"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
07/11/2019 at 10:12 • Filed to: Bicycle
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"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
07/11/2019 at 10:12 • Filed to: Bicycle | 1
| 44 |
Parts: $48 for pads, $90 for proprietary bleed kit I’ve used three times now.
Labor: about 5 minutes to swap pads, ad 20 minutes per end for bleeding.
Steps: Remove wheel, shove large flat blade screw driver into caliper to push pistons back into caliper. Remove pad retaining pin and pads. Install new pads and new retaining pin. Put wheel back on. Re-center caliper if pads are rubbing on rotor.
Rotor:
Caliper:
Pads that are the size of a toenail:
facw
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 10:24 |
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I grow increasingly convinced that I don’t need to spend extra for a road bike with disc brakes...
OPPOsaurus WRX
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 10:26 |
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I finally resolved the brake issues i’ve been having. The rear brakes were losing grip power and squeaking. Both discs had some sort of black striations on them.
I bought new pads for the rear and sanded the disc with an orbital sander which removed the black marks. I sanded the front disc as well and the existing front pads. I was surprised how easy the pads sanded. Everything works great now.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> facw
07/11/2019 at 10:27 |
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I have disc brakes on my road bike too. The good thing is that I don’t use the brakes on my road bike that much so they last several years, I’m still on the original set an I have 1,000 miles on the road bike.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> OPPOsaurus WRX
07/11/2019 at 10:29 |
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Rotors can go for a long while unless they overheat or get damaged from a crash.
PowderHound
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 10:36 |
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$90 for the bleed kit is ridiculous. I think my xtr kit was twenty and also got an irrigation syringe for free from the pharmacy and some tubing to do bottom up bleed.
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OPPOsaurus WRX
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 10:38 |
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i was going to buy new rotors but the guy said they were probably ok and he was right. I did have to replace one in the past but it was bent.
My next bike issues is spokes. right now I have two broken spokes on one wheel. I dont have the tools to do it so I will probably just have a shop do it.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> PowderHound
07/11/2019 at 10:40 |
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One word: SRAM.
It’s about $15/brake in the shop and since we have three bikes with SRAM brakes it is worth it to me to be able to do it at home at my convenience . The SRAM kit includes three syringes , fluid, bleed blocks, torkx and al len wrenches.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> OPPOsaurus WRX
07/11/2019 at 10:42 |
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Probably best to have the shop do the spokes. I can do my own spokes but I’ve built wheels and such in the past so I have the tools and knowledge of how to not mess it up. OEM specialized wheels are generally crap.
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PowderHound
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 10:46 |
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Bike stuff in general is expensive. I got new tires this year and they are nearly as much as a small car tire. Is the third syringe back up? I’ve seen the method with two before.
I need to get a stand to work on mine. I’ve always just used a roommates and now none of them have one. Once again, those are pricey.
You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 10:46 |
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Allegedly I’m getting a new set of brakes for free. Apparently SRAM had some issues with so me brakes having a really slow return and mine have that. They were supposed to be in yesterday but I didn’t hear from the shop yet. Funny how they’ve felt like they’ve needed a bleed or something since almost new, but I’ve just lived with it because $90 bleed kit and dropping off the bike at the shop for something I theoretically could do seems wrong.
I did bring it in a couple weeks ago because my bottom bracket was toast and I didn’t have the tools to do that. It also needed chain and a cassette. Turns out you should check chain stretch on occasion . That’s when they told me about SRAM replacing brakes with my issue.
benjrblant
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 10:48 |
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$90 for proprietary bleed kit
sorry, but f- that noise. i make bigly efforts to go shimano on all my bikes, but my newest mtb has sram brakes. as soon as they need maintenance, i’m swapping XT brakes onto it. the sram brakes feel and function very well but as someone that exclusively does all of their own maintenance, it’s worth the swap to not deal with getting a $90 bleed kit and dealing with DOT fluid and its hassles.
