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Hayes Mechanical

Hydraulic Disks
The daddy of them all. The only real reasons for not having these are you’re a weight obsessive or you can’t afford them.
Hydraulic Disk Advantages :
*No cable drag.
*Almost unaffected by mud and water.
*Almost unaffected by bent wheels.
*Unrivalled power and modulation (Hope are best for modulation).
*Pads last longer in wet weather (if you get the gold, sintered type).
*Open systems don’t suffer from heat build up but lever reach is usually not adjustable.
Hydraulic Disk Disadvantages:
*High Price.
*Weight.
*Complex installation.
*Expensive pads. (But this can be cancelled out as the right pads out-last V-brake pads by a very long time).
*Heat build up with closed systems.
*Disks can warp if over-heated.
*Oil/grease/brake fluid contamination can cause a drastic loss of power after which the pads must be replaced.
*Closed systems allow the point at which the lever ‘bites’ to be adjusted but can ‘pump up’ if run very hot, this can cause the brakes to drag and even lock up altogether. An adjustment at the lever compensates but you’ll have to stop to make it.

Magura HS 33 Rim Brake

Hope Minis
The Hope Mini is the brake most people have been waiting for. A fantastic combination of reasonable price, excellent power, modulation and low weight make them almost irresistible. Being an open system the Minis don’t suffer from heat ‘pump up’ which occurs in closed systems, when the hot brake fluid expands and forces the pads against the rotor. Problems with the dreaded brake squeal from which all braking systems seem to suffer from time to time are alleviated with EBC Green pads. The levers on the minis (now also used on the new M4) have to be seen to be appreciated. They are almost works of art, check out the full screen picture to get the best look outside of a shop. As a direct comparison they have a little less power than Hayes but much better modulation.

Hope Mini

Hope M4
The latest and best from Hope Technology. Combining the Enduro’s lightened calliper with the Mini lever, giving a lighter brake than the Enduro with more power than the Mini. With an all up weight of 460g these should be for all but the skinniest light-weight freaks. If a disk brake gets sales on looks alone then Hope are on to a winner here. The calliper is sculptural art and is exceeded in the techno-beauty stakes only by the lever which is the most comfortable and aesthetically pleasing ever designed. Out on the trail the M4s were powerful almost from the start. A short break-in period on a wet/snowy epic in the Peaks had them broken in and producing full power in no time. They do squeal with the stock organic pads from time to time in the wet, but not at a level approaching that of V brakes. Mud on the disks can also get you a gritty scraping sound as you ride along. The levers have a small brass cam which allows you to the lever 'bite point' with a 2mm Allen key. This is despite what it says about lack of lever adjustment on open systems in the March copy of MBR.

Formula B4
Light weight: front 375g rear 345g. Rotor front 112g rear 83g. These are disc brakes for light-weight freaks. If you are heavy and/or thrash long downhills they will heat up and fade. For mud-plugging around English woodland and anywhere without proper mountains, they are an excellent purchase. It is possible to get the B4’s with a 185mm rotor rather than the stock 160mm front rotor. We would strongly advise this if you have any concerns about power, heat build or power fade on long descents.

General Disk Brake Tips
*Avoid pad/rotor contamination at all costs. If rotor is contaminated wash in dishwasher!
*Don’t touch the rotor disks with your fingers, keep all lubricants and brake fluids well away from the disks and callipers.
*Don’t pull the levers with the wheels removed, the pistons will get stuck in the on position.
*Clean the rotors with meths to remove minor contamination. Use a tooth brush and scrub both rotors and pads, if the pads are badly contaminated you could try baking them in a really hot oven to burn off the oil. Or just fit new pads.
*Finesse make a bike specific disk brake cleaner call 0800 2986616. Or buy online from wiggle.co.uk in the Cleaner section.
*EBC make better disk brake pads. You can buy online at Zoom Products 

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