Disc brake woes (aka. Did I make a boo-boo?)



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psycho-

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Aug 23, 2003
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Okay, here is a slightly drawn out story in condensed form:

I have a Cannondale Jekyll 500
I wanted new wheels, i bought mavic x3.1 UST rims w/ XT hubs
Oops, they're disk
ooh, ebay has Avids, I heard they're good
I buy avids at 120 for a set, but wait....there is the 8" rotors at just 40 bucks more for the set.
Well, I'm a heavy person (around 190 lbs), I need that extra oomph.

So, i bought these:
Avid SD Titanium levers Avid Flak Jacket from online store
Avid 203mm F&R on ebay.

Beyond the known added 200 grams of weight from the larger sized rotors, did I make a boo boo in buying a larger disc brake set than necessary for xc/all mountain?

Thanks

Victor
 
"psycho-" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Okay, here is a slightly drawn out story in condensed form:
>
> I have a Cannondale Jekyll 500 I wanted new wheels, i bought mavic x3.1 UST rims w/ XT hubs Oops,
> they're disk ooh, ebay has Avids, I heard they're good I buy avids at 120 for a set, but
> wait....there is the 8" rotors at just 40 bucks more for the set. Well, I'm a heavy person (around
> 190 lbs), I need that extra oomph.
>
> So, i bought these: Avid SD Titanium levers Avid Flak Jacket from online store Avid 203mm F&R
> on ebay.
>
> Beyond the known added 200 grams of weight from the larger sized rotors, did I make a boo boo in
> buying a larger disc brake set than necessary for xc/all mountain?
>
> Thanks
>
> Victor
>
Ok so I'm guessing you are concerned about the weight? 200 grams aint ****. **** before your ride
and you have already saved the weight. If you are curious about the Avids, then I do have a bit of
experience there. I believe Avid Mech's are good. My first set of mech disc's were Avids and I love
them, they do not compair to my hydraulics, but for a mech set they cant be beat. If you have the 8"
rotors then all the more power too you, wish I had 8" myself. My advice, stop being a weight weenie
and condition your body to push the extra weight.
 
, wish I had
> 8" myself.

Ok so before anyone else notices it..I really do wish I had 8"..who else here doesn't?
 
psycho- wrote:

> Okay, here is a slightly drawn out story in condensed form:
>
> I have a Cannondale Jekyll 500 I wanted new wheels, i bought mavic x3.1 UST rims w/ XT hubs Oops,
> they're disk ooh, ebay has Avids, I heard they're good I buy avids at 120 for a set, but
> wait....there is the 8" rotors at just 40 bucks more for the set. Well, I'm a heavy person (around
> 190 lbs), I need that extra oomph.
>
> So, i bought these: Avid SD Titanium levers Avid Flak Jacket from online store Avid 203mm F&R
> on ebay.
>
> Beyond the known added 200 grams of weight from the larger sized rotors, did I make a boo boo in
> buying a larger disc brake set than necessary for xc/all mountain?
>
> Thanks
>
> Victor
>
>
>
> --
> **********************
> victor
> **********************
>
>
>>--------------------------<
>
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

I weigh 230 and use standard sized rotors with my Hayes mechanicals (on a Jekyll also :)).
Zero problems.

Avid brakes have a good rep. Maybe you overdid it with the bigger rotors. But, IMO, your mistake is
the titanium skewer and possibly the avid flack jackets. A skewer is a really bad place to save a
couple of grams using titanium -- they have a history of failing -- and putting the unlucky rider in
the hospital... The avid flack jackets have a bad rep. I'm using Gore Ride-ons. They're awesome.
Regular cables didn't last because of the crud that would get in the lower piece in water crossings
or riding in the rain. I've had these completely submerged several times and been riding all summer
in the east coast rain we've been having and they feel like new
:). I'm considering them for my shifters next :).

David
 
"psycho-" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Okay, here is a slightly drawn out story in condensed form:
>
> I have a Cannondale Jekyll 500 I wanted new wheels, i bought mavic x3.1 UST rims w/ XT hubs Oops,
> they're disk ooh, ebay has Avids, I heard they're good I buy avids at 120 for a set, but
> wait....there is the 8" rotors at just 40 bucks more for the set. Well, I'm a heavy person (around
> 190 lbs), I need that extra oomph.
>
> So, i bought these: Avid SD Titanium levers Avid Flak Jacket from online store Avid 203mm F&R
> on ebay.
>
> Beyond the known added 200 grams of weight from the larger sized rotors, did I make a boo boo in
> buying a larger disc brake set than necessary for xc/all mountain?

Whats the problem? It they're too big, get the 6 inch adapter and rotor and sell the 8 inch adapter
and rotor on Ebay.
 
Avid brakes have a good rep. Maybe you overdid it with the bigger rotors. But, IMO, your mistake is
the titanium skewer and possibly the avid flack jackets. A skewer is a really bad place to save a
couple of grams using titanium -- they have a history of failing -- and putting the unlucky rider in
the hospital... The avid flack jackets have a bad rep. I'm using Gore Ride-ons. They're awesome.
Regular cables didn't last because of the crud that would get in the lower piece in water crossings
or riding in the rain. I've had these completely submerged several times and been riding all summer
in the east coast rain we've been having and they feel like new
:). I'm considering them for my shifters next :).


Ohh, I didn't get titanium skewers, I got the titanium speed dial brake levers. It wasn't weight saving, the store I bought it from just had them really cheap for the 2003 models, so I bought it over the Speed DIal 7 and other models.

