gopheralex

I have a 2015 Trek CrossRip Elite with Hayes CX5 Expert mechanical disc brakes, 160mm front, 140mm rear. I am not happy with them -- even after lots of hard stops, they are just not very strong.

I think part of the problem is the Sora levers. There's a strong spring resistance, the pivot point is halfway down the lever, and they don't offer a lot of mechanical advantage. From the bar tops, I have to squeeze as hard as I can to execute a sudden stop.

This bike also has bar-top brake levers, which offer more leverage than the STIs, but they take up space on the bar and make it impossible to use a handlebar bag.

So, I need some advice:

- Can I get better/stronger pads than the stock pads?
- How much would it help to bump to 180mm front/160mm rear?
- If all else fails, are there better road mech disc brakes available?

bengreen79

I have heard that cross-type interrupter levers cause there to be too much flex in the system however I have never ridden a bike with interrupter levers so I can't say I have experienced it myself. You may want to check in the cyclocross forums. I do have an Avid BB7 road mechanical disc brake on my MTB (needed that due to road-pull cantilever levers) and I have no problems with front braking power.

cale

Hard to say about the pads. You'll need to pull them first and see what you got. Pads might look fine, might look unevenly worn, might have embedded debris, a contamination, etc. Pad condition will tell you something.

For instance, if the pads are wearing normally, that suggests a lever or cable problem. The bikes I have made with mechanical disc brakes have all benefited from Jagwire Mountain Pro brake housing. It is super stiff and therefore less bendy. Housing compression makes braking feel mushy.

The Sora levers may not be providing enough mechanical advantage. Try repositioning the levers slightly higher on the bar, or tip the bar up slightly, if you frequently brake from the hoods. Combination brake/shifters are also available for smaller hands but it would be best to explore changing things slightly before getting into replacement's.

It is possible that Sora levers can be adjusted for reach, the distance between the bar and the lever. IDK

DorkDisk

Mechanical discs benefit the most from compressionless housing and high quality slick + thick cables. Most bikes come with pretty good cable sets but there are always better, up to Nokon aluminum housing

Aside from that, the only thing I can think of is setup. Make sure the caliper actuator arm is getting full travel, ensure that the pads make contact with the rotor when the lever is at least halfway pulled, and to set pad travel at the caliper . Mechanical discs are all about leverage - any of these can be limiting your power. Many shops set up their mechanical levers to feel firm and to contact the pad with minimum lever travel. This is a mistake, make sure that the lever makes contact around halfway through its travel for maximum leverage and modulation. On the other hand, leave some room for pad wear so that your lever doesn't bottom out. Barrel adjustors on cable discs should only be used to get rid of cable slack. Adjustments should be done at the caliper, since moving the barrel adjustors can limit the travel of the actuator arm

I would pull the whole system, check the cables, sand the rotors and pads, and scrub them with alcohol, and put the whole thing back together carefully following proper instructions. Then properly bed in the pads and rotors by repeated hard braking.

Larger rotors improve braking for sure, and organic pads help.

BB7s seem to be what most people recommend, there are also cable actuated hydraulic systems . Or go hydraulic

gopheralex

Thanks all. Much to think about. I will look at stiffer housing, maybe getting rid of the bar-top levers, and changing the pads.

gopheralex

Following up for anyone interested...

I switched to compressionless housing and removed the cross brake levers. Less mushy, but still not much difference in power.

Changed out the pads for organics. Not much difference.

Added a 180mm rotor in front and moved the 160mm rotor to the rear. A little bit of difference, but still not good enough.

Swapped out the CX-5s for TRP HY/RDs. Significant improvement. I can now say that I am satisfied with my braking performance. I can make good emergency stops and I can lock up the rear wheel from the hoods, which I could never do with the CX-5s.

It may be my imagination, but the springs on the Sora levers might be loosening up with use. Either that or the HY/RDs provide less spring resistance.

ColonelSanders

Thanks for that update, these details helps one build up a database of knowledge.