Brakes and lever compatibility

TKF

I'm thinking of upgrading the brakes on my winter bike because they are awful. The bike is a Specialized Allez with Sora groupset.

I've seen Ultegra brakes on Wiggle for just £30 each and I'm thinking of buying grey for my Ultegra summer bike (mismatch grey crank/silver callipers is annoying) and moving the brakes onto the Allez.

Will they simply go on or are there issues around the Sora levers not being compatible?

ride_whenever

get better pads and clean your rims.

TKF

I've done both. Swissstop Green and new cables and they are still poor.

Essex Rouleur

Sore levers will work with all Shimano brake calipers. Had the same problem on my winter bike and replaced the stock Tektros with 105 brake calipers and put Swisstop green pads in. Night and day in stopping power!

Do it, you wont regret it.

TKF

Just read this regarding Ultegra 6700 brakes.

Dual-pivot caliper brake with super SLR design for quick linear response, increased rigidity and improved braking power and must be used in conjunction with 7900 or 6700 STIs for correct leverage ratio.

Got me worried this means they won't actually be compatible. Can anyone confirm?

mr_evil

TKF wrote:

Just read this regarding Ultegra 6700 brakes.

Dual-pivot caliper brake with super SLR design for quick linear response, increased rigidity and improved braking power and must be used in conjunction with 7900 or 6700 STIs for correct leverage ratio.

Got me worried this means they won't actually be compatible. Can anyone confirm?

Shimano changed the cable pull with their newer brakes, so they won't work quite as well as they should do with older levers, but they will work.

Bozman

TKF wrote:

Just read this regarding Ultegra 6700 brakes.

Dual-pivot caliper brake with super SLR design for quick linear response, increased rigidity and improved braking power and must be used in conjunction with 7900 or 6700 STIs for correct leverage ratio.

Got me worried this means they won't actually be compatible. Can anyone confirm?

I'm using 6700 calipers with 6800 STIs and visa versa purely due to a colour issue. I used them with the correct groupset for a while and there is zero difference in performance when you use either STI.

ugo.santalucia

As a road disc brake user it makes me laugh when they say this brake lever is incompatible with that caliper... it's nonsense. They all work... it's a lever, a cable and a caliper... how can it possibly not work? Your hand will adjust to the slightly different pull ratio in about 5 seconds