The Ghost of Oppo
> PowderHound
07/11/2019 at 10:54 |
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S himano > SRAM
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OPPOsaurus WRX
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 10:56 |
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i think being a 29er makes then more susceptible to warping so I liked the idea of the guy doing the spokes and trueing it up at the same time.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> benjrblant
07/11/2019 at 10:57 |
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I was taking my bikes to the shop way too much for brake bleeds so i bought the “pro kit”. They also have a $67 kit that they call the “standard” kit. I think it would work fine too. I am buying shimano XT’s for my epic. The SRAM Level’s are not enough power for me. The shimano bleed is very easy, it’s like one syringe, and a little cup and the proprietary oil.
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benjrblant
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 11:01 |
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shimano says you need their oil, but really it’s interchangeable with other mineral oils for mtb brakes. i agree that it’s so much easier to bleed and i don’t feel terrible when i inevitably spill it over my floor.
are you getting the two or four piston xt’s? what do you think of the ‘pro’ level kit?
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
07/11/2019 at 11:02 |
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The brake recall was for the levers. I had my Guides done last year. The lever would freeze and your pads wouldn’t retract. That being said the Guides are way better than the Levels and I don’t intend on replacing the Guides since they are 4 piston.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> OPPOsaurus WRX
07/11/2019 at 11:13 |
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Grindintosecond
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 11:17 |
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I never understood the hype and desire for hydraulic disc brakes on a bike. I built a nice disc mtb a decade ago and used cable pull, manual disc brakes. They are so glorious compared to even roadie rim brakes. I am sure I would have to ride a set of hydros to know what the differences are, i guess, but when i [pulled the lever, it was gradual and awesome and had power. I even ac cidentally put myself over the bars on top of a mountain and had swelling in my hip for a month.
So whats so good over regular cable pull disc brakes?
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> benjrblant
07/11/2019 at 11:25 |
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I’m getting the two piston XT’s for my Epic. I have 4 piston SRAM Guides on my stump jumper. No need for 4 piston brakes on an XC bike. I would buy the standard bleed kit, it would work fine, the pro kit has better syringes and more adapter fittings.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Grindintosecond
07/11/2019 at 11:28 |
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Hydraulic brakes are like 200% more powerful than cable pull disc brakes, they also don’t stretch. There are also now 4 piston brakes vs the 2 piston brakes. People are just riding so much faster now with more gnar on larger 29" wheels, more powerful brakes are needed. Think about the difference in force needed to stop a 26" wheel going 20 mph vs a 29" wheel going the same speed it doesn’t seem like much but the difference is quite a bit.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> The Ghost of Oppo
07/11/2019 at 11:30 |
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The problem is that Shimano has lost out on OEM suppliers in the last few years so most main stream bike companies are using SRAM.
nermal
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 11:34 |
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Brake bleeding on bikes is over-rated. Once it’s done the first time, you should never need to do it unless something is broken.
The same pads can be had for $12 each as well - They’ll be metallic and not organic. Work better, plus give you that sweet squeaking sound any time they get wet.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> nermal
07/11/2019 at 11:42 |
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I tried metallic pads once. Only once. The sound was like a pig getting branded in multiple locations.
Discerning
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 11:54 |
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My Giant still has old school caliper brakes. The rim is rarely dirty enough to make a difference and it stops hard enough for me.
Fiance's bike has discs and I am still struggling to adjust them so they grab just right and don't ride one of the pads.
415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 11:55 |
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Well I live at the bottom of Mt. Tam, surrounded by bike shops, so I would give it to them! I don’t have a bike anymore, with a dog and my wife who sucks at riding we go hiking and beaching. I would rather be in the water anyway. In Hawaii my wife fell off her cruiser, then it was stolen (Typical Hawaii), then we got another and she fell off that. So that’s that.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
07/11/2019 at 12:24 |
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I think you can only ride the roads on Tam as well. The hiking cabal has closed all of the good trails to bikes.
Chariotoflove
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 12:30 |
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Know what else does that? Accidentally spray some tri-flow on your pads. You can clean and sand them a bit to get gr ip back, but it takes a whole season to wear the squeal off.
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Chariotoflove
> Grindintosecond
07/11/2019 at 12:33 |
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I’m kinda with you on that. The hydraulics will be much more powerful, but I don’t need the added complexity. I do deal with cable stretch, exacerbated by my brake cables needing to be longer than the average bike, but it’s not a big deal. Cable stretch is a bigger problem on my derailleur cables, but I’m not going electric on those either. I’m not made of money.
