Mountain Biking - Quiz: Which of the following methods will improve hydro disc brake performance?

Read over and carefully think about each answer.


A) After Market Levers
B) After Market Hose
C) Different Pad compounds
D) None of them improve anything.
E)It's a giant, it doesn't need improvement.

Results will be posted on Saturday at around 8pm.

tires?

Don't see tires for any of the choices.

Don't see tires for any of the choices.

that was my way of implicitly saying D. You don't strike me as the fanboy type, so E gets shot.

could it be C...(?)

Wouldn't A, B, and C all improve them slightly, well that is if they are replaced for better ones.

Wouldn't A, B, and C all improve them slightly, well that is if they are replaced for better ones.

Depends how you define performance. I'm sure that you could basically brake quickly with any half-decent system out there when you have a strong grip.

The ambiguous nature of the question (ie. what is performance) leads me to the assertion that the correct answer is D

Depends how you define performance. I'm sure that you could basically brake quickly with any half-decent system out there when you have a strong grip.

The ambiguous nature of the question (ie. what is performance) leads me to the assertion that the correct answer is DA strong grip does not equal better braking performance.

A strong grip does not equal better braking performance.

See? There we go again. "Better braking performance". What does "Better braking performance mean"?

Do you even have hydro's? Do you even have a set of disc brakes?

Better Braking Performance does not have a single thing to do with what you do to get it it to stop, that's braking technique.

Better Braking Perfomance: Small parts that can be changed to improve the brakes overall performance.

Do you even have hydro's? Do you even have a set of disc brakes?

Better Braking Performance does not have a single thing to do with what you do to get it it to stop, that's braking technique.

Better Braking Perfomance: Small parts that can be changed to improve the brakes overall performance.

Overall brake performance? What do you mean? Power? Modulation? You could be talking about how ergodynamic the levers are for all we know.

I'll be awaiting the answer, and your explanation for it. Might be interesting.

I would say all. And I'm sure you will say that it is not all, but who really cares. It's all personal opinion, if someone thinks a better feeling lever will improve their brakes performance, I'm not gonna argue with them.

Kind of stupid thread in my opinion...

It is kind of stupid, but at least it isn't another sram vs shimano thread.

Better Braking Perfomance: Small parts that can be changed to improve the brakes overall performance.
How do new parts become necessary for Better Braking Performance? Couldn't bleeding help performance without adding new parts? Don't people learn in grade school that it doesn't really work to use the term in the definition?
/Sorry, feeling snarky tonight.

It is kind of stupid, but at least it isn't another sram vs shimano thread.

Yeah, but still somewhat intriguing. A thread I would like to see is which of the driveline components most affect shifting performance (derailleur, cassette, chain, cables, shifters, etc)

Better Braking Perfomance: Small parts that can be changed to improve the brakes overall performance.
How do new parts become necessary for Better Braking Performance? Couldn't bleeding help performance without adding new parts? Don't people learn in grade school that it doesn't really work to use the term in the definition?
/Sorry, feeling snarky tonight.

The term was not used, where are you looking?

as a moderator, can you edit the typo in this thread title?

I think I need to get some sleep.

He can but he's purposefully doing it to drive you nuts :D

How's AZ, MX?

How's AZ, MX?

it has been great. just trying to get my time organized. trying to get the weight lifting in...if nothing else, a couple times a week. i have a pretty good idea of what i am doing so i can usually make it work. it's not optimal though. i still need to get my mtb bikes a little more thorn proof for out here. still haven't really decided what measures i will take.

i am buying some really nice new lupine lights that just came out. this will help my darkness falls problem. i already bought a cool dinotte rear red "brake" light.

i am incredibly excited about the guru geneo bike i am going to build in a couple months :D

oh, i didn't forget about about the mx pictures. i can't wait to show you sometime. problem is they were taken before digital was prevalent so i need to scan them. i am waiting for the chance to get use of a good scanner. i should have southwick, unadilla, broome-tioga, budds creek, steele city, raceway park, and loretta lynn's pics. i think anyway...we usually bought some when the guy taking pics would come to the events :)

Lever changes hand and finger positions, making it more comfortable and possibly giving you more control.

Aftermarket hose? Not sure, but there has to be a reason Goodridge lines and hardware are so expensive, possibly decrease line inflation/expansion and flex? This is my best bet.

Pad compounds, softer=stopping power=less pad life, harder=less stopping=more life=more heat, it's all up to the rider in what his opinion of performance is.

Giant is balls. Sweaty balls.



*Waits for pete to pick apart post to belittle me*

Lever changes hand and finger positions, making it more comfortable and possibly giving you more control.

he...


Aftermarket hose? Not sure, but there has to be a reason Goodridge lines and hardware are so expensive, possibly decrease line inflation/expansion and flex? This is my best bet.

is....


Pad compounds, softer=stopping power=less pad life, harder=less stopping=more life=more heat, it's all up to the rider in what his opinion of performance is.

coming...


Giant is balls. Sweaty balls.

sometimes....i'm not gettin' that frame for a while i have decided - just upgrade my alite 500(light,strong)


*Waits for pete to pick apart post to belittle me*

just a second.....:p

A = different levers can change the leverage needed to apply the brakes.

