Mountain Biking - more powerful brakes?

I have the Hayes Hydraulic HFX-9 XC....simply put, they're not as powerful as I'd like them to be while going downhill. I don't go offroad, but just b/c I'm in TN there are some huge ass hills and well I want something with more power to stop me. I have a 2k4 kona hoss dee lux with the marzocchi exr pro fork, any suggested upgrades?

Most powerful brakes period - Magura Gustav's....only ones certified for Tandem use

Do you have 8in rotors?

no they're 6" rotors. Will my bike support 8" rotors? I'd like to keep it under 300 total and I'd like to stay hydraulic.

Under $300 total would be hard....and your bike wont support 8inch rotors I believe....check with Kona though. The Gustavs run about $220 each....you could always get Avid mechs, I think theyre more powerful than Hayes :D

I don't know. But 8in increase power by 33% per brake.

yeah...I want 8" rotors then. LoL. What about the Avid Juicy's?

The power thing is mainly due to the head factor. Is the problem your having just on long DH's....or just braking normally. Im not sure about power on the Juicys, but I imagine theyre on par with the Hayes. I imagine you could get 7inch rotors.....whats the front fork on the Hoss dee?

True true. All brakes should lock (if they don't check for contamination or rebleed)...

also with the hfx9's check the reach of the lever. Try moving it out to increase the leverage and get more hand power.

8in rotors really only make a diff when doing prolonged dh where you engage the brakes often and for long periods.

My brakes get hot and I can squeeze them all the way back to the bar, the front brake is the main problem, my back one will lock up, but my front one gets overly hot and ends up smelling once I stop. I called the LBS and they recommended Shimano® Saint BR-M800 Disc Brake System, any good?

You need bigger rotors and you need to stop using your brakes so much. Classic big man rider syntdrom :)

LoL! It's like a good 1/4+ coast all downhill from my house to the main road...what am I to do :( how do I stop using my brakes so much. LoL. You tell me?! What about those Saint's?

Saint's need centerlock hubs don't they? So you would be buying new wheel(or atleast the hubs) and new brakes. Of course I could be wrong.....

IMO most hydro discs are the same, as long as you can lock up the wheels thats as much power as your going to get. I would just go for some Hayes HFX-9HD w/8inch rotors or something like that.

I can squeeze them all the way back to the bar

I was having a similar problem a few months ago with my Magura's Julies (which I don't recommend) and was able to solve it by bleeding the brake lines and calipers. You may just have lost some fluid in the system and be squeezing on some air. You might also need to adjust the reach as suggested by another post, but bleeding couldn't hurt IMHO. Good luck.

Tyler

Alright. Bleeding has been done, so that isn't the problem. The brakes (the front ones anyways) get very hot, very quick, and lose their stopping power. I am looking into the Avid Juicy 7's
http://www.hawleyusa.com/Webstore/ItemDetails.aspx?ItemID=BKST2088&Control=&FromPage=http://www.hawleyusa.com/Webstore/BrowseItems.aspx
and the Hayes HD line http://www.hawleyusa.com/Webstore/ItemDetails.aspx?ItemID=BKST5036&Control=&FromPage=http://www.hawleyusa.com/Webstore/BrowseItems.aspx

I already have hayes on the rear, so I'd prefer to stick with hayes, any overwhelming reason why I should go with avid instead? Also, I think I'm just going to replace the front one since that's the only one currently giving me problems.

I have the Hayes Hydraulic HFX-9 XC....simply put, they're not as powerful as I'd like them to be while going downhill. I don't go offroad, but just b/c I'm in TN there are some huge ass hills and well I want something with more power to stop me. I have a 2k4 kona hoss dee lux with the marzocchi exr pro fork, any suggested upgrades?


Try going up on Disc size. I Use 200 mm f&R and they stop.

That's what I'm planning on doing ;) I'm looking into the 203mm HD hayes and the 203mm Avid Juicys ;)

Can't you just roll most of the hill and only use the brakes at the end? The nines shouldn't lock up. The leverage screw is messed up on mine too. Try loctiting it. Works for some people. Didn't seem to work for me.

You should look into getting 8" rotors and new adapters so you can use em. That would probably cost you $50-$75.

Odd, my front brake wasn't anywhere nearly as bad with the leverage screw backing out problem as the rear.

That's what I'm planning on doing ;) I'm looking into the 203mm HD hayes and the 203mm Avid Juicys ;)

Try just getting new rotors because replacing it all with Avid brake systems.

that's the problem...I wait til the bottom of the hill and use my brakes (except for two corners where I use the brakes for a few seconds) and they still don't have adequate power...can I upgrade my current brakes by just getting different rotors and some kind of an adapter? If so can someone help me out with some links maybe? Thanks!

