Braking Point

[Rachmaninoff]

Hi guys

I currently ride an old steel stallion with an Ultegra R8000 groupset. I've been toying with the idea of getting a gravel bike and due to budget constraints I thought of keeping the groupset and just getting a new frame and wheels. 

The frame I've been eyeing, however, is fit for a disc brake setup, so my question: can one somehow convert the current shifters to still trigger disc brakes? Would mechanical vs hydraulic make a difference [sorry if this is a stupid question - I'm typing with ten thumbs here...]?

Thanks!

R

 

[Martin PJ]

You can get some gravel bars, use cable disk brakes.

[Thomo]

There's the option of mechanical-hydraulic calipers ... something like the TRP Hy/Rd perhaps.

Giant also has a mechanical-hydraulic conversion.

[MORNE]

31 minutes ago, Rachmaninoff said:

Hi guys

I currently ride an old steel stallion with an Ultegra R8000 groupset. I've been toying with the idea of getting a gravel bike and due to budget constraints I thought of keeping the groupset and just getting a new frame and wheels. 

The frame I've been eyeing, however, is fit for a disc brake setup, so my question: can one somehow convert the current shifters to still trigger disc brakes? Would mechanical vs hydraulic make a difference [sorry if this is a stupid question - I'm typing with ten thumbs here...]?

Thanks!

R

 

Yes. mechanical disc brakes. And you get some propper stuff too that hold the Hydrolic part on the caliper itself...then is just actuated with a cable setup. TRP HY/RD, Yokozuna Ultimo etc. They are pricey though and a normal hydro setup will cost you the same. I personally have some Yokozuna Ultimos on my bike and the difference between them and a normal hydro setup is imperceptible. I wanted a simple mechanical brake lever only (TRP RRL Carbon)...so my shifter is on the bar end too (Dura Ace 11 speed bar end shifter). None of that complicated stuff in modern 'brifters' to go wrong. 

I have TRP Spyre's on my wifes bike, paired with 105 R7000 shifters and although they are not as good as the yoko's...they still offer crazy stopping power and OTB potential when set up correcty and used with the right pads. The just have less modulation - and my wife struggles with that. they are very grabby for the way she uses them. she was locking up all over the place in this year's wet CTCT.   Paired them with some shimano semi metallic pads and they have crazy stopping power. We both have steel bikes. 

if its an interim solution i'd go with TRP Spyres for sure. They are relatively cheap but offer plenty of stopping power. Just not sure where to get locally. They are easy to sell again too. 

they come in post as well as flat mount.

 

https://www.merlincycles.com/trp-spyre-post-mount-disc-brake-caliper-106630.html

https://www.merlincycles.com/trp-spyre-flat-mount-disc-brake-caliper-99225.html

https://www.yokozunausa.com/shop/product/yokozuna-ultimo-road-disc-brake-post-mount-2190

https://www.merlincycles.com/trp-hy-rd-post-mount-disc-brake-caliper-106616.html

then ther's also the Paul Klamper which is considered the most bling of mechanical brakes - but very spendy:

https://www.paulcomp.com/shop/components/brakes/disc-brakes/i-s-klamper/

Edited April 6, 2022 by MORNE

[Rachmaninoff]

7 minutes ago, Thomo said:

There's the option of mechanical-hydraulic calipers ... something like the TRP Hy/Rd perhaps.

Giant also has a mechanical-hydraulic conversion.

Thanks Thomo, very helpful!

[Rachmaninoff]

5 minutes ago, MORNE said:

Yes. mechanical disc brakes. And you get some propper stuff too that hold the Hydrolic part on the caliper itself...then is just actuated with a cable setup. TRP HY/RD, Yokozuna Ultimo etc. They are pricey though and a normal hydro setup will cost you the same. I personally have some Yokozuna Ultimos on my bike and the difference between them and a normal hydro setup is imperceptible. I wanted a simple mechanical brake lever only (TRP RRL Carbon)...so my shifter is on the bar end too (Dura Ace 11 speed bar end shifter). None of that complicated stuff in modern 'brifters' to go wrong. 

I have TRP Spyre's on my wifes bike, paired with 105 R7000 shifters and although they are not as good as the yoko's...they still offer crazy stopping power and OTB potential when set up correcty and used with the right pads. The just have less modulation - and my wife struggles with that. they are very grabby for the way she uses them. she was locking up all over the place in this year's wet CTCT.   Paired them with some shimano semi metallic pads and they have crazy stopping power. We both have steel bikes. 

if its an interim solution i'd go with TRP Spyres for sure. They are relatively cheap but offer plenty of stopping power. Just not sure where to get locally. They are easy to sell again too. 

they come in post as well as flat mount.

