Upgrading from 160mm rotors

[Grease_Monkey]

26 minutes ago, StevieG said:

This is an interesting topic, as i'm in the same boat as the OP. Have code R's at the moment, and right off the bat they never felt 100's. 180mm rotors front and back, but the brake lever seems to just keep going, to the point where it's almost touching my bar. Adjusted the nut on the front of the lever all the way out, and its only made a slight difference.

A few suggestions have been to bleed them, as there's no way to adjust the bite point on these brakes. It seems like a bit of a costly exercise to do if you don't own the kit already, so back to the shop it goes. Bike is new, so its strange brakes have to be bled already.

You definitely need to bleed them. Even with 180mm front and rear, Codes are dam powerful brakes. 

[RJClegg]

Just now, Grease_Monkey said:

Short answer - do the rotors. 

If you do buy new brakes you are going to buy new rotors anyway. So fit them now, if it makes a difference, awesome. If it still doesn't perform the way you want, get the new brakes. You will not have lost any money anyway. 

Not sure on your weight, but if you are on the heavier side, go 180 back, 203 in front. No such thing as overkill unless you really want to save weight, which is minimal on rotors anyway.

 

I'm a light rider at 75kg. I do like your thinking as well. I would upgrade rotors anyway if I got new brakes 

[RobertWhitehead]

All you need is a funnel from Shimano - it goes for like R100 at the most. Then you get yourself some pipe from the pet shop for R10p/m and then a syringe from the pharmacy. The only item you will then still need to complete the kit is a 10mm bleed block and a 7mm spanner. 

I can talk you through the process

[The Ouzo]

14 minutes ago, dasilvarsa said:

 

https://www.outbraker.eu/outbraker-the-abs-system-for-bicycles/

interesting, but i dont see how that senses the wheels locking

[Headshot]

14 minutes ago, Grease_Monkey said:

Short answer - do the rotors. 

If you do buy new brakes you are going to buy new rotors anyway. So fit them now, if it makes a difference, awesome. If it still doesn't perform the way you want, get the new brakes. You will not have lost any money anyway. 

Not sure on your weight, but if you are on the heavier side, go 180 back, 203 in front. No such thing as overkill unless you really want to save weight, which is minimal on rotors anyway.

I agree with this. I run 203/180 on my steel HT and 203/200 on my enduro bike. Bigger rotors may not turn your Tekros into Saints but they do make a significant difference to any brake system. That and proper bleeding and not running SRAM brakes ???? 

[ChrisF]

7 minutes ago, RJClegg said:

 

I'm a light rider at 75kg. I do like your thinking as well. I would upgrade rotors anyway if I got new brakes 

I recently went through a similar experience.

 

Also hardtail, also Tektro brakes.  I found the braking VERY poor !!  Sanding the discs and pads and bedding it in again did not help this time (it has on other bikes).

 

I then bought a new set of brakes, similar price range ... the braking was better, but not "crisp" ....  I took it back to the shop and asked mechanic to ride it and to check if the braking was up to standard for the equipment (my frame of reference was a 4-pod system on another bike).  Jip, the brakes were as good as it gets at that price point.

 

I paid up for a set of Shimano M6100 Deore brakes, with a 160 and 180mm rotor combination.  WOW ????  I now have ample stopping power and modulate the brakes with one finger.  Well worth the money.

 

moral of the story .... dont compare the Tektro to possibly better brakes on the wifes bike.

[ChrisF]

6 minutes ago, RobertWhitehead said:

All you need is a funnel from Shimano - it goes for like R100 at the most. Then you get yourself some pipe from the pet shop for R10p/m and then a syringe from the pharmacy. The only item you will then still need to complete the kit is a 10mm bleed block and a 7mm spanner. 

I can talk you through the process

 

Are you sure the Shimano funnel works on Tektro ?  It certainly does not work on the other brakes I tried .... Had to McGuyver a rig with fittings from a generic brake bleed kit.

[Dexter-morgan]

25 minutes ago, RJClegg said:

 

Thanks, however I have decided to give it a go myself. Just looking for the correct kit. 

