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Morning all
Looking to upgrade my brakes on my giant roam bike. I’m considering changing them to some SRAM hydraulic brakes. Is there any certain models to avoid or what are other people using ?
Thanks
Tom
Seems a bit weird to choose a brand then try and find a model to suit. There's lots of great brakes out there now to suit all budgets. Any particular reason to focus on Sram?
Older SRAM Guide RS 4 pot's here. Having felt the 'lower' end models, the lever pull is better on the RS with the cam - more like Shimano. Problem free for the last 6 years (replaced the lever pistons myself - known issue).
Mrs bike had SLX, again problem free.
What brakes do you have now and are they broken?
I've got Guide R's and never had an issue with them, they're pretty good, people say the RS is better and I could believe that too.
Seems a bit weird to choose a brand then try and find a model to suit. There’s lots of great brakes out there now to suit all budgets. Any particular reason to focus on Sram?
To be fair, Avid and early SRAM brakes had known issues with the lever cylinder piston swelling, Shimano have issues with the caliper pistons wearing, Magura and Hope have issues with costing as much as the GDP of a small country (probably a small island with few resources, but still £££). If you get a good set of SRAM they're as good as any really.
Shimano have issues with the caliper pistons wearing
and the inter-casting O ring leaking.....
Looking at the Roam it looks like a hybrid bike so you probably don’t need anything with eye popping power for steep tech off road stuff.
If sram the level is fine for a hybrid I’d say - just there are lots of variants. Some have a lever with no hinges clamp so you need to take the grips off to slide them on and they aren’t matchmaker compatible. I think the Level TL has the nicer bar clamp. There are a lot of oem brakes about - just make sure the ones you order definitely come with bar clamps - some of the ones at CRC don’t.
If you want a touch more power than the Guide is the next brake up - but having run levels on a hybrid they were fine - albeit in only about 75kgs so not a heavy rider.
Equally a Shimano deore 2 pot would do a job / Formula Cura 2 / Clark’s M2 (budget and very cheap option) / Magura MT4 etc.
Personally I’ve had a bad experience with a few Shimano brake calipers micro leaking so I give them a big swerve personally.
Sram Guide RE, totally underrated brake, not to be mixed up with the basic R. Get them for bargain prices on FB, as ppl have to upgrade from crap sram, without ever trying them.
I've got Guide RE too, no issues, cheap from Amazon. My new bike has Shimano Deore M6100, again great.
I think there are some Sram Level T brake son the Bossnut and they are very good - completely fit and forget (or as I discover when I'm out, it tends to be fit and forget they are there until the very last minute - clearly a different riding style to my own as I have a filthy love affair with my brakes and just can't let them go!).
Anyway, the Level T brakes seem to work very well - I've not had to bleed them yet but have replaced the pads twice now. I suspect the bleed will turn them rubbish for the first few weeks and then they'll be good again as that seems to be the way with brake bleeding and me.
Magura MT5 if you can find them are cheap and extremely powerful. DH powerful really so maybe a bit much.