B = Cheap lines can swell and possible cause brake fade when heated up.

C = Pad material can certainly change things going from cintered, to organic, to metallic, etc, etc.

So I'm going with A, B and C as they all can improve performance.

Better Braking Perfomance: Small parts that can be changed to improve* (synonym, doesn't clarify meaning any further) the brakes* overall performance*.
Better Braking Performance= improved performance for your brakes. Great definition!

properly bedding in the pads is #1

D. Slowing down is overrated.

Better Braking Perfomance: Small parts that can be changed to improve* (synonym, doesn't clarify meaning any further) the brakes* overall performance*.
Better Braking Performance= improved performance for your brakes. Great definition!

Not getting into a pissing match over text and how it is to be used, it is past me. It got the point across, which is what I intended it to do.

My vote still falls on lines.

So anyway, Smashy- why does the answer come at 8 pm on Sat?

BTW, is that EST, CST, MST, or PST? Daylight savings? What about Arizona- they have weird time zones on account of Indian reservations.

Is the answer, eight?

42

Overall brake performance? What do you mean? Power? Modulation? You could be talking about how ergodynamic the levers are for all we know.

I'll be awaiting the answer, and your explanation for it. Might be interesting.

I agree with Ben here. You have to define performance because the word means different things to different people.

However, of your choices, I say compund. Compound can allow you to significantly affect braking performance. For example:
People a, b and c are all using the same brakes. Person a is a 90 lb lightweight who does xc, person b is a clydesdale that does xc, and person c a clydesdale who does downhill.

With that, you could have
The brakes work great for person a, however, not enough initial bite or stopping power for person b, so he uses a different compound pad. Person c uses the same pads as person b, however, since he's doing downhill, he gets his brakes much hotter than person b, and the compound experiences bad brake fade. So person c uses a different compound that has poor initial bite and braking when cold (bad for xc), but work great at high temps.

Levers & brake lines offer better brake feel and modulation since the forcr from your hand isn't going into flexing levers and hose. Flexing hoses & levers just adds vagueness to the brake feel. Stiffer levers & hoses ensures that the force from your hands goes to braking, however, this doesn't allow you to fine tune your brakes performance based on your needs (lightweight doing xc - good grip at low operating temps, clydes doing downhill - good grip at very high opertating temps, etc) like pad compound.

Trick question, as there is no "All of the above" choice below A, B and C. 'A' can be debated; but pivot points can be moved affecting performance at the other end as with Twenty6 levers. Galfer (or other braided-steel-jacket) lines claim to increase performance (cannot verify that, though). And pad compounds can be formulated for bias toward long wear or more 'grip' at the expense of some longevity.

And pad compounds can be formulated for bias toward long wear or more 'grip' at the expense of some longevity.

I still vote pads because you can design for more than just wear vs grip. You can tune pads for application. I know for cars, you can get pads designed for events like Solo II racing, which is relatively low speed. These pads have good grip and bite at low operating temps. High speed events like Solo I you can get pads that are designed for good grip and bite at high operating temps. Both will be shorter lived performance pads, but with two completely different purposes.

A xc race is very different than a downhill race. Pad compounds designed for each could be a great benefit. Levers are singular ... you can increase or decrease leverage, but that's about it. You can use increased leverage to make up for inadequate pads for the job for sure ..... but them, I'm going under the assumption that brake manufacturers have refined their design enough to start thinking of pad compounds designed for purpose ... Long life, xc racing, downhill racing, some kind of mix, cold weather racing, whatever the demand may be ... There are so many great possibilities to optimize specific brake needs ... even if the brakes themselves could use more refining.

42

That'll be THE answer, not the answer ;)

On bikes I've used extra grippy DH pads, "normal pads," organic pads, etc. and I haven't noticed a significant difference between them other than the grippy DH pads wore very quickly.Yeah, I figure in real life noticeable differences may be elusive; but since Smashy was talking "improve performance," I voted that in even if it might take a test-bench and instruments to measure.

I would not pick one answer over the other until I know which brand and model of hydros you are referring to. Some have better calipers and or pads, some have better hoses and/or fluid and as for levers, that would depend on personal preference and length of the riders fingers.



Yeah, I figure in real life noticeable differences may be elusive; but since Smashy was talking "improve performance," I voted that in even if it might take a test-bench and instruments to measure.

I can say that I can tell the diff when upgrading parts of a brake system. Especially when my fat arse is traveling down a slope and I need to slow it down for the upcoming hairpin. ;) At the end of the day is when you can really tell the difference. That last run could either be "Holy shyte!! I cant slow down!! ***SMACK in to the tree or bolder you go***"" or you walk away with little or no damage to yer ride. :D

DBD

I think that as long as you are skidding in muddy trails it doesn't matter.

See's if somebody catches the reference

I think that as long as you are skidding in muddy trails it doesn't matter.

See's if somebody catches the reference

Reference is understood.;)

Ok, the answer is it's a trick question, if you answered A, B, or C or answered AB and C you are correct.