I guess the problem I was wondering wasn't being a weight weenie, but the fact that the 203 mm rotors, I found out were supposed to be for downhill hubs (20mm monsters), and could affect the hub and disc brake mount longevity on my non-downhill bike.

On the other hand, thanks for the heads up on the flak jackets. I'll see what I can do about that. I got those really ghetto cheap too.
 
T_Blood wrote:
> , wish I had
>
>>8" myself.
>
>
> Ok so before anyone else notices it..I really do wish I had 8"..who else here doesn't?

Me. I'm quite happy with 9" thanks :)
 
"bomba" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> T_Blood wrote:
> > , wish I had
> >
> >>8" myself.
> >
> >
> > Ok so before anyone else notices it..I really do wish I had 8"..who else here doesn't?
>
> Me. I'm quite happy with 9" thanks :)

I was gonna say, "Why downgrade?"

Bill "{insert adolescent jokes here}" S.
 
"Sorni" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "bomba" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > T_Blood wrote:
> > > , wish I had
> > >
> > >>8" myself.
> > >
> > >
> > > Ok so before anyone else notices it..I really do wish I had 8"..who else here doesn't?
> >
> > Me. I'm quite happy with 9" thanks :)
>
> I was gonna say, "Why downgrade?"
>
> Bill "{insert adolescent jokes here}" S.

Uhh, I think you already did. :)

I knew I could count on you for a good ****-measuring contest.

Spider
 
The 6" rotors should be fine. I weigh 185 and have no problems stopping with mine. The real problem
I have is that the way my brakes were packaged and shipped (calipers packaged near the center of the
rotors) caused the rotors to be slightly bent causing a lot of anoying rubbing unless I leave them
really lose. Even set really lose they still stop better than my rim brakes ever did.

psycho- <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> Okay, here is a slightly drawn out story in condensed form:
>
> I have a Cannondale Jekyll 500 I wanted new wheels, i bought mavic x3.1 UST rims w/ XT hubs Oops,
> they're disk ooh, ebay has Avids, I heard they're good I buy avids at 120 for a set, but
> wait....there is the 8" rotors at just 40 bucks more for the set. Well, I'm a heavy person (around
> 190 lbs), I need that extra oomph.
>
> So, i bought these: Avid SD Titanium levers Avid Flak Jacket from online store Avid 203mm F&R
> on ebay.
>
> Beyond the known added 200 grams of weight from the larger sized rotors, did I make a boo boo in
> buying a larger disc brake set than necessary for xc/all mountain?
>
> Thanks
>
> Victor
>
>
>
> --
> **********************
> victor
> **********************
>
>>--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com
 
"T_Blood" <[email protected]> wrote in <munch>
>> Victor
>>
> Ok so I'm guessing you are concerned about the weight? 200 grams aint ****. **** before your ride
> and you have already saved the weight.
<munch>

I'm so tired of hearing this lame argument. I ride to work constantly with a 15 to 20 LB pack on my
back and it doesn't affect my riding or bikes handling much if at all. If I would put that much
weight onto the bike it would be a real miserable ride. The fact is that the lighter your bike is,
the easier it is to handle. That is why people spend so much time and money on making their bike as
light as possible.
 
Mr. E. Mann wrote:

> ... The real problem I have is that the way my brakes were packaged and shipped (calipers
> packaged near the center of the rotors) caused the rotors to be slightly bent causing a lot of
> anoying rubbing unless I leave them really lose. Even set really lose they still stop better than
> my rim brakes ever did.
>
> psycho- <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

Most rotors can be straightened. I thought that I had that problem when I 1st installed my Hayes
manuals. Hayes emailed me to identify the places that were out of true by the rub of the pads, and
then to take a crescent wrench and carefully bend it back a little at a time. Turned out that I was
just trying to run the brakes too tight for brand new discs (I couldn't find any out of true spots
:)). No problems now :).

David
 
Mr. E. Mann wrote:
> "T_Blood" <[email protected]> wrote in <munch>
>
>>>Victor
>>>
>>
>>Ok so I'm guessing you are concerned about the weight? 200 grams aint ****. **** before your ride
>>and you have already saved the weight.
>
> <munch>
>
> I'm so tired of hearing this lame argument. I ride to work constantly with a 15 to 20 LB pack on
> my back and it doesn't affect my riding or bikes handling much if at all. If I would put that much
> weight onto the bike it would be a real miserable ride. The fact is that the lighter your bike is,
> the easier it is to handle. That is why people spend so much time and money on making their bike
> as light as possible.

This is true on the road. But, I've found that the difference of 1/2 a water bottle on the frame vs.
in my hydration pak makes a difference in climbing and in rough/technical terrain -- I can move the
bike around easier. I've learned to empty the frame bottle 1st to make my riding better! Obviously,
a couple of grams isn't going to make much difference, but grams add up over multiple components!

YMMV. David
 
> The fact is that the lighter your bike is, the easier it is to handle. That is why people spend so
> much time and
money
> on making their bike as light as possible.

Actually, it's because some people have more $ than they know what to do with. And it's easier to
slap down the CC rather than working thru the pain to get their ass in shape.
--
Slacker - damn, where'd I put my credit card
 
What do the bike touring folks do? I don't see many of them with back packs, they stuff everything
on the bike.

Steve.

Slacker wrote:
>>The fact is that the lighter your bike is, the easier it is to handle. That is why people spend so
>>much time and
>
> money
>
>>on making their bike as light as possible.
>
>
>
> Actually, it's because some people have more $ than they know what to do with. And it's easier to
> slap down the CC rather than working thru the pain to get their ass in shape.
> --
> Slacker - damn, where'd I put my credit card
 
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