SLX or Clarkes M2 Brakes for extreme 8yr Old!

willhart · April 2015

Hi,

My son is a bit of a freak having raced BMX since he was 3. He rips DH and XC trails faster than most adults.

Due to the expensive BMX racing that we do, I haven't been able to buy him a top spec MTB, but have just upgraded him to a second hand 24" wheeled scott voltage that i am going to upgrade with better Brakes and gears and some bigger 26" Air Forks.

I was planning to buy him some Shimano SLX Hydraulic Disc Brakes, I have the XT's and I know the SLX are amazing performance and Value. But I have also heard that the Clarkes X2's (£40 for full set up including rotors and mounting hardware) are amazing brakes and represent never before seen value!

He will be riding uplift days in Wales on this bike and we are planning a trip to the Alps, so I am tending towards the SLX's. However he is only 8 and weighs like 25kg! So I imagine in reality the Clarkes will be more than adequate.

Does anybody have any experience of the CLarkes Brakes on kids bikes? Bearing in mind that he rides well, well, above his age. I would also like him to be able to brake with 1 finger if possible like i do on my XT's. So adjustability of the lever is important as well as stopping power.

Any Advice is much appreciated.

Cheers.

Will.

John Wh · April 2015

My wife has the EXO Skeletal on her Kraken and they have never given her any trouble, not bad for the price to be honest. I recently took my Clarkes M2s off as there seems to be no support for those from Clarkes.

I've actually replaced them with SLX (due to arrive tomorrow). The only issue with the EXO was that the discs seemed to warp easily.

jimothy78 · April 2015

Will - are you getting Clarks' EXO brakes confused with their new "M2"? The LATTER have received some very positive reviews, both from magazine reviewers and everyday people. Never heard much praise for the former, though.

At around £40 for a pair including rotors, the M2 probably are untouchable in terms of bang for your buck. SLX are likely to cost you more than double that (+ even more if you need rotors as well). Deore would fill the gap between the two extremes - very dependable stoppers, commonly available for around £60 (exc. rotors).

willhart · April 2015

jimothy78 wrote:

Will - are you getting Clarks' EXO brakes confused with their new "M2"? The LATTER have received some very positive reviews, both from magazine reviewers and everyday people. Never heard much praise for the former, though.

Thanks! You were correct! It was the M2's I had read about in MBUK, but a quick search at work had made me mistakenly look at the EXO's on CRC.

I have ammended the Title of the thread to M2's!

The Rookie · April 2015

Can I throw in a left field option, have a look at some older Shimano like the M765 XT's very reliable, very progressive, we have three sets in the family.

poah · April 2015

got SLX on my son's bike - longer levers are probably a better bet though for kids hands so shimano are not the best for small hands.

willhart · April 2015

POAH wrote:

got SLX on my son's bike - longer levers are probably a better bet though for kids hands so shimano are not the best for small hands.

Thats an interesting perspective.

In what way do you find that longer leavers are better? I would have assumed the opposite.

Is it to allow it to be adjusted nearer to the bars?

I am hoping i can get him 1 finger breaking as on his current V brakes he almost has to stop attacking a trail to use his brakes as he needs so many fingers to get it to stop that he doesn't really have control of the Bars!

passout · April 2015

I'd look at good quality kids bikes for inspiration - has to be good for small hands 1st and foremost. Of course the manufacturers be working too a budget too.

Went through this when getting a road bike for my 6 yr old.

See:

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Kids_Bike

JaseHawk · April 2015

willhart wrote:

POAH wrote:

got SLX on my son's bike - longer levers are probably a better bet though for kids hands so shimano are not the best for small hands.

In what way do you find that longer leavers are better? I would have assumed the opposite.

Coming at this from a purely mathematical/physics approach, a longer leaver would give a greater moment force about a point, making it easier to squeeze the leaver.

http://www.passmyexams.co.uk/GCSE/physics/turning-effect-forces.html

cooldad · April 2015

They also make for a longer reach - not so good for small hands.

SLX are planty powerful enough to make for easy one finger brkaing - additional leverage will not be needed.

poah · April 2015

cooldad wrote:

They also make for a longer reach - not so good for small hands.

SLX are planty powerful enough to make for easy one finger brkaing - additional leverage will not be needed.

its not about the power, is about the ability to pull the brake and have enough lever movement to effectively stop after they have been adjusted. smaller levers also mean hands have to be further into the bars in order to reach them. shimano levers are not the best for small hands

passout · April 2015

Yes, any half decent hydro brake should mean 1 finger braking. Reach is more inmportant than lever length I think.

SLX or Clarkes M2 Brakes for extreme 8yr Old!

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