Shimano vs. Tektro Road Calipers: Which Are Better?
 

There's a thread about the Nashbar 105 Carbon Road bike which has led to a second, detailed thread, so I thought I'd create a new thread here.

The question is how entry level tektro's (tektro 312's) compare to a step up shimano caliper, tiagra.

I can't vouch for shimano tiagra brakes, but I was not impressed by the tektro 312's I tried (on a Giant Contend). For what it's worth, tiagra's received a 4.6 star rating vs. a 2 star rating on chainreaction. Seems like a nice upgrade for a fair price ($60).

I spent $60 on eBay for older dura ace to replace tektros.

Night-and-day improvement.

The modulation of Tektro brakes is not nearly as smooth as Shimano. You don't even have to put them on a bike to feel the difference. I have used a few different versions of Tekro, Shimano, Sram and Campagnolo. The performance of Tekro calipers is sub par in my opinion, at least on road calipers. I upgraded a Canondale Caad10 105 to 105 brakes from Tekro and it was more than worth it.

Tektros work well and I have them on several bikes, but mainly because they have a few options that other brakes aren't available with. Shimano brakes have a much more solid feel when in use and they go on any performance road bike I build. Sora and Tiagra are both very good but heavier, don't have as nice a finish, and use bushings instead of bearings in the pivots.

What do these words mean? What is "smooth modulation"? What is "solid feel"?

memebag, no matter what anybody says, you will not be satisfied because there is no "right" answer. No one has done the science ... no one needs to. People make the swap and invariably find the Shimanos better ... and all of them describe the improvement using nearly identical terms.

"Solid feel"---when you press the lever they feel more solid.

"Smooth modulation": when you feather the brakes (apllying them lightly or pulse them or use varying pressure to get just the right brake response for each given situation) the Shimanos seem to react in a more immediate and linear fashion.

Solid, stiff, grab better, flex less ... Every Single Person who has made the swap has said, in one way or another, "The Shimano brakes stop the bike better."

I don't think you are going to get a Divine Dictat telling you to get Shimanos, and it seems that nothing a mere mortal says will satisfy you.

Spend $40, get a 105 front brake, and see for yourself. if you don't like it you can Ebay it.

I vastly prefer even Sora brakes to the entry level Tektro. Not that I mind having Tektro - they work well enough - but Sora is better.

Modulation refers to the proportionality of braking force to pressure on the lever.

A system with good modulation will exhibit braking force which is proportional to the amount of pressure on the lever. A little pressure on the lever generates a little braking force and lots of pressure on the lever generates lots of braking force. Lever pressure and braking force are linearly proportional.

A brake caliper which flexes or has play in the fasteners which hold the arm together or some other issue will not grab when pressure is first put on the lever. Such a system will have poor modulation - response to lever pressure is not linear. Brakes have to be squeezed harder and bite more suddenly.

Brakes are a system - levers, cables, calipers, pads and rim. All can contribute to good modulation and a problem anywhere in the system can contribute to poor modulation. Flexy rim sidewalls, cables which stretch or housings which compress, caliper arms which flex or poor tolerances in the fasteners which hold the caliper arms together all need to be accounted for with lever pressure before the brakes can start to slow down the bike.

Anyone who has had air in their automobile brakes knows what poor modulation is. Step on the brake pedal and there is nothing at first. Press harder on the brake pedal and they suddenly or eventually start working.


-Tim-

How much of the difference is attributable to the brake pads on the Shimanos versus those on the Tektros? How much gain is there is just replacing the Tektro pads with SwissStops or Kool Stops or the like?

I put both of those brands on the cheap tektros, and it improved a little, but not even close to the difference when I put dura ace brakes on.

In nay case even before this thread was started the OP knew everyone's answer ..... Shimanos are better than Tektros.

Tiagra or 105's are cheap enough and from my experience are much better feel than Tektro's. They will all stop the bike, so really it's personal preference. If it were me, I'd find something from Shimano.

qft

Why be so insecure about it? Like some scared kid at the dance wearing the “wrong” clothes or some ****.

Nut up and ride whatever brakes you want.

And don’t ever ask anyone on here for an opinion on bike parts either. Unless they have “data”.

Shimano is undoubtely better than Tektro but I'd rather have a well maintained system with Tektro than a poorly maintained system with Shimano.

People refer to the calipers as "brakes" and refer to cables, housings, levers and rim braking surface as if they are separate components. Brakes are a system and poor quality or deficiency in any one of the components can cause poor performance.

My neighbor said, "My brakes suck." I said, "No, they are just worn out. Cables are frayed, housings shot, caliper bolts loose..."

I know that some of you guys are part of the choir I'm preaching to.... :p

But yeah, the first thing I did to my fixed gear bike was upgrade Tektro calipers to Dura Ace. :thumb:


-Tim-

Add me to the list of those who have replaced Tektro with Shimano and was very happy with the change.

But Tektros will stop your bike just fine. Some of us are more particular about things than others. If you're not particular, then you might not think the change was a big deal.

Is there a Shimano brake that will clear 32C tires? I have Tektro 539 because it's mid-reach and can fit them. Shimano 105 states that it will not fit more than 28mm.

I can step up to Velo Orange or TRP but cost goes way up at that point.

I wonder how much of this is due to proper bedding of the brakes. I have broken in numerous sets of Shimano and Tektro brake sets. I can tell for sure with every single set after bedding the pads to the rotors they all work. Sure hydro outperform mechs but weather it is Shimano or Tektro either system works. I know this thread is about which is better between the two. I just wanted to post for when this thread is pulled from zombie status in 2024 that they both perform if bedded. I'm running Shimano hydro on a mtb and Tektro on a adventure and they are both working great.

I won’t dispute that DA is better than Tektro, but FWIW on a bike I have with Tektros I replaced the pads with KoolStop salmons and it brakes fine, even in the wet. As you apply pressure the brakes respond somewhat proportionally up to locking the wheel.

For reference, my other bike has Ultegras.

I guess for me it’s a question of how good is good enough for your particular situation, and since I’m not bombing down any high mountain passes here in Fl, Tektros with KoolStop pads, for the type of riding I do on that bike is good enough.

I once went on a date with a girl who rode her bike there (Boulder). She said the rear brake was broken. I took a quick look - the housing ferrule had popped out of the boss and the whole thing was hanging loose. She never even noticed that it was hanging there.

The Tiagra 4700 brakes have huge tyre clearances, as they're single pivot brakes. Although the dual pivot brakes (105 and above) do work slightly better, the 4700 brake isn't far off.

The subject is rim brakes, not disk.

I do take that bike into the mountains.

Huh?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/u.../rp-prod137770

Tektro will stop you, Shimano will stop you faster.
Replaced Tektros with 105, have stiffer lever feel, and better stopping power with 105.