Natwerk Designs

what is a good set of hydraulic disc brakes for XC?

im getting tired of my LX dual control levers. they dont provide the cinsistent modulation that i demand and they are just plain old and poorly designed. ive hchanged the fluid and no difference. i need to buy a new set of brakes. i was told by guys from the shop that Hayes and Avid are the better brands.Magura is wicked expensive and they dont provide good modulation. i cant afford XTR either, or i would get that. i was really into the new hayes stroker. it has a lever reach adjustment, which i need because i have smaller hands. i will buy off ebay, unless i find a good deal elsewhere. here are my "must haves": fairly light good modulation lever reach adjustment a reservoir that sits away from the handlebars (my current levers are very tight to the bars and the hoses rub against the carbon!) must be fairly inexpensive, i dont have a big bank. hydraulic, 160mm with a 6 bolt rotor attachment. what brake systems do you reccommend for XC racing? a guy at another shop reccommends Hayes 9, or Shimano XT with the quad piston design. the shimanos sound pretty cool. a guy at another shop reccommends Hayes 9, or Shimano XT with the quad piston design. the shimanos sound pretty cool.

Public Comments

1. u should go talk to your fellow racers and see what they are racing. lol
2. Avid Juicy 5's are good value, easy to maintain, great modulation and fit small hands well - my bike shop friends recommend that brake over all others. I do love the new Martas though - that red adonization looks very sharp on Specialized bikes! Not sure where you heard that they don't modulate well - the set I last used on my bike store manager's single speed were the most amazing I have ever used. I don't disagree about the price though. Stay far away from Hayes if you can - they work well most of the time - but the maintenance needed is high, and I have experienced pad drag issues, sticky calipers and a leaky bleed valve on the FX9's I have.