Replacing combined brake and gear shifter

Muckornettles
Muckornettles Posts: 3
edited September 2013 in MTB workshop & tech
Just getting into mountain biking properly... serious hills and trails.
Currently riding a trek 3900... bought it a couple of years ago when I was working in Denmark... used it for commuting and thrashing round the forests over there.
Anyway been out numerous times on it round the west pennine moors and its cable disc brakes are really poor.
I am looking to buy a new bike early next year ready for summer.
In the mean time basically I want to upgrade the brakes on my current bike to a set of hydraulics. I had decided on Shimano Deore M615. Was thinking this may be a straight swap utilising my old discs (not sure if this is possible) Anyway went to look at my bike to check if the brake levers could be easily swapped and noticed that I have a combined brake and gear shifter... a shimano st-ef50.
Is it possible to still purchase the shimano M615 and new shifter to replace the st-ef50... Is this a big job or should I just manage till next year?
Thanks in advance

Comments

  • No Sweat
    No Sweat Posts: 103
    Whilst a well set-up modern hydraulic disc brake set is likely be 'better' than even a well set-up cable disc brake set, the difference is likely to be smaller than you might think.
    In my opinion, if you are planning to replace your bike early next year, the cost of new hydraulic disc brakes and new shifters could probably be better put towards the new bike.
    There are a number of things you could try (if you haven't already done them) to tune-up your existing brakes which may make them more acceptable in the short-term and will take less cash. Assuming that the callipers are lined up with the discs and the pads adjusted to the correct distance from the disc, you could try replacing the cable inners, and invest in better quality 'compressionless' outers. These can make a huge difference to feel and modulation. You could try cleaning the pads and discs using a proper bicycle-disc degreaser (Park do a good one - don't be tempted to use a degreaser spray intended for cars/motorbikes as they often contain a lubricant, believe it or not). If you can't clean the pads, or they are worn or damaged, replace them - swapping organic pads for sintered pads can up the power, if they are available for your brakes, but may make them noisier....
  • cobba
    cobba Posts: 282
    Shimano makes plenty of shifters that are separate to the brake levers.
    The rear shifters come in 7, 8, 9 & 10 speed, the front shifters come in 2 & 3 speed.

    http://productinfo.shimano.com/specifications.html

    Click on 'MTB / TREKKING'
    Click on 'Shift Lever'
    Click on 'SUBMIT'

    Front & rear speeds are listed in the specs.
    You can click on the 'Model no.' to see an image of the shifter.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    No Sweat wrote:
    swapping organic pads for sintered pads can up the power
    No. In fact organic usually give better responce than sintered, max braking power is the same.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • No Sweat
    No Sweat Posts: 103
    The Rookie wrote:
    No Sweat wrote:
    swapping organic pads for sintered pads can up the power
    No. In fact organic usually give better responce than sintered, max braking power is the same.

    Point taken, and maybe I didn't express that very well... but as the sintered pads tend to last much longer than organics, fade less with heat than organics, and cope with grit and wet conditions better than organics, they will often still be working when organic pads would have faded away or worn to the metal. In many real-world conditions (a long wet descent in the Peaks?), sintered pads can be more powerful than organics. For the same reasons they are often a more economical choice as well. On the other hand organics probably give better modulation, but you 'pays your money and takes your choice'.
  • Muckornettles
    Muckornettles Posts: 3
    Thanks for your replies... think i will service the brakes check the pads and make sure everything is working properly before i make some purchases...

    much appreciated
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    No Sweat wrote:
    fade less with heat than organics,
    Again no, sintered have better initial fade characteristics but on long decenst they are worse as the friction characteristics tend to have a sharp 'cliff' at higher temperatures - which is why they tend to not work well in the alps.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • No Sweat
    No Sweat Posts: 103
    The Rookie wrote:
    No Sweat wrote:
    fade less with heat than organics,
    Again no, sintered have better initial fade characteristics but on long decenst they are worse as the friction characteristics tend to have a sharp 'cliff' at higher temperatures - which is why they tend to not work well in the alps.

    I'll bow to your superior experience - but let's hope it's dry in the Alps.

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