 

https://www.merlincycles.com/trp-spyre-post-mount-disc-brake-caliper-106630.html

https://www.merlincycles.com/trp-spyre-flat-mount-disc-brake-caliper-99225.html

https://www.yokozunausa.com/shop/product/yokozuna-ultimo-road-disc-brake-post-mount-2190

https://www.merlincycles.com/trp-hy-rd-post-mount-disc-brake-caliper-106616.html

then ther's also the Paul Klamper which is considered the most bling of mechanical brakes - but very spendy:

https://www.paulcomp.com/shop/components/brakes/disc-brakes/i-s-klamper/

Hi Morne, thanks for the detailed response and good advice!! Will def check out the links you sent - glad there seems to be a solve!

[MORNE]

2 minutes ago, Rachmaninoff said:

Thanks Thomo, very helpful!

No worries

as a sidenote,  the trick with mechanical disc brakes are to use them with compression-less brake cable housings. You can find Jagwire ones locally at most shops. That will give you a brake feel very close to hydro brakes and not 'spongy' like alot of people complain about.

There are even better ones like Reaction's version...but then you'll be doing a ME and fully committing to a proper mechanical setup because in the end the price for a complete build means you could have just baught a full GRX hydro setup anyway. But thats what makes custom cool....you can do WTF you want lol

[Rachmaninoff]

This is great, thank you @MORNE !! I might just hit you up when I get stuck into the build;)

[Mamil]

Rachmaninoff ...Blagoslovi, dushe moya, Ghospoda

[Yusran]

I’ve been running Shimano Ultegra 6800 brifters paired to Avid BB7 Road cable disc calipers for about 6 years now. They have been great in every aspect from riding road, gravel, fully-loaded touring and even dabbling around on some MTB trails. They definitely don’t have the same precise feel and control i.e. modulation of a fully hydraulic setup, or a cable-to-hydraulic setup but I have never felt “under braked” at any point. Cable disc brakes will tire your hands out on long, fast and technical descents though so depending on where you live and what your regular routes are;- a cable-to-hydraulic brake caliper may be the way to go. 

When I ride a mate’s bike with a fully hydraulic setup I always think “wow, this is incredible and I need to upgrade my brakes and shifters immediately.” But when I get back onto my own bike, that itch goes away relatively quickly.

I enjoy having the versatility of being able to swop around componentry without having to worry about needing to change the entire setup. Not that I have in the past 6 years, but I like having the option. Perhaps I will go with a Hope V-Twin setup or some Yokozuna Ultimo’s one day, but not anytime soon;- if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

 

So to the OP, go for it. There are MANY solutions to this obstacle you’re facing that weren’t available some years ago and you shouldn’t have any issues achieving what you want. Happy riding!

 

 

[DJuice]

11 minutes ago, Yusran said:

I’ve been running Shimano Ultegra 6800 brifters paired to Avid BB7 Road cable disc calipers for about 6 years now. They have been great in every aspect from riding road, gravel, fully-loaded touring and even dabbling around on some MTB trails. They definitely don’t have the same precise feel and control i.e. modulation of a fully hydraulic setup, or a cable-to-hydraulic setup but I have never felt “under braked” at any point. Cable disc brakes will tire your hands out on long, fast and technical descents though so depending on where you live and what your regular routes are;- a cable-to-hydraulic brake caliper may be the way to go. 

When I ride a mate’s bike with a fully hydraulic setup I always think “wow, this is incredible and I need to upgrade my brakes and shifters immediately.” But when I get back onto my own bike, that itch goes away relatively quickly.

I enjoy having the versatility of being able to swop around componentry without having to worry about needing to change the entire setup. Not that I have in the past 6 years, but I like having the option. Perhaps I will go with a Hope V-Twin setup or some Yokozuna Ultimo’s one day, but not anytime soon;- if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

 

So to the OP, go for it. There are MANY solutions to this obstacle you’re facing that weren’t available some years ago and you shouldn’t have any issues achieving what you want. Happy riding!

 

 

Beautifull bike!  Please show some more pictures.

 

[Chadvdw67]

I also have AVID BB7 Road calipers on my bastard build bike, when I initially started the build I thought I would have to go the hydraulic route from previous experience with mechanical discs, but when I saw the price of the hydraulic stuff I started searching for other options, and as others have mentioned, the key ingredient is compressionless brake cable housing and a decent set of mechanical calipers, my brakes have as much, if not more power than the 105 hydraulic brakes my old gravel bike had, but they do sacrifice feeling, it isnt as smooth as hydraulic, but, they work flippen well, so I am sticking with them, I haven't tried the cable to hydraulic systems others have mentioned, but with my current setup I dont think I "need" to try them either

[Thomo]

On 4/6/2022 at 3:14 PM, Thomo said:

There's the option of mechanical-hydraulic calipers ... something like the TRP Hy/Rd perhaps.

Giant also has a mechanical-hydraulic conversion.

These have just popped up:

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/road-bike-brakes/549123/road-bike-brake-set-cable-to-hydraulic

[Thomo]

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/shifters/550561/shimano-105-mechanical-11sp-sti