MTB brakes

[Wimmas]

Hi peeps

 

I sold my 2013 Merida Matts TFS 900 about a month ago and got a 2013 Momsen AL329R. On Merida's site they say the TFS 900 has Avid Elixir 1 brakes on them but that's not the case, or at least in SA. I remember my Merida had Shimano brakes on it but can't remember which brakes.

 

Now the Momsen does have Avid Elixir 1 brakes on it and I hate it. Even my Silverback Stride 10 had better braking ability and I remember it had a cheap set of Shimano hydraulic brakes on it.

 

These Avid's on my Momsen are noisy and their braking ability is poor. It seems as though the braking intensity before lockout on them are weak and one also needs to pull the levers quite hard where as the Shimano brakes had a lot of braking intesity before lockout and the levers did not have to be pulled hard, they were more sensitive.

 

I tried setting the reach on the Avid's and it helped a bit with the front brakes but the rear just sucks. I don't know if the person who built the Momsen set up the brakes incorrectly but I'm getting sick of these noisy useless brakes.

 

Anyone know how I could resolve this issue or should I just throw the brakes away?

 

Anyone maybe know what brakes are on the 2013 Merida Matts TFS 900?

 

I don't really want to spend a lot of money on new brakes as I'm on a student budget and just spent a lot of money on getting the Momsen and doing a decent tubeless conversion on it.

[Longbarn Killer]

There have been numerous posts/threads on the poor quality of Avids.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Avid brakes have a bad rep, that's true. But only (mostly) due to mechs not setting them up properly, and their old rotor design giving hectic noise issues.

 

First thing to try would be to change the rotors for some other ones, as this mostly solves the noise issue (bad design on old rotors)

 

Next thing is to take them to a GOOD lbs, and get them to bleed the brakes. This should have been checked by your LBS upon building the bike, but sometimes they overlook this bit of service-related stuff.

 

If you DO decide to swap out the brakes, you need only look at a set of Deore brakes and you'll be happy. Fit and forget.

 

Why don't I suggest getting another set of Avids? Well, they're like owning a Ducati. You either love them or hate them, but they need the TLC to keep on working at their best. Whereas Shimano brakes (especially in the last few versions) are fit & forget items.

[Cruz Addict]

while there is no excuse for poor breaks on an expensive bike it may be that the breaks are running metal pads and they need to bed in slightly before you get the full power from them.

in terms of value for money i feel that shimano has the lead, considering the price point they touch what breaks are supposed to do and from the top end of spectrum i feel they are better than most( not all but most) of the competition.

only solution i see for you i am afraid is let them bed and develop into proper breaks or get rid of them and fins a set of shimano's. would most highly recommend the Xt's but the slx are just as good as i have heard

[Wimmas]

Getting them bled or getting other rotors is going to cost me. Even if I get them bled the noise is still there so I'll need to get them bled and get rotors whoch will probably be around R650. I think maybe I should just stick it and save for a set of Deore brakes and keep the Avid's as a spare set for another bike or my gf's bike.

 

I'll probably not get much if I sell them even though they are new seeing that they have a bad reputation.

 

It sucks paying so much money for a bike and getting a sh*t pair of brakes on it and having to fork out more money just to upgrade.

 

And the Avid manuals for the braking system also sucks, so they don't just have k@k brakes but also provide you with useless guidelines on how to maintain them.

 

Sigh

[jcza]

Put the avids in the bin and get Shimanos

[rouxtjie]

Put the avids in the bin and get Shimanos

That....do it

[Mike Bike]

Put the avids in the bin and get Shimanos

this man talks from experience...even the deore bottom of the range work very well

[ChUkKy]

Hi peeps

 

I sold my 2013 Merida Matts TFS 900 about a month ago and got a 2013 Momsen AL329R. On Merida's site they say the TFS 900 has Avid Elixir 1 brakes on them but that's not the case, or at least in SA. I remember my Merida had Shimano brakes on it but can't remember which brakes.

 

Now the Momsen does have Avid Elixir 1 brakes on it and I hate it. Even my Silverback Stride 10 had better braking ability and I remember it had a cheap set of Shimano hydraulic brakes on it.

 

These Avid's on my Momsen are noisy and their braking ability is poor. It seems as though the braking intensity before lockout on them are weak and one also needs to pull the levers quite hard where as the Shimano brakes had a lot of braking intesity before lockout and the levers did not have to be pulled hard, they were more sensitive.

 

I tried setting the reach on the Avid's and it helped a bit with the front brakes but the rear just sucks. I don't know if the person who built the Momsen set up the brakes incorrectly but I'm getting sick of these noisy useless brakes.

 

Anyone know how I could resolve this issue or should I just throw the brakes away?

 

Anyone maybe know what brakes are on the 2013 Merida Matts TFS 900?

 

I don't really want to spend a lot of money on new brakes as I'm on a student budget and just spent a lot of money on getting the Momsen and doing a decent tubeless conversion on it.

 

If it says Avid, just put it in the bin and be happy ever after. Those okes that dig in bins to look for usefull stuff to sell again... they will toss aside those Avids

 

Id go to the hardware store and get me some Ponal woodglue and some superwood to stick on the bottom of my shoes for more effective braking than avids.... this will also be quieter.

 

Buy Shimano SLX or even Deore for great brakes

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

If you're looking for new brakes, and don't want to spend all your money at once, you can do one side at a time...

 

http://www.probikeshop.com/shimano-deore-br-m596-rear-brake-black/74832.html

http://www.probikeshop.com/shimano-deore-br-m596-front-brake-black/74828.html

[jcza]

Easybike - http://www.easybike.co.za/shimano-deore-disk-brakes-bl-m596-br-m596-set.html

[divernick]

I have Deores (M596) and they are awesome, cheap, powerful, reliable, quiet and awesome. Do it. Throw that Avid rubbish out.

Edited July 8, 2013 by divernick

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Easybike - http://www.easybike....r-m596-set.html

 

That is a DAMN good price.

[RockCoach]

You mention braking force being low, before locking up...

 

The fact that they are locking up could mean that your previous brakes had more modulation which you are used to. It could also have a bit more to do with tyre performance than the brakes themselves. From pressures being a bit hard (most likely) to the tyres themselves being worn or having a hard compound (not likely on a new bike).

 

My old Avids (Juicy Carbons) tended to grab powerfully without much modulation. So I kinda developed an ABS type of braking technique. Usually only needed to grab the anchors for a split second to slow down. Four short grabs in quick succesion to get to a standstill very quickly. Then I got Hopes which are at the other end of the scale with so much modulation... but have a nice bite point adjustment. I was initially underbraking going into corners with them because I was used to the Avids but that it sorted now.

 

[Mojoman]

Avids are a strange beast indeed! I find my Elixir 3's brake quite well but still squeel after having the rotors and pads changed (funnily enough the front only). They also also seem to always have a tendancy to catch the rotor whenever you have taken the wheel out and put it back again, however my friend has Elixir 1's on his bike and they make no sound at all!

 

Would I change the brakes? For sure, I cant wait!

 

Am I getting rid of them? Nope, I will put them on my old Donkey GT that I do not ride that much (over distance anyway) as they certainly have better bite than the Tektros that I currently have!

[Brett]

give them a lekker bleed!

then they should be good for another 4 months.