27.2 dropper / adjustable seat post & new brakes

miss notax

Just posted and then lost it all when it asked for me to log in again :evil:

I am after a 27.2mm adjustable seat post with a remote for my 5. I saw a post recently which mentioned that there are only a few possibilities for this size, but can't find it now. Can anyone tell me what the options are? Which is best?

I am also thinking of changing my brakes from Formula K24 Oro back to Hope Minis. I thought I would try Formula but have not found them massively better (personally) - tried Hope at the weekend and found the feel of the levers much more 'definite' than my Formula's which feel a bit boggy by comparisson. Any thoughts on the new Hope Minis?

Cheers

Pudseyp

Gravity dropper do 27.2 and so do pure racing (KS i7).....

Would rather have Formula than Hope...Hope are over rated and squeal like a pig in the wet, they never cut it for me....I do recomend Shimano TBH do XT may be worth a look

miss notax

Hmmm, having felt the brake lever on the Hope feeling so 'engaged' I want one like that now!! Although I have just realised that the Minis are no longer made, so it's X2 or V2. What's the difference between the two? I am happy with my rotor sizes (180 front / 160 back) just want that feeling

Pudseyp

X2 for XC....crap review
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -11-37487/

V2 more AM/DH for fares better

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -11-37430/

nicklouse

personally I would look to the current brakes set up.

miss notax

Yeah, reviews of the Hope all seem a bit rubbish so I don't think I am prepared to pay my hard earned cash on them!!

My Formula brakes were secondhand last year, so I am now wondering if new Formula brakes would give me the 'feel' i'm after....?

Like the look of the KS i7 seat post but can't find it anywhere? Does anyone know if this is stock at all?!!

Thanks! I am off to the Alps in 3 weeks time which is probably the cause of the sudden splurge on my beloved bike....

joshtp

tried bleeding the formula's?

Probably need it.

KS post is good. Check out their webby.

miss notax

No stock until August for the KSi7 seat post - so it's waiting until then (and not having one for Morzine) or the gravity dropper. Which looks rubbish

Yep, brakes probably DO need a good service. I can't seem to find what the replacement is for the K24 Oro's, or whether I can just upgrade the levers...?

Pudseyp

Yep would either get the Formula's set up properly or sell them on and get sme XT's for £175 inc rotors from Merlin

lawman

The older XT brakes are truly awful IMO, they faded so badly and are a pig to bleed and service, new xtr style xt brakes seem to be getting very good reviews, not ridden the in anger but a quick test showed they have immense power and very good modulation. I've got a set of x2's and an older set of minis, both have been faultless and more than stood up to the stress my relatively light weight puts them under, had the rear rotor smoking away but never faded or pumped up, yes they could possibly do with abit more power, but i'm only running 180/160 rotors, so bigger rotors would obviously solve that issue. The k24 was replaced by the RX afaik, again a pretty good brake and can be bought pretty cheap online

bails87

Bleed the Formulas, same kit as Avids if you know anyone who's got that.

I've got K18s, bought from the Formula store, just over £100 for front and back including adaptors and rotors. I'm really impressed with them, loads better than the (bled and maintained) Juicy 7s they replaced IMO.

But it seems silly to spend money on new brakes if you haven't even tried bleeding them.

omegas

lawman wrote:

The older XT brakes are truly awful IMO, they faded so badly and are a pig to bleed and service, new xtr style xt brakes seem to be getting very good reviews,

Are the 2011 Shimano XT 775 brakes better than the older ones or are they the same just dressed up differently.

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop ... KE-SET.htm

cat_with_no_tail

miss notax wrote:

No stock until August for the KSi7 seat post - so it's waiting until then (and not having one for Morzine) or the gravity dropper. Which looks rubbish

Yep, brakes probably DO need a good service. I can't seem to find what the replacement is for the K24 Oro's, or whether I can just upgrade the levers...?

Hehehe, to be fair, the Gravityobvious does look rubbish. But I can vouch for the fact it works very well indeed. (I am running one on the edison)

If you're going to get one though, make sure it's the turbo remote or turbo-multi remote version.

They are the lightest ones you can get (I think) and they work very well because they are such a simple design, there is very little to go wrong.

As for the brakes, as stated above, try bleeding them before replacing them. IMHO my K24s are streets ahead of any of the Hope brakes I've owned in the past.

Hope for show, Formula for go (or more precisely, stop, but you get the idea)

Thewaylander

Advice on brakes.

