they really are worth it....less faffing and more riding :-).
Some lightweight XCountry bikes use a 140mm rotor on the rear to reduce weight, but reduces power...and with cable disks you need all the power you can get !
Would change them for 160mm pronto.

Those Avid 5's are full hydro...hope you knew that?
Avid do a cable disk called the BB series...5 and 7. There some of the best cable disks out there, but still no match for a Hydro....oh and almost the same costs !

Hope this helps !

bradford

cheers mate! yes i know about the avid 5 hydros,thanks for the advice.bradford.

supersonic

Clarks cable discs are some of the best around. They need time to bed in - but bigger rotors may help.

This your bike?

http://corporate.marketplaceadvisor.cha ... =86&dfid=1

You'd also need new shifters. I'd rather spend th emoney on a better fork, will transform the bike.

bradford

clarke cable disc brakes are the worst performing brakes i have ever come across!

supersonic

They set up ok? Pads not contaminated?

bradford

They are not contaminated at all just rubbish and am thinking about buying some gusset cable brakes for the rear!

supersonic

I think you are deluding yourself. Get some better pads and bigger rotors! The Clarks were some of the best calipers MBUK have tested.

bradford

I think i will order new brakes!

Mickey Eye

Bradford, while cable discs might not have the full on power of hydro discs they almost certainly have the stopping power beyond your needs. Ignore your desire for upgrades for a second and consider the possibility that Supersonic is right. Clean the discs with a disc cleaning fluid (or white spirits but rather a disc cleaning fluid) and change the pads. Make sure they are set up properly.

I managed to contaminate my rear HYDRO discs with teflon spray and it was as if a magical fairy had come down to earth and turned off their stopping power.

Stewwmb

I just put new pads in my cable disks tonight ready for a weekend in the peaks.

Once they had bedded in I can endo and lock the rear no problem.

I will be upgrading to hydros later this year but that's only because I feel its time for something much better and you do get a bit tired of adjusting them all the time.

bradford

I have bought some gusset cable brakes that arive on monday,they have good reviews and will be a good upgade for the bike.Thanks for the help you guys!

Andy B

So just because they look better you think they will perform better?

You didn't really say what was wrong with the Clarks, lack of stopping power etc...

Did you give the brakes time to bed in?

If you're having issues & you've only just got the bike, why not take it back to the shop & let them have a look at it?

For the £70odd to replace the Clarks with the Gusset brakes you may as well have bought hydraulic brakes for a few quid more.

Anonymous

Id10t :roll:

bradford

Andy_B wrote:

Bought the bike off the net no comeback! The shifters are shimano 7 speed/v brake and are attached together and can,t go hydro due to the cost off changing the shifters as well!

bradford

Advice not insults would be good! yeeheemagee!

Anonymous

you've been given lots of advice, but you seem to insist on ignoring it.

bradford

cheers for the advice yeehaa i will ignore yours!

FR0STY

You sure you didn't glaze or contaminate your pad/rotors even the smallest amount can cause nearly all the stopping power to go. Have you had the brake pads out to check their condition? Have you checked that the brakes have properly setup and adjusted. Cable brakes might not have all the control in the world but they certainly should have enough braking power to lock the wheels. Did you follow the bedding in procedure correctly.

Sir HC

yeehaamcgee wrote:

you've been given lots of advice, but you seem to insist on ignoring it.

He's not the first and sure wont be the last !

k2rider

clarks are one of the better cable disc brakes and when theyre set up properly they work very well.

Sir HC

bradford wrote:

I have bought some gusset cable brakes that arive on monday,they have good reviews and will be a good upgade for the bike.Thanks for the help you guys!

Complete waste of money in my opinion, by the time you have spent £30 an end on calipers, then £30 on decent cables (Sram full metal jackets), then found that your levers are hopeless. You could have bought a pair of avid juicys which will kick any mechanical system into touch.