WTF is up with those SRAM brakes?

[Santapez]

@carvegybe what size rotors are you running on the new bike vs previous bikes? Going to smaller rotors will definitely make a huge difference.

I typed out a novel and deleted it about how I really love the G2 brakes compared to the Levels and all the Shimano brakes I have tried. But deleted because it could just be personal preference, people are different.

 

[Cassinonorth]

The only thing I can imagine is my fault is that I didn't do that thing when the brakes are new that you ride up and down a hill to heat up the brakes and wear them in. But I also didn't do that with the Shimano kit and it worked perfectly.

Yes, bedding in the brakes will have a major impact on how they perform. You may have done it accidentally with your Shimano brakes...there's a pretty good chance you glazed your pads. Did they look like this when you removed them?

 

[carvegybe]

@carvegybe what size rotors are you running on the new bike vs previous bikes? Going to smaller rotors will definitely make a huge difference.

I typed out a novel and deleted it about how I really love the G2 brakes compared to the Levels and all the Shimano brakes I have tried. But deleted because it could just be personal preference, people are different.

Old bike: 180front and rear
New bike: 180 front and 160 rear.

I'm comparing the front brake performance and only got semi-metallic pads for the front for now for this reason....

Have you ridden shimano XT?

 

[BPaze]

Ok, good to know. I'll have them bled and see what happens. The LBS put my bike together because the frame was separate from all the components...I'd have expected them to make sure the brakes were assembled and bled correctly when assembling the bike.

The shop could have bled the brakes and in the course of riding bubbles can shake out i have found new brakes sometimes need a couple bleeds. It doesn't take a lot of air to make a difference but if it is just how the brakes feel don't worry that's preference and is cool.

I haven't ridden long but have tried a lot of brakes and all have there good points and differences. If you like one feel over another you aren't wrong. Doesn't mean the brakes are bad and you can still sell them to a bunch of people.

 

[Steve Vai]

How many 100's of miles an hour are you doing that they don't stop? Even $50 Deore brakes will put you on your ass these days.

 

[carvegybe]

Yes, bedding in the brakes will have a major impact on how they perform. You may have done it accidentally with your Shimano brakes...there's a pretty good chance you glazed your pads. Did they look like this when you removed them?

Interesting!

Going to bed now but still have the organic pads I replaced today so will take photo tomorrow and post. I didn't know the glazing thing is a visible consequence of failing to bed in the brakes. Guess will do a few high speed runs in the parking lot tomorrow to make sure I don't make same mistake with new pads..

 

[stb222]

How many 100's of miles an hour are you doing that they don't stop? Even $50 Deore brakes will put you on your ass these days.

To this point, my son has the current deore and they feel pretty much exactly the same as xt.

Also @carvegybe modulation is a skill, not something your brake does for you.

 

[Patrick]

Get the Hope's and be done with it.

 

[carvegybe]

How many 100's of miles an hour are you doing that they don't stop? Even $50 Deore brakes will put you on your ass these days.

They stop just not as fast...

 

[carvegybe]

To this point, my son has the current deore and they feel pretty much exactly the same as xt.

Also @carvegybe modulation is a skill, not something your brake does for you.

I got the modulation right with the XTs...maybe it is a skill that needs to be relearned with G2s...

 

[Sven Migot]

It is possible I'm confusing more modulation with lack of bite. But, for me, application of strong force to brake handle should lock up the wheel irrespective of external conditions...not that I want to do that, of course, but I want to have that option as a matter of having a good feel for how the brake performs. With the G2s I don't have that. It rotates a bit until it stops. Is that normal for G2s?

I always looked at it like Guides let you "feather" the brakes. Where I used Levels with "bursts" of braking because they're more sensitive/twitchy. I have no experience with XTs.
But who needs brakes anyway?

 

[Santapez]

Old bike: 180front and rear
New bike: 180 front and 160 rear.

I'm comparing the front brake performance and only got semi-metallic pads for the front for now for this reason....

Have you ridden shimano XT?

I've ridden new generation XT but not extensively. Last generation XT on my other bike. Wandering bite point bothers me more than the initial bite issue.

I had been on 180/160 for a long time and switching to 180/180 made a huge difference. I'm ~140lbs. Yes the front brake does a majority of the braking in theory but in reality you're still using the rear brake a ton. Especially on longer downhills where you're holding the rear more for awhile to keep from gaining speed.

One thing I've noticed with the SRAM brakes is I like how they feel after hours of riding and my hands hurt. With the Shimano brakes I have to be more concerned about the On/Off feeling while the SRAM brakes they aren't sensitive at one point.

But ignore my opinion, buy Shimano brakes and sell me the G2 brakes cheap.

While I don't absolutely hate the bleeding of SRAM brakes, I really prefer the Shimano mineral oil and easier bleeds. Plus they're really good at having the high end model performance in the mid-range model, typically only weight differences going up in models.

 

[shrpshtr325]

While I don't absolutely hate the bleeding of SRAM brakes, I really prefer the Shimano mineral oil and easier bleeds. Plus they're really good at having the high end model performance in the mid-range model, typically only weight differences going up in models.

im guessing you havent used the bleeding edge generation of sram brakes because i can bleed them in 10 minutes and only spill a couple drops of fluid, it really doesnt get much easier than that . . . .

 

[Santapez]

im guessing you havent used the bleeding edge generation of sram brakes because i can bleed them in 10 minutes and only spill a couple drops of fluid, it really doesnt get much easier than that . . . .

Yes but no. My new brakes are Bleeding Edge but haven't bled then yet.

Can't say how they are easier than the Shimano cup and minimal drops that has during a bleed.

More importantly no corrosive fluid with Shimano. Also cheap fluid that isn't hydroscopic.

But either of these two seem better than alternatives like Hope or Magura.

 

[Juggernaut]

Admittedly I wasn’t a fan of SRAM brakes before but this really left a bad taste in my mouth.…. I had to Flintstone Brake the last ten miles of the Wharton loop.

 

[Steve Vai]

Yes but no. My new brakes are Bleeding Edge but haven't bled then yet.

Can't say how they are easier than the Shimano cup and minimal drops that has during a bleed.

More importantly no corrosive fluid with Shimano. Also cheap fluid that isn't hydroscopic.

But either of these two seem better than alternatives like Hope or Magura.

The brakes from my REEB are a Mineral Oil Sram G2. They should be released to the public when things become available again, maybe spring.

 

[one piece crank]

I am running DOT 5 silicone fluid in my G2's. No problem to date.

 

[Santapez]

The brakes from my REEB are a Mineral Oil Sram G2. They should be released to the public when things become available again, maybe spring.

Oh yeah, that won't make things confusing when servicing...

Will be interesting to see how DOT vs Mineral run in the same brakes, and outside of seals if they did anything different.

 

[stb222]

I am running DOT 5 silicone fluid in my G2's. No problem to date.

You need to warranty sram levers every 2 years anyways, so....

 

[Steve Vai]

Oh yeah, that won't make things confusing when servicing...

Will be interesting to see how DOT vs Mineral run in the same brakes, and outside of seals if they did anything different.

I didn't take them apart to see what was inside. 99% of Sram brake issues are caused by the the rubber plug at the end of the master cylinder. Which no one ever services so they're trying to make a home mechanic proof brake. I've never had an issue with any Sram or Avid brake because I follow the simple maintenance guide...