Buy some new pads, and bleed them thouroughy, All the Formulae i've felt feel firmer and more positive than hopes, and they actually stop you too which is something hopes don't :P(ok thats a bit mean, but they are a rip off for the power you get)

As for the post I want one too. i've been looking at the Rock SHox reverb and the good old gravity dropper but i still can't decide lol.

lawman

omegas wrote:

lawman wrote:

The older XT brakes are truly awful IMO, they faded so badly and are a pig to bleed and service, new xtr style xt brakes seem to be getting very good reviews,

Are the 2011 Shimano XT 775 brakes better than the older ones or are they the same just dressed up differently.

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop ... KE-SET.htm

the brakes you linked are the god awful ones I mentioned, a truly awful brake IMO. The new 2012 xt brakes are meant to be much like the latest xtr, I've had a decent test ride on the xtrs and a quick spin on the 2012 xts, both fantastic brakes from initial impressions

Pudseyp

lawman wrote:

the brakes you linked are the god awful ones I mentioned, a truly awful brake IMO. The new 2012 xt brakes are meant to be much like the latest xtr, I've had a decent test ride on the xtrs and a quick spin on the 2012 xts, both fantastic brakes from initial impressions

Agree to disagree on this....I have the ones I linked to at Merlin on my Stiffee and they have been fantastic...the new XT in 2012 will be a similar design to the current XTR which I have my Tomac...the XTR are to me the best brakes around (they should be for £500) but the XT's on the Cove are great, easy to maintain great power and modulation...having owned them I would recomend...

If you look at Guy's review probably after haiving them for a few hours compared to people that own and use them the review doesn't make sense

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -10-37387/

miss notax

Ok, so I think I have decided to stick with the Formula brakes but bleed them etc as recommended. Am still interested if I can get different levers for them though...?

As for the seat post, I can see the sense in a gravity dropper but still think they look a bit naff (mind you, my 5 is hardly the most beautiful bike in the world so maye they're a good match ) - but which one do I need?

I can obviously measure my current seat post to see whether I need the 400 or 350mm post, but what about the drop? It only seems available in the 3 inch - so that means you set it for your optimum climbing height, and then it only drops 3" when you press the remote? Doesn't seem much... And what are the multi-position ones? How do you set the positions? I think I just want one that moves between the two - my 'normal' saddle height and a much lower 'out of the way' one. I am confused as to what I need :oops:

lawman

Pudseyp wrote:

lawman wrote:

the brakes you linked are the god awful ones I mentioned, a truly awful brake IMO. The new 2012 xt brakes are meant to be much like the latest xtr, I've had a decent test ride on the xtrs and a quick spin on the 2012 xts, both fantastic brakes from initial impressions

Agree to disagree on this....I have the ones I linked to at Merlin on my Stiffee and they have been fantastic...the new XT in 2012 will be a similar design to the current XTR which I have my Tomac...the XTR are to me the best brakes around (they should be for £500) but the XT's on the Cove are great, easy to maintain great power and modulation...having owned them I would recomend...

If you look at Guy's review probably after haiving them for a few hours compared to people that own and use them the review doesn't make sense

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -10-37387/

they seem to be a pretty love/hate brake, they seem to be pretty bleed sensitive from working with them in my old job, very much like avid, most of the sets I've tried felt pretty similar in feel, very grabby with little to no modulation at all, very on/off in feel and a mate had a pair long term and hated them, but if that's what you like, that's what you like tbf most brakes are rendered pretty much as overly expensive compared to the k18 and k24's at current online price, stupidly cheap for a very good set of brakes

Pudseyp

I thought 3" was a lot for you women folk !!

The 400mm is available in 3,4 or 5 inch drop...what would do is measure you current post at normal climb height, then drop the post to where you have it for descents....the difference is what you will need to order.

miss notax

Pudseyp wrote:

I thought 3" was a lot for you women folk !!

Ahhh, that's the age old problem you see - you blokes think it's sufficient when us ladies know it's just not enough.....

Anyhooooo - I will have a measure tonight and see which I would like to go for. I can only seem to find the 3" available anywhere, so that may make my decision for me.

What about the 'multi' one? What does that do?

lostboysaint

There is also the X-fusion Hi-Lo but trying to find stock of that has been a complete bastard as well!

miss notax

Oh dear, one glass of wine and look what happens....

Just ordered the gravity dropper 8)

Measured my seatpost height which is left at it's 'low' height from the weekend, and then my normal one, and the difference came to 7cm - so 3 inches of movement should be plenty. I figure this'll be great to have for Morzine, and if I realise that I should have gone for something else then I can always sell this, recoup some cash, and buy another one 8)

Yippee for internet shopping

Obviously this is going to turn me into a riding goddess - right?

Northwind

Why not get the 4 inch gravity dropper? 3 inch doesn't really have any benefit.