E Brake upgrade

fatboyonabike

Captain oblivious
Spec'd brakes on anything are usually sub par at best
What have others done in the upgrade dept when it comes to brakes?
Mine is running SCAM CodeR, and I really don't rate them as suitable brakes for an Ebike
Looking at something like the new Magura MT5E brakes, or an older set of Hope M4/E4's
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
Shimano Saints or Zees; Formula Cura 4s; or TRP Quadiems, DH, or DHR.

Extra points for Uberbike Racematrix pads and Goodridge brake lines.

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 

fatboyonabike

Captain oblivious
Zees might be a good option, can get a set for under $400
don't know squat about the TRP's, are they rebranded Tektro?
I do like the engineering and robustness of Hope brakes, but DOT 5.1 and price is something that doesn't sit well
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
A mate just fitted TRP recently and seemed to struggle at Maydena. He was saying he had to resort to 2 finger stopping towards the end of his runs.

Not sure if it's saying more about his arm strength, or the brakes... He does ride a shit load though, so the arm strength shouldn't be a problem.
 

fatboyonabike

Captain oblivious
I do have Zee levers with M8000 calipers on mt AM HT+ bike, and I do really like the feel of the lever, is there any reliability issues with going with Zee , or spend the extra and go up to Saint?
 

kten

understands stuff moorey doesn't
I have MT5's on my Levo and they are awesome. MT7's on the normal bike and they're even better.
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
I do have Zee levers with M8000 calipers on mt AM HT+ bike, and I do really like the feel of the lever, is there any reliability issues with going with Zee , or spend the extra and go up to Saint?
I'm running XT, M8000 levers on Zee calipers and have zero issues. Also a long time user of Uberbike Race Matrix pads.

I just finished 3 days at Maydena and the brakes were faultless!

I don't see the need to go to Saint over Zee.
 

fatboyonabike

Captain oblivious
I'm running XT, M8000 levers on Zee calipers and have zero issues. Also a long time user of Uberbike Race Matrix pads.

I just finished 3 days at Maydena and the brakes were faultless!

I don't see the need to go to Saint over Zee.
was this on an Ebike?..Im assuming not as you would have probably been lynched with an Ebike at Maydena!
have you had any dramas running the XT levers with the Zee calipers, XT's are single pot yeah?
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
was this on an Ebike?..Im assuming not as you would have probably been lynched with an Ebike at Maydena!
have you had any dramas running the XT levers with the Zee calipers, XT's are single pot yeah?
No, not on an ebike. But myself and my bike weight more than a mate who rode with us on his ebike (and yes, he did cop plenty from us! All in good fun though... :p).

Yes, the XT levers usually run the single pot calipers (M8000), but they were also used with the 4 pot XT when they first were released (M8020). And no, I have had no issues what so ever since I started running them.
 

Cardy George

Piercing rural members since 1981
Yes, the XT levers usually run the single pot calipers (M8000), but they were also used with the 4 pot XT when they first were released (M8020). And no, I have had no issues what so ever since I started running them.
That's my combo too, and the m8020 4 pots improved the wandering lever compared to the m8000 2 pots.

I'm also going to recommend Racematrix pads.
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
I don't have any experience with ebikes but my Muru is 16+kg and the 4.7" tyres and fatbike wheels have a lot of rotating mass. I run M785 (?) XT levers and Saint calipers on 203mm rotors. It stops well and I haven't had any issue with fade or lack of bite. Lever feel is ok to me. Rarely pulling up from high speed though and while I have ridden the fat one on trails and braked from speed without issue this was intemittent and not for long periods. That may be the difference with an ebike. Certainly have no issues with the XTs and 4 pots (8000s) on the Bronson.

I have played with Hopes on another bike that belongs to someone else and the levers feel more solid though the braking operation is similar with the same feedback and feel. Not sure whether that makes sense. By comparison the XTs feel a little softer initially but the take up is sure and strong. Not spongy or aerated just different.

I could be tempted to have a play with the Maguras because they look sexy but no idea what they are like other than the reports I have read on here.
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
A mate just fitted TRP recently and seemed to struggle at Maydena. He was saying he had to resort to 2 finger stopping towards the end of his runs.

Not sure if it's saying more about his arm strength, or the brakes... He does ride a shit load though, so the arm strength shouldn't be a problem.
A mate just fitted TRP recently and seemed to struggle at Maydena. He was saying he had to resort to 2 finger stopping towards the end of his runs.

Not sure if it's saying more about his arm strength, or the brakes... He does ride a shit load though, so the arm strength shouldn't be a problem.
The TRP pads are hopeless. The feel and build quality of the brakes on the other hand are excellent. I'm running a set of G-spec Quadiems with Trickstuff pads and they are the ducks nuts.

My Saint m810s (imo they are better then the m820s and miles better then m8020s) with all the upgrades were smoking at the end of my Maydena runs. Maydena is pretty hard on brakes.

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Looking at something like the new Magura MT5E brakes
Mate has these on his ebike. Works a treat. No real issues yet even with some pretty extreme conditions (portly fella fully loaded descending blacks!) I will say though that rotors are probably going to be more important,that is go for the biggest ones out there.
 

itsajoke

Likes Dirt
I replaced the SRAM Codes on my Kenevo with SLX 4 pots. It still has the Centreline rotors fitted too. With only a handful of rides on it I think the brakes are bedded-in enough for me to say they are very good at stopping the monster truck in all situations I have been in.

The debate about modulation/Wandering Bite Point (WBP-patent pending) has not been a factor for me because I am still getting used to riding differently on familiar trails.

If you are considering going down that path, the Wolftooth adaptor works fine, but the shifter is too close to the brake lever for my preference. If you could drop it a few mm lower it would be ideal.
 
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