Best AM brake ?

lock1981
lock1981 Posts: 546
edited October 2011 in MTB buying advice
currenty using xt but I am unhappy with the performance! Really liked them when I first got them three years ago.

So wanna upgrade to something better! Is there any?

I'm thinking sone hope!

My brakes just refuse to work well and I get them to set up right!

Had several new pads, been bled loads, had several different cables, but I am un happy with the stoppingness :)

Suggestions?

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Formula.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
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  • Stiff_Orange
    Stiff_Orange Posts: 218
    nicklouse wrote:
    Formula.

    +1 on the Formula.

    But before spending the cash, do you bed the pads in properly?
  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    Stiff_Orange wrote:
    nicklouse wrote:
    Formula.

    +1 on the Formula.

    But before spending the cash, do you bed the pads in properly?
    +2 on Formula.

    Best brakes I have ever used & I have used a lot of brakes (Hope, Shimano, Hayes, Avid...)
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • delcol
    delcol Posts: 2,848
    the new xtr ones score good reviews, and look trick.

    i rate my formulas i had them on my allmountin rig since 09 (formula megas)

    i also like the hope tech 2 on my hard tail nice feel but not as much power as my formulas.....
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  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    I'd have any of the new shimano brakes or Formulas
  • sharky1029
    sharky1029 Posts: 188
    New shimano or formula but definatly not Avid
    I have a pair of elixirs and they are awful. Play in the levers, leaking a bit and not very powerful in comparison to formula or old style XT's and the new ones are supposed to be even better.
  • Stu Coops
    Stu Coops Posts: 426
    Formula R1 for me every time awesome
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  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    The cheapest Formulas are as good as the best most manufacturers have to offer tbh. I'm a cheapskate so I've stuck with Oro K24s but even they- old, bit heavy- are a class act.

    If my XTs had been more reliable I'd happilly recommend them, they were good brakes when they worked. But no spares available when they needed new seals, not too chuffed. If Shimano made all spares available like Formula and Hope they'd make a lot of friends.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • lock1981
    lock1981 Posts: 546
    Cheers lads I'll price up some formulas
  • cat_with_no_tail
    cat_with_no_tail Posts: 12,981
    Another vote for Formulas, my K24s are better than any of the previous brakes I've used, although I've never tried Shimano before.

    I do like the look of the new Ice tech shimano gear. If I do decide to shift away from my formulas, they'd what I'd go for I reckon.
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  • Pudseyp
    Pudseyp Posts: 3,514
    Depends on your budget, I have the new XTR trail, and simply put they are easily the best brake set I have ever owned, the performance is just amazing with no fade and great modulation, the cooling fins work and so do the ice tech rotors... not in a million years would I have Hope, they are terrible to set up and squeal like a pig in the wet. Saint might be a good bet as well.....Merlin and use your VIP for a decent price.

    Link to my Mac with the XTR fitted...look amazing too !!

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopi ... sc&start=0
    Tomac Synper 140 Giant XTC Alliance 1
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  • tenfoot
    tenfoot Posts: 226
    Vote for Formula also. Well pleased with mine.

    I was expecting them to be not as good as the Hope brakes on my old bike, but they are better. Very powerful.
  • miss notax
    miss notax Posts: 2,572
    As everyone else has already said; Formula :D

    I have K24 Oro's on both my bikes and i'm really pleased with them. Notax is also just fitting The One brakes to his all mountain bike (after I have banged on about how great Formula are for years) - he'll no doubt report back about how he finds them!
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  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    the new SLX ones are getting great reviews and one of the MBUK guys rode the mega with them this year and said they held up well :D
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    The new XTR are really very good, and I would say better than my Oros tbh. But then they cost more, per end, without hardware and rotors, than a complete set of Oros for both ends, with rotors.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Pudseyp
    Pudseyp Posts: 3,514
    Northwind wrote:
    The new XTR are really very good, and I would say better than my Oros tbh. But then they cost more, per end, without hardware and rotors, than a complete set of Oros for both ends, with rotors.

    Thing is Nothwind, yep they cost £320 a set inc ice tech rotors from Merlin for the race set up (inc VIP discount) so not cheap but if you compare them to the top end Formula the one then they are actually cheaper....we need to compare apples with apples.
    Tomac Synper 140 Giant XTC Alliance 1
    If the world was flat, I wouldn't be riding !
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Nah, I think it's a fair comparison, since the performance of the Oros runs the XTRs very close. The XTRs work out lighter and have just a hair finer control. Fade's never been an issue with me even over in France, even doing fort william with a 160mm rear rotor caused some pretty colours but no loss of performance, so all the icetech stuff doesn't add any value for me, or for most people I suspect.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    Andy B wrote:
    Stiff_Orange wrote:
    nicklouse wrote:
    Formula.

    +1 on the Formula.

    But before spending the cash, do you bed the pads in properly?
    +2 on Formula.

    Best brakes I have ever used & I have used a lot of brakes (Hope, Shimano, Hayes, Avid...)
    +3, got some formula megas and absolutely love them

    Regarding price, best way to get them is to buy from the formula online shop, they sell new old stock and bargain prices, got my megas for £170 posted from italy for F+R brakes, adaptors and rotors. Bargain!

    EDIT: their store is down and seems to have been for some time... pretty irritating...
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • lock1981
    lock1981 Posts: 546
    Merlin have mega oro for £169

    Should I buy? What's this VIP thing ?

    Do I have to sign to get it or something
  • lock1981
    lock1981 Posts: 546
    Don't matter sorted it 152 quid full set!!!

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