Cycle lab has a Marvel kit for R399 that should cover most makes.

[The Ouzo]

1 minute ago, Dexter-morgan said:

Cycle lab has a Marvel kit for R399 that should cover most makes.

that Marvel kit has so many adapters that I'd be surprised if it doesnt fit a brake system

[RJClegg]

15 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

I recently went through a similar experience.

 

Also hardtail, also Tektro brakes.  I found the braking VERY poor !!  Sanding the discs and pads and bedding it in again did not help this time (it has on other bikes).

 

I then bought a new set of brakes, similar price range ... the braking was better, but not "crisp" ....  I took it back to the shop and asked mechanic to ride it and to check if the braking was up to standard for the equipment (my frame of reference was a 4-pod system on another bike).  Jip, the brakes were as good as it gets at that price point.

 

I paid up for a set of Shimano M6100 Deore brakes, with a 160 and 180mm rotor combination.  WOW ????  I now have ample stopping power and modulate the brakes with one finger.  Well worth the money.

 

moral of the story .... dont compare the Tektro to possibly better brakes on the wifes bike.

 

Thanks for this. I am looking at maybe going with the Shimano SLX M7100's when the time comes. I believe they are decent as well? With 180 rotors it should definitely help 

 

But I will try bleed the brakes first and upgrade the rotors. 

5 minutes ago, Dexter-morgan said:

Cycle lab has a Marvel kit for R399 that should cover most makes.

 

2 minutes ago, ouzo said:

that Marvel kit has so many adapters that I'd be surprised if it doesnt fit a brake system

 

Thanks, just what I am after! 

[RobertWhitehead]

14 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

Are you sure the Shimano funnel works on Tektro ?  It certainly does not work on the other brakes I tried .... Had to McGuyver a rig with fittings from a generic brake bleed kit.

Yip, it does work, 100% sure about that

[Headshot]

Shimano related

[Hairy]

1 hour ago, StevieG said:

This is an interesting topic, as i'm in the same boat as the OP. Have code R's at the moment, and right off the bat they never felt 100's. 180mm rotors front and back, but the brake lever seems to just keep going, to the point where it's almost touching my bar. Adjusted the nut on the front of the lever all the way out, and its only made a slight difference.

A few suggestions have been to bleed them, as there's no way to adjust the bite point on these brakes. It seems like a bit of a costly exercise to do if you don't own the kit already, so back to the shop it goes. Bike is new, so its strange brakes have to be bled already.

Your brakes def. need a bleed!

Here is a interesting experiment for. Take a toe strap or some electrical tape. With the bike standing on the ground, wheels horizontal, pull the lever as far back as it will go and then tape or tie the lever into this position. Repeat for the other one.

Leave it till the next day, remove the tape and test the feel of the levers then.

[Hairy]

57 minutes ago, Headshot said:

I agree with this. I run 203/180 on my steel HT and 203/200 on my enduro bike. Bigger rotors may not turn your Tekros into Saints but they do make a significant difference to any brake system. That and proper bleeding and not running SRAM brakes ???? 

Not running properly bled SRAM brakes that is ... a properly bled SRAM brake = awesomeness

[Quagga]

3 hours ago, RJClegg said:

 

I did not, Cyclelab did not mention this and being "new" to MTB again, I didn't give it much thought until I cam across a GMBN video on the subject. I have ridden the bike about 40km since then; so I figured that ship has sailed for bedding them in properly. 

 

 

There is a good chance you have glased them, and the not bedding them in is not a ship that sails.

Take the blocks out, and sand them with some sand paper while checking if they are shinny. Sand till no more shinny left 

Put back and bed them in again.

[RJClegg]

48 minutes ago, Quagga said:

There is a good chance you have glased them, and the not bedding them in is not a ship that sails.

Take the blocks out, and sand them with some sand paper while checking if they are shinny. Sand till no more shinny left 

Put back and bed them in again.

I'll do this, this weekend before my rides. Thank you.