Clarke hydr' brakes

fallingoff
fallingoff Posts: 332
edited April 2011 in MTB workshop & tech
I bought a brand new set of fr & rr Clarkes Skeletal hydraulic brakes.
I've covered over 150 miles and tbh I'm not impressed..I thought they were going to be a whole lot better,sharper,instantanious,etc..I know they're not super expensive but that's no excuse...
Is there anything I can do to improve them...thanks.. :oops:

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    What did you have before?

    As you say, are at the budget end of the scale, and lightweight so it won't be the sharpest out there.

    Check rotors and pads are not contaminated. If struggling to get any meaningful power with a hard squeeze of the lever, try larger rotors.
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  • fallingoff
    fallingoff Posts: 332
    I must admit I was comparing them with more expensive Avid's.. :oops: ,they're better than the cable discs anyway...cheers..
  • Atz
    Atz Posts: 1,383
    So you bought cheaper brakes and were surprised they weren't as good? :)
  • andyrm
    andyrm Posts: 550
    I've fitted Skeletals onto a couple of mate's second bikes (used mainly for hammering local singletrack in winter rather than taking out their bigger bikes in the stupid Bristol mud) and have been really impressed with them in terms of power and response. They can take a bit longer to bed in than some, but once bedded in are really quite good, even when compared to much dearer brakes.

    As has been suggested, check for contamination on rotors and pads - also, did you shorten the hoses using the shortening adapters? If so, it's worth doing a quick bleed to get rid of the air that creeps in when you expose the hydraulic lines.
  • fallingoff
    fallingoff Posts: 332
    Atz wrote:
    So you bought cheaper brakes and were surprised they weren't as good? :)
    I did...and yes,I thought they'd be better than they are that's all..is that wrong?
    andyrm wrote:
    I've fitted Skeletals onto a couple of mate's second bikes (used mainly for hammering local singletrack in winter rather than taking out their bigger bikes in the stupid Bristol mud) and have been really impressed with them in terms of power and response. They can take a bit longer to bed in than some, but once bedded in are really quite good, even when compared to much dearer brakes.

    As has been suggested, check for contamination on rotors and pads - also, did you shorten the hoses using the shortening adapters? If so, it's worth doing a quick bleed to get rid of the air that creeps in when you expose the hydraulic lines.
    I didn't cut the hoses I was able to route them back on themselves otherwise I would look at that as perhaps an issue,how long you talking about to bed in..?roughly.
    I'll bear with them anyway thanks for the help.
  • andyrm
    andyrm Posts: 550
    I found they bedded in within a couple of rides - you can of course accelerate this though! What I have always done, a trick I learnt off my old man from motorbike racing, is to mix up warm water, salt and washing up liquid, paint it on the rotors and do a load of runs on a (SAFE!!!) descent, dragging the brakes until they stop being noisy. Then full clean and dry them. Helps clear initial glazing. Also works well if you accidentally contaminate too......

    Give it a go - should work well for you.

    :D

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