SRAM Hydraulic disc brakes?
 

Anyone use the current version of the road SRAM hydraulic brakes on a tandem? And, particularly, how did you get the brake hose long enough to work? I looked at doing so with the first generation and it seemed impossible to get a hose long enough...and, of course, they didn't want you to use them on a tandem anyway. I was looking at a new 12 speed setup and thought it would be nice to switch away from the brake cables.

thanks,

I'm not a super SRAM expert but having done a number of Shimano DI2 systems you will have two problems on the brakes on an existing tandem. Like you have discovered cable length on the rear. SRAM probably makes their hydraulic hose in bulk lengths. You can probably make or have a dealer make you a longer length. On early generations of Shimano brakes the road version was basically a mountain version relabeled (XT). There are lots of custom hoses available for those brakes , My favorite Goodridge. Now Shminao has developed specific road hydraulic brakes and changed the connections. They are easy to shorten but you have to buy the bulk hose to make a longer hose for the rear. My guess is you can do the same with SRAM. The next issue and maybe even a deal breaker is all the new road frames and the corresponding brakes are flat mount calipers. Unless you have a rare tandem it has post mount fork and probably a ISIS mount on the rear that you can convert to post mount with an adapter. I recently helped a friend do an update on his Calfee and we specified a new flat mount fork so we could use the new calipers. We where only able to do this because it underwent a major upgrade at Calfee to include a new tapered head tube to accommodate a new fork. On the rear there is a company in Canada that makes a flat mount to post mount adapter (A.S.S. is the company). However it now has an ISIS/post adaptor mounted to an flat/post adaptor, certainly not ideal but so far it works with some minor shimming. It just got finished so no real world data on any issues, it just works fine in the stand. A long descent will tell the tail after everything heats up. You probably can marry a mountain caliper to the road shifters just fine and make it work any tandem frame since you need to have a custom rear hose anyway. That is certainly possible with Shimano. As you can see the hose length is problably the smallest issue. Good luck BTW we have hydraulics on both our road and adventure tandem and would never go back to mechanical.

Here’ is what your looking for, this is a gift for you it took me weeks of research to find such a item-while going crazy in my search!
TIcycles.com
components
hardware
hydraulic brake line coupler

Other break manufacturers seem to have no problems with long break hoses: We equipped our Magura MT5 rear brake with a 2.5 m hose, which was standard for Magura. Don't see, whether this should be an issue for SRAM...
Btw, this MT5 four-piston break works very well for us: Huge breaking power and very reliable. After 2,5 years and more than 6000 km of usage I did a bleeding procedure just yesterday for the first time. That was astonishingly easy done...
However, one effect is to mention with the long hose for the rear brake: The action point for this break is somewhat softer than on the front break with its very short hose. A physical effect of the given elasticity of this setup...
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...20e15bda78.jpg

Jagwire Mountain Pro Hose with fit kit HFA210 or HFA213 work on 11-speed eTap HRD brakes and AXS HRD brakes. The double-ended hose is 3000mm long, which is suitable for the rear brake on most tandems and triplets.

OEM replacement Sram hoses are 2000mm long, which is just long enough on some tandems. The stock hoses are only 1800mm.

The aforementioned Ti Cycles Hydraulic Hose coupler works well, too.

Thanks for the advice...it seems that SRAM is still putting out the new 12 speed shifters with post mount calipers. I would assume the same as the 11 speed models. Does anyone know if the SRAM mtb calipers work with the road levers? Obviously I'm looking for something as beefy and heat resistance as possible. There was a time when I could get away with calling us a lightweigt team, but that was a decade and probably 30 combined pounds ago :-(

I was also looking at the Hope RX4. These also offer a mineral oil version that would work with Campy shifters, but the wireless SRAM setup does seem quite attractive.

Saint or Zee calipers supposedly work with the Ultegra 8000 levers. Thats what I read in another post.
I guess that would be the strongest brake combo for dropbar levers (given that it works). I have also messaged Hope about the use of the Rx4 on a tandem bike. They replied very quickly, saying that it is a strong and reliable brake and therefore suitable for a tandem bike. If there is the option, I would personally prefer something beefier though when it comes to loaded descends.

I've had the same. I remember spending hours of altering search requests to come up with something until I came across of them. Do they also allow for dry disconnection? I.e. can they used for packing the bike without having to bleed the line or taking of the caliper?
I'd guess not. I have also seen a dry hydraulic coupling fittings on sjscycles, but they are 250 GBP. Would be curious to here if somebody has experience with those.

hello bad1
beautiful bike
two questions:
is this a flatmount brake ?
what rotor sizes do you use ?
thanks
andreas

Flat mount front and rear, using Dura A current rotors 160 no problems with cooking rotors we live in the mountains with big vertical drops All about where you squeeze the brakes hard and done ride them and were you let them run.

thank you
i'm considering to order a filament frameset, but was concerned about the 160 mm maximum rotor size;
as we live in austria, we ride in the mountains a lot and using the same brakes as on the single bike when descending at high speed
seemed insufficient.
glad to hear it works.

our team weight is 275 lbs.
could you give me yours ?

thanks again

Hi team # is 260, Richard at Filament is awesome to work with, from his Cad designs to finish. I would not be worried about the 160 size if so no problem Richard Tandem designs can accommodate all size of rotors No worry’s!

we want to get better discs we have Shimano Deore M-506 an they would no
t be great in an emergency stop