What are best brakes for XC?

[VaNIlLin81]

HELP!! I'm going to have money this weekend, and I need to know what brakes to get. So post pros and cons if you know any, and if you see a better price, please let me know.

Under $200.00



Juicy 5's
520 grams
http://pricepoint.com/detail/13770-115_AVDJ55-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Avid-Juicy-5-Disc-Brake---Hydraulic-160---203.htm

Juicy 7's
395 grams
http://pricepoint.com/detail/12963-115_AVDJ73-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Avid-Juicy-7-Disc-Brake---Hydraulic-160mm.htm

Hayes HFX Carbon
420 grams
http://pricepoint.com/detail/14251-115_HAY9C5-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Hayes-HFX-9-Disc-Brake---Hydraulic--Carbon-V6.htm

Hayes HFX HD
520 grams
http://pricepoint.com/detail/14220-115_HAY9H5-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Hayes-HFX-9-HD-Disc-Brake---Hydraulic-V8.htm

[sanjuro]

None of the above. Get Formula Puros.

[VaNIlLin81]

I need something cheaper, under $200 a piece

[Dirty]

well if other people are gonna provide write ins...
my vote goes to AVID ULTIMATES!

[mud'n'sweat]

You know I'm gonna say juicy 7's. They are kicking ass so far! :cool:

[blue]

Are the HFX Carbons this years models? If so, my vote goes to them or the Juicy 7s...

[SuspectDevice]

Avid FR5 levers and Sd7's. A few hundred dollars cheaper, very light, and plenty of power. Who needs discs on an XC bike?

[VaNIlLin81]

It's "hardcore" crosscountry, O-hill, lots of fast and flowy downhill.

[SuspectDevice]

I have no idea what "o-hill" is, but I still stand by my statement. Be cheap. It's good for the soul.

[VaNIlLin81]

That and my frame does not have bosses for the v-brakes. I have a trance. I'm buying the juicy 7's. Have not heard one bad thing about them yet.

[BIRDMAN111]

It's "hardcore" crosscountry, O-hill, lots of fast and flowy downhill.
not hard core crosscountry its like agressive xc. and rocks!!!

[oldfart]

Juicy 7 all the way. They are the lightest of the ones you posted and they work really well. IMHO rim brakes for off road have gone the way of the Dodo, or will shortly. Rim brakes still work well in some situations. If it is consistently dry and you don't have many really long downhills to ride. In North Vancouver it tends to be wet frequently and it's either up or down for the most part. The only bikes with rim brakes around here, other than road bikes, are low end bikes and even then there are disc brakes on some of those. Many commuter bikes have discs now. It will be a while before road bikes have good light discs, but it'll happen one day.

[jacksonpt]

FWIW... I run Hopes (mono minis). Functionally they are awesome. They feel great, easy to feather, and stop on a dime when necessary. However, they also squeal like crazy when they get dirty... and around here... they are almost always dirty.

I like em, but probably wouldn't buy them again simply because of the squealing.

[douglas]

my fav's are hayes

[GotMyGED]

If you have to have disc brakes on your xc rig, i suggest avid bb7 all the way. No need for hydro on an xc bike. bb7 brakes are the most user friendly brakes i have worked on as a mechanic and rider.

[Pau11y]

If you have to have disc brakes on your xc rig, i suggest avid bb7 all the way. No need for hydro on an xc bike. bb7 brakes are the most user friendly brakes i have worked on as a mechanic and rider.

:stupid:

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> Who needs discs on an XC bike?
Maybe not *need* but I'll take 'em on a XC bike over V's. Of course, our XC trails out here can have some pretty big downhills. :D

[SuspectDevice]

If you can't make V-brakes work better than hope Mini's or El Caminos, you aren't a skilled mechanic. Cheap V-brakes are for the most part much better in every condition save all-out slop than some of these fancy lightweight Discs. The only light discs I've had experience with that aren't crap are the Magura Martas. El Caminos are crap, the hopes I've used are crap too. Maybe the new Formulas are decent...

[oldfart]

I can't speak to Hope Minis or El Caminos, but I have extensive riding on the original Hayes Mags, XTR and Juicy Sevens. I also have extensive riding experience on XT and XTR v's and some Avid somrthing or other Ti I forget which. And yes they work quite well when dry. No rim brake works as well when the rim is wet as when dry. In fact V's tend to get grabby just as the rim dries out after a couple revolutions making technical rides very difficult.

The OP asked about 4 different brakes. He has no canti bosses. For him rim brakes are irrelevant. Of the four he presented I think he chose well going with the J7.

For them that care, in my opinion rim brakes work well. Discs work way better in all conditions except on the scale where there is a slight weight penalty.

[SuspectDevice]

For them that care, in my opinion rim brakes work well. Discs work way better in all conditions except on the scale where there is a slight weight penalty.

Right, except crappy lightweight Disc Brakes, which are worse in every condition.

[JRogers]

HELP!! I'm going to have money this weekend, and I need to know what brakes to get. So post pros and cons if you know any, and if you see a better price, please let me know.

Under $200.00



Juicy 5's
520 grams
http://pricepoint.com/detail/13770-115_AVDJ55-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Avid-Juicy-5-Disc-Brake---Hydraulic-160---203.htm

Juicy 7's
395 grams
http://pricepoint.com/detail/12963-115_AVDJ73-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Avid-Juicy-7-Disc-Brake---Hydraulic-160mm.htm

Hayes HFX Carbon
420 grams
http://pricepoint.com/detail/14251-115_HAY9C5-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Hayes-HFX-9-Disc-Brake---Hydraulic--Carbon-V6.htm

Hayes HFX HD
520 grams
http://pricepoint.com/detail/14220-115_HAY9H5-3-Parts-158-Brakes/Disc/Hayes-HFX-9-HD-Disc-Brake---Hydraulic-V8.htm

Go for the 7s if you can spring for them, 5s if you want to save some cash. I have the 7s on my XC bike and they are great. I've been a Hayes fan for years and still run them on my DH bike, but I'd consider switching to Avid if the money was available. The 7s have great feel and great power.

[Vandal]

I know they're not on your list but I've been using a Julie disk on the front and I like it a lot.

[Trainwreck]

I'm running Ultimates on my XC bike which I really really like. I have 7's on my squishy bike which work very well- great modulation.