New Disc Brakes

BobbyTrigger

Hi all – my disc brakes are cream crackered (a long standing issue that I failed to resolve as I discovered Lycra and became a MAMIL )

Anyway – I’m missing my beloved GT and want her back up and running. I’m on a budget so looking for something that’s cracking value.

CR are kicking out Avid Elixir 1’s for £37.50 – are these any good? Will they last the distance? Am I likely to be able to get pads for them in a couple of years time? I noticed the Bike Radar review was pretty good.

Or should I wait until a bargain comes along (Merlin had Deore at £45 each but I missed the boat)

By the way my rotors are fine – I guess you can generally make a rotor fit a caliper?

cheers fellas (and ladies)

peter413

The new Deore's (M596) are £42 each on CRC and would definitely be my choice. I'm running a pair on my rigid and Marin and they are excellent. Good control and excellent power, even with the 160mm rotors on the rigid they can stop me easily and I'm the wrong side of 100kg. I do use a 203mm rotor on the Marin just to get that little bit more power from them since it's used for much faster, harder riding but it isn't totally needed.

When I've got the money I will probably change the Deore's on the Marin for some XTR's, pretty much identical performance just lighter and shinier.

compo

I'll echo the shout for the Deores.

I run Avids (Juicy 3s) and they are dire. The reviews I've heard for Shimano over Avid are very much in favour of the Big S

BobbyTrigger

easier to bleed too eh - my current calipers fill at the brake rather than the daft syringe method.

cheers for the advice chaps

ride_whenever

DONT BUY AVIDS

Unless you're a massive masochist! They are great brakes, but you can never get them back to the factory feel and the break a lot. Spares availability is dire as well.

Personally shimano.

The Rookie

Shimano....CRC have the older Deore at £37 the pair if you are happy to swap levers.

lostboysaint

Some good advice on here. Don't touch Avid and go for the Deores. I run the older model on my 29er (I'm 98kg) and even on just 160mm rotors they offer excellent feel and power. They are quite ridiculously good.