Brake compatibility

[Sidmouth]

I have two MTBs

I prefer the Shimano SLX callipers with XT levers on my less used bike to that of the Avid 9 brakes.

can I swap the brake levers around, the question is , will the Shimano brakes fit OK on Avid Rotors?

[NotSoBigBen]

I have two MTBs

I prefer the Shimano SLX callipers with XT levers on my less used bike to that of the Avid 9 brakes.

can I swap the brake levers around, the question is , will the Shimano brakes fit OK on Avid Rotors?

 

Provided the rotors are the same size of course no problem, but why not swop the rotors as well seeing as you like the combo as is? Pretty simple to do unless of course one set may be centrelock and the other 6 bolt .....

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Shimano will fit on the avid rotors, yes. You may have to use a couple of spacers on the Shimano calipers for them to clear the avid rotors.

[NotSoBigBen]

Shimano will fit on the avid rotors, yes. You may have to use a couple of spacers on the Shimano calipers for them to clear the avid rotors.

 

Why would that be?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Why would that be?

 

soem avid rotors are a bit larger than 180mm, even though they're advertised as 180mm.

 

Hence the word "may"

 

I know I had to do that for my wife's brakes, when I gave her my old avid rotors... She has Alivio brakes, which were 180mm.

Edited November 13, 2013 by cpt armpies mayhem

[NotSoBigBen]

soem avid rotors are a bit larger than 180mm, even though they're advertised as 180mm.

 

Hence the word "may"

 

I know I had to do that for my wife's brakes, when I gave her my old avid rotors... She has Alivio brakes, which were 180mm.

 

Ok makes sense!

[Sidmouth]

Thanks Guys

Yip, that is the problem, the one bike has one bolt rotors and the other 6 pin screw in rotors.

 

Ok another question, I was given as a gift some new shiny XT levers, my current set up is SLX levers and callipers.

Will XT levers work with SLX callipers.

[NotSoBigBen]

What size are the rotors?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Thanks Guys

Yip, that is the problem, the one bike has one bolt rotors and the other 6 pin screw in rotors.

 

Ok another question, I was given as a gift some new shiny XT levers, my current set up is SLX levers and callipers.

Will XT levers work with SLX callipers.

 

Yes. You'll just have to re-bleed the brakes once you've done the change-over, and get some new olives to put on the hoses. Your LBS will know what to do!

[Sidmouth]

Thats great news.

the current SLX calippers 2010 model i think,the previous generation, the new XT levers are those shiny one arm ones, I take it this is no problem.

I do realise that it will require a brake bleed,I will get the LBS to do this.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Nope. No problem. And get them to do the whole hog. They should have stock of olives and all the fittings needed to do the change, so they can do it all for you.

[Sidmouth]

thanks will do

Edited November 13, 2013 by Sidmouth

[Sidmouth]

Why would you need new olive fittings, surely the old ones will work, They don't look like a wear and tear part

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

The olive is a critical portion of the seal. Any time you're replacing hoses or calipers you need to change the olives, as they mould themselves to the shape of the calipers internal structure and may not conform to the new caliper / lever / hose and therefore form an incomplete seal.

 

From there you'll have an air ingress zone as well as a potential leak spot for the fluid.

 

So yes - they are a one use item.

[Sidmouth]

perfect, that's all I need to hear, will get some spares

[Skylark]

You don't always need to replace the olive, I suppose best practise would be to replace everytime but it depends if it's deformed or not - give it a visual inspection if it looks good it should seal perfectly. The lip that the olive seals against is the same on all the shimano calipers and levers. I keep spare olives in case though so if I find one needs replacing I don't need to drop everything and schlep off to the lbs.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Skylark