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nermal
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 13:16 |
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Right. This is beneficial for when you are zooming down a trail and come upon a hiker. It’s e ven better if you can sneak up behind them before slamming on your extremely noisy brakes. Their reactions are hilarious!
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415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 13:18 |
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T here are many trails no bikes are allowed. There are lots of trails no dogs allowed! Pricks! All the fire roads are ok, but lots of trails no bikes. Some really great trails no dogs, some beaches too, at least we get Fort Cronkhite and a few good ones are Pt. Reyes for dogs.
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facw
> OPPOsaurus WRX
07/11/2019 at 13:20 |
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I broke a spoke earlier this yes. The shop I took it to popped my innertube installing the new one (they replaced it), cut off my rear wheel chain guard because somehow the chain was rubbing on it afterwards (not a huge deal, it’s ugly and doesn’t do much), and then next time I went to ride the tire was flat again. The shop said it wasn’t the repair that did it and charged me $27 to change it, but really how did it go flat on the walk between your shop and my car? If it got a pinch flat, it’s because your guy put the new tube in poorly. I would have argued more but honestly it wasn’t worth my time, I just satisfied myself knowing that I’m in the market for a new bike, and I certainly won’t be buying from them.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Discerning
07/11/2019 at 13:32 |
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If they are hydraulic just loosed the mounting bolts and re-center the caliper on the rotor so you can see light between the pad and rotor.
AMGtech - now with more recalls!
> Grindintosecond
07/11/2019 at 13:47 |
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One finger modulation on gnarly trails at high speed. Cable can't come close.
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Grindintosecond
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 14:12 |
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I definitely can visualize that now. It’s a lot more rotating mass out there in the knobbies. 4x the weight of a roadie 28c = 8 times the kinetic energy at same speed. I understand now, however the power I had in my lever was so direct, I wad way more in reserve even when I put myself over the bars. But I get it. Now, moving to the hydro brakes on road bikes, I see zero reason now for them. cache maybe.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Grindintosecond
07/11/2019 at 14:36 |
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*raises hand I have hydraulic disc brakes on my road bike. I also think they are not needed on a road bike unless your bike comes with them. I would not buy a road bike just because it has disc brakes.
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Grindintosecond
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 14:40 |
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I am about to, but the reason is for inclement weather and saving wheel expense. Soon I’m building either a Soma Fog Cutter or getting a year old discounted Niner rlt-9. But the CAAD 13 is also coming, with disc, that would make the road wheels swap effortlessly between them when I need a long range century/foul weather trainer bike and not screw up the nice fast road bike. etc. Either way, I’m a fan of the disc for the crap weather/carbon rim issue purposes. I’m about to overhaul the fleet options in the garage.
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Discerning
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 15:07 |
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They aren't hydraulic
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Grindintosecond
07/11/2019 at 16:46 |
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There might be some BMC Gran fondo’s out there too. That’s a good disc brake road bike.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> facw
07/11/2019 at 16:50 |
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Your shop is incompetent. They should easily be able to match spoke color and the tube thing is just them being dumb. My shop replace cables and housing for free because it got jammed up after 3 weeks of heavy use after they previously replaced the cable and housing . I offered to pay but they refused.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Chariotoflove
07/11/2019 at 16:51 |
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H ydraulic disc brakes are amazing, that is all.
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facw
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 16:54 |
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Clearly... In any event, as I say, not going there again, regardless of it being convenient and having a friendly shop dog.
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Grindintosecond
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 18:50 |
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the fog cutter and rlt 9 carbon can both handle 40mm tires, yet run road tires too for the 70% ill use it for. It’s a toss up but right now the 2018 model RLT9 carbon can be found for 2,400? For what you get, thats a stellar deal for such a wide ranging capable bike.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Grindintosecond
07/11/2019 at 19:38 |
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Get the carbon bike.
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Grindintosecond
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/11/2019 at 22:56 |
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sram rival at that. ill see if its still around for that deal later this fall. got some medical debt to finish off at that time.