I found the rotor without problem, but I am a little confused as to which one of these I get. LoL. I have a marzocchi EXR Pro 100mm fork and the Shimano HB-M475 disc Hub. So which do I get? http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product.aspx?i=BR708C16
IS 20mm thru axle forks, 74mm post, boxxer or all I.S. Frames? there are descrips on the site, I'm just a little unsure w/ what to get.

I dont think 8inch rotors would fit on that fork...or on that frame, check before you blow $75.

that's the problem...I wait til the bottom of the hill and use my brakes (except for two corners where I use the brakes for a few seconds) and they still don't have adequate power...can I upgrade my current brakes by just getting different rotors and some kind of an adapter? If so can someone help me out with some links maybe? Thanks!


I think he means wait till you're coasting after the hill, unless that's what you mean too...

Have you tried just breaking a little at a time down the hill to maintain a more constant (but lower) speed?

here is the problem it's alllll down hill til I hit a main road. Only problem is there is no room for "coasting" to slow down. It's all down hill til I hit the main road, otherwise I'd coast as much as i can :D

The road is completely downhill directly into a cross street at which point he HAS to stop. It's not like he can coast out into the cross street and slow down that way. It's a pretty busy road so stopping is his only option. The big problem is that those 6" rotors are being asked to stop a 450 lb rider and a 33 lb bike. I don't think they're made for that. lol

^^nuff said.

putting 6" rotors on your bike is like putting drum brakes off an 86 CRX HF on a tractor trailer. it might stop someday.... if you're lucky.

hey now **** >:o

Can't you just use adapters to make the frame/fork fit 8" rotors? Are there any problems associated with this, IE overstressing the fork?

Exactly.

I checked, and I need the standard IS frame adapter which will move my caliper to the correct position, the rotor, adapter, and shipping were right under 50 bucks. I'll report sometime next week as to how the upgrade goes and if I note any difference in braking.

Sounds like you want one of these brake levers. Plus better disc brakes, I hear avid mechs are good, go for something 8 inch and mech.

Go 8inch Hydraulic I too have a hoss deelux and also a Stinky Primo. I use mechanical on the hoss and hydraulic on the stinky. Mechanicals are good but hydraulic makes stopping way easier. 8 inch rotors for your weight will do a world of good. Also wavy rotors might be a good option they don't get super hot when you brake for long periods.

Try these
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=168&category=15
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/5154/RaiynRockhopper6.jpg
I use the 6" version on my Rockhopper with my Avid Mechs and noticed a jump in stopping power. The 8's with Hayes hydros should be insane.

Wouldn't those discs cut the pads out faster?

Wouldn't those discs cut the pads out faster?
No why would they? I've noticed exactly the opposite.

those are possibly the meanest lookin discs ive seen, they are really cool looking, in 8's they would be killer....hayes hyrdos the best you can get?

oh ya, is that a judy xc fork?

hayes hydro are up there, but I think Hope makes a 6 piston caliber for DH racing Id assume that can probably stop a small car. LoL.

Hayes really dont have an enormous amount of stopping power. The area of the piston on the Hayes is about the same as that of the 6 pistons on the Hopes....the more pistons just modulate better.

No why would they? I've noticed exactly the opposite.
Yeah if they were perfectly flat that would mean less contact on the pads and less wear. Sweet looking discs.

But the day I have disc brakes on my bike is the day I shoot myself in the face. And it would probably be the same day I get a FS bike.

Yeah if they were perfectly flat that would mean less contact on the pads and less wear. Sweet looking discs.

But the day I have disc brakes on my bike is the day I shoot myself in the face. And it would probably be the same day I get a FS bike.Why would you shoot yourself??

Retro Grouch syndrom :) ;)

bahahahahaha old timer! that's why!

Yeah... I don't see anything wrong with discs and FS bikes. I'm all for technology. And those rotors are mega sweet looking. I saw them on jensonusa.com and I kinda wondered if stopping power would be improved or reduced with my Avid mechs.

Yeah if they were perfectly flat that would mean less contact on the pads and less wear. Sweet looking discs.
It's not that there's LESS contact it's the fact that the leading edge is sweeping accross the pad differently than a normal rotor.

Yeah... I don't see anything wrong with discs and FS bikes. I'm all for technology. And those rotors are mega sweet looking. I saw them on jensonusa.com and I kinda wondered if stopping power would be improved or reduced with my Avid mechs.
I noticed an improvement. That's MY front wheel in the picture

I should have noticed... XT hubs :p What kinda shock is that you have? It's some sort of Rock Shox with U-turn... Psylo XC?

I WOULD post a pic of my front wheel but it'd stretch the forum out and blah blah blah.

bahahahahaha old timer! that's why!


Old timer :(

Only being 15, I think I'm in trouble here :eek:

you still like old time components...has nothing to do with your age son :)