WTF is up with those SRAM brakes?

carvegybe

Well-Known Member
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?

glazed_pads-1024x576.jpg
Glazed? Here's a picture of the resin pads I removed yesterday...

20211228_102707.jpg
 

carvegybe

Well-Known Member
Just to get the whole bed-in process clear, I understand a failure to bed-in brakes results in temporary substandard performance until they are bed-in through some riding with front end pointed down and liberal use of brakes, correct? Or is there a permanent effect?
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
By the way, I like that red color of sram semi-metalic pads..got that racy Ferrari look.

View attachment 174434
I think you are buying pads for the wrong reason if color is part of the reasons (laughing with you, not at you)
Just to get the whole bed-in process clear, I understand a failure to bed-in brakes results in temporary substandard performance until they are bed-in through some riding with front end pointed down and liberal use of brakes, correct? Or is there a permanent effect?

You will see a few different instructions on how to bed-in pads to rotors, however you can do the "ride at a moderate pace" and apply brakes until you are almost stopped but release before you completely stop. Do this like 10 times. This is to avoid pad material being unevenly distributed on the rotors. Even with that, I find that pads really don't feel good until sometimes during your first ride. If by the end of your first they aren't grabbing, you can start over by cleaning your rotors with alcohol and starting the process again.

Also, did we already discuss if the calipers are adjusted properly? If not, that can lead to poor performance. This included checking that all 4 pistons are protruding at the same times when depressing the lever.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Why does this picture look like you're riding an XC bike? 99% chance the brake is locking up immediately and that tire is just sliding.
 

carvegybe

Well-Known Member
I think you are buying pads for the wrong reason if color is part of the reasons (laughing with you, not at you)


You will see a few different instructions on how to bed-in pads to rotors, however you can do the "ride at a moderate pace" and apply brakes until you are almost stopped but release before you completely stop. Do this like 10 times. This is to avoid pad material being unevenly distributed on the rotors. Even with that, I find that pads really don't feel good until sometimes during your first ride. If by the end of your first they aren't grabbing, you can start over by cleaning your rotors with alcohol and starting the process again.

Also, did we already discuss if the calipers are adjusted properly? If not, that can lead to poor performance. This included checking that all 4 pistons are protruding at the same times when depressing the lever.
1. I also pick my sealant based on color.
2. I wipe the rotors with isopropyl alcohol as part of every bike clean. Is that a bad thing? E.g. do I want even distribution of pad material which I "reset" with each clean?

Pardon ignorant questions. I am always amazed how deep the rabbit hole goes with some of these simple-in-appearance MTB topics...
 

jackx

Well-Known Member
I got a new bike almost 2 years ago and chose SRAM G2 RSC brakes. I bleed them annually and so far they have been great.

Previously, I had Hope X2 and E4 on my previous bike and they had fantastic modulation. I had a tough time getting used to Shimano brakes whenever I rented or demo'd a bike with Shimano brakes (likely 2-pot) as they all seemed to work like a light switch - either off or on.

Nearly 2 years later and I like the SRAM G2 RSC enough to haven not switched to my Hopes sitting on my old frame. My only complaint is that new SRAM pads seem thin and don't last very long.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
1. I also pick my sealant based on color.
2. I wipe the rotors with isopropyl alcohol as part of every bike clean. Is that a bad thing? E.g. do I want even distribution of pad material which I "reset" with each clean?

Pardon ignorant questions. I am always amazed how deep the rabbit hole goes with some of these simple-in-appearance MTB topics...
Yes, you are undoing the bedding process by doing that. The only time I clean my rotors is when I put on new pads or in the odd event that they were contaminated by oil somehow (which has never happened). If for some reason you want to clean your rotors, you should sand the pad at the same time. Maybe there is a different process for organic pads but I can’t speak to that as I always use semi metallic.

Sealant based on color? That’s a new one…
 

JDurk

Well-Known Member
Just curious, what color options are available for sealant? Aren't they all a shade of white. My head is already spinning from all the previous comments in this thread.
 

carvegybe

Well-Known Member
Define "Trail Tire" for our amusement please.
Pirelli Scorpion Trail M - not much amusement there, methinks.

If you seek amusement, I have these on an XC wheelset because a fellow MTBer I met through Strava gifted me these wheels for $75 (I was insisting I had to pay some money) when I was looking for a trail wheelset. He may be lurking on this website, in which case let me say "THANK YOU" once again!
 

carvegybe

Well-Known Member
Just curious, what color options are available for sealant? Aren't they all a shade of white. My head is already spinning from all the previous comments in this thread.
I wasn't entirely serious with that comment. I thought to be consistent with the idea of picking pads based on color.
 

carvegybe

Well-Known Member
Yes, you are undoing the bedding process by doing that. The only time I clean my rotors is when I put on new pads or in the odd event that they were contaminated by oil somehow (which has never happened). If for some reason you want to clean your rotors, you should sand the pad at the same time. Maybe there is a different process for organic pads but I can’t speak to that as I always use semi metallic.

Sealant based on color? That’s a new one…
I guess we might have stumbled upon a potential reason for poor braking performance. Yay, maybe I don't need to replace the brakes.
 

krink

Eddie Munster
But either of these two seem better than alternatives like Hope or Magura.
I wouldn’t say that. I have shimano brakes on previous bikes but my last 2 builds Ive used Magura. They are as solid and well engineered as any other I have ever used and bleeding them is simple and quick. Reading this thread, I’ve got to agree with previous posters, I dont think it’s a model or brand issue. I think it’s a setup issue.
 

BPaze

Well-Known Member
I wouldn’t say that. I have shimano brakes on previous bikes but my last 2 builds Ive used Magura. They are as solid and well engineered as any other I have ever used and bleeding them is simple and quick. Reading this thread, I’ve got to agree with previous posters, I dont think it’s a model or brand issue. I think it’s a setup issue.
Can you bleed mine, I really like them but can't get a bleed to hold. I have tried I have had shops try just won't hold. I should probably replace the piston seals to make sure.
 

krink

Eddie Munster
Can you bleed mine, I really like them but can't get a bleed to hold. I have tried I have had shops try just won't hold. I should probably replace the piston seals to make sure.
After shipping one of my bikes across country with some rough handling I noticed that I had a leak at the brake line- lever interface. I was loosing my bite every few weeks even with rebleeding. I cut off the last inch and resealed the connection and it hasn’t been a problem since. If you have the room to do so, I would start with resealing the ends of the brake lines and re-bleeding. I would do that before the piston seals. Not saying they’re bulletproof, just think they’re as good as the others. To me all else seems like preference.
 
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