29er braking performance

[ArrieS]

Hi Guys

 

I'm new to the world of 29ers and have a query about braking performance. My old 26er hardtail would stop quite nicely with its Deore brakes, even when one finger braking was applied.

 

To get my 29er dualie to stop, with SLX brakes, half as quickly I am needing to apply a considerable amount of extra force to the levers compared to my old bike and one finger braking is definately out of the question.

 

I've fitted new pads, had the brakes bled and the discs cleaned and buffed and the stopping performance is much poorer than what I expect. Am I missing something?

 

Any hints/tips would be appreciated.

[rouxtjie]

Gots nothing to do with wheelsize...check your rotors and mineral oil. If they both pristine, up your rotor size

[MrJacques]

Bigger wheels need bigger rotors.... what size rotors do you have? If it's 160, try 180, it should help. Also, are you using metal or resin pads? I think the resin pads will have more bite.

[ChUkKy]

No issues on either of mine, got both SLX and XT and both stop the same...

I have 180mm rotors in the front and 160 on the back.

 

Stopping wasnt as good with a 160mm rotor up front, check what size you have. Rotor size does make a difference in stopping power.

[worriesnot]

No issues on either of mine, got both SLX and XT and both stop the same...

I have 180mm rotors in the front and 160 on the back.

 

Stopping wasnt as good with a 160mm rotor up front, check what size you have. Rotor size does make a difference in stopping power.

Couldn't say it any better than Chukky up here.

I have SLX 180 front, 160 back and easy 1 finger braking...

[Pieter1]

Tires also make a big difference. My Nevagal in the front stopped me much faster than the WTB I have on now.

[Louzy]

its because youre going so much faster on your 29er.....

[MuddyMike]

if you have sintered pads then the issue is likley rotors. go 180mm front and 160mm back. Go ICE TEC and you will be amazed....

[DJ84]

Bigger wheels need bigger rotors.... what size rotors do you have? If it's 160, try 180, it should help. Also, are you using metal or resin pads? I think the resin pads will have more bite.

 

The rotor size definitely makes a difference,

but i fail to understand how the wheel size would make you need to upgrade the rotor size.

If both tires have the same amount of grip and the brakes have the same amount of grip,

you will need to apply the same amount of pressure to lock the wheels.

[johanpre44]

I prefer the Shimano Resin Pads, may wear quicker but the braking performance is very good.

 

I'm running 160mm front and back on my 29er. My 26er is also running 160mm front and back, big difference is the pads (old tektro pads on the 26er, which is not nearly as good as the Shimano Resin pads on my 29er)

[Vangar]

SLX brakes with 180mm and 160mm ICE-Tech rotors and pads. Felt spongy at first, bedded them in a bit, now they'll send me over the bars and stop my heart if I'm not carefull. And Maxiss Ardent up front, but that's secondary.

[JXV]

Simple physics...to get same braking force with same finger effort on same brake lever/caliper on a 29er wheel compared to 26 you need proportionally bigger rotors.

A 180 will give a fraction more braking on 29er than 160 on 26....in theory.

If you upsized rotors for your 29er and braking is worse then something else is wrong.

Align disc to calipers, deglaze and bleed PROPERLY....the whole system.

[droo]

Make sure your pads are bedded in properly. A few hard stops from a good pace to not quite stopped and you'll notice the difference straight away.

[Craig Stubbs]

its because youre going so much faster on your 29er.....

 

Classic Chirp!

[dirtypot]

A 29er wheel travels further in distance with each rotation of the wheel than a 26er.

Therefore a bigger rotor is needed to achieve the same braking force at the same speed.

Simple really.

[Iwan Kemp]

All of the above + tres play a big part as well. Grippier tread will offer more bite