Brake issues thread

Scotty T

Walks the walk
Damn this is @Scotty T cable end cartel all over again!!!
Since the introduction of hydraulic discs and low end Di2 on road bikes, there's just no cables to speak of anymore outside of the vintage market. So I'm adding vintage to the name and upping the price by 100%.

RISK seems appropriate in the branding for anything from Ali, but Ti anything for that price is insane.
 

Asininedrivel

caviar connoisseur
for anyone else running xtr m9020 the piston is a different size to slx, xt, saint etc.

fuck you shimano.
View attachment 380299
Levers aren't interchangeable either. And the performance is sub-par unless you use Galfer pads imo.

Won't bother with Shimano brakes again. Apart from Saints they've all been temperamental PITAs (including M785s).
 
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frenchman

Eats cheese. Sells crack.
Levers aren't interchangeable either. And the performance is sub-par unless you use Galfer pads imo.

Won't bother with Shimano brakes again. Apart from Saints they've all been temperamental PITAs (including M785s).
The only other option I’ve considered is the trickstuff. But no chance of getting a set in under 6 months.
the Shimano stuff is ok if you treat the levers as disposable. Although they should last longer than a set of brake pads….
I’ve managed to swap lever around ok by filing down the xtr lever to get them to fit into the xt body.
 

stirk

Burner
Levers aren't interchangeable either. And the performance is sub-par unless you use Galfer pads imo.

Won't bother with Shimano brakes again. Apart from Saints they've all been temperamental PITAs (including M785s).
I can't say one bad thing about m785's, what troubles have you had with them?
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I was going to try Formula Cura on my Spur, then it was pointed out by a certain 15yr old that I would need bar clamps for both dropper and shifter.
Bloody too hard in the scarce parts world we are experiencing.
These will do for a while.
 

Litenbror

Eats Squid
I was going to try Formula Cura on my Spur, then it was pointed out by a certain 15yr old that I would need bar clamps for both dropper and shifter.
Bloody too hard in the scarce parts world we are experiencing.
These will do for a while.
The maguras matchmakers work with Curas, I even 3d printed a few that work fine.
 

Asininedrivel

caviar connoisseur
I can't say one bad thing about m785's, what troubles have you had with them?
deep breath

I got my first set in 2012 when they were new. Part of my first big custom build (on a budget you'd be lucky to get an alloy frame for now :D). Splashed out, Ice Tech 180mm, the works. Squealing, endless niggles, wandering bite point, glazed pads and ever inconsistent performance. Like yeah I do like to indulge in Dad braking but I also try to look after my gear. Same issues with second set I got with another secondhand bike, and the third set (on another secondhand bike) added weeping callipers for more fun. I've still got the third set on the DJ and with the rear calliper replaced with an M8000 they've been much better. Front is still shit though.

Maybe I've just been unlucky, and when they can be bothered working they're great, but that's been a rarity for me and they're high maintenance af.
 

DougalStrachan

Likes Dirt
I had my first Shimano issue last night where the rear lever pulled all the way to the bars, but then managed to reset itself and not cause a single other issue all night. My son had one a week ago (unfortunately he was popping a wheelie at the time and slammed the road as he couldn't 'feather' the brake). Is that just Shimano or time for a full bleed?
 

frenchman

Eats cheese. Sells crack.
I had my first Shimano issue last night where the rear lever pulled all the way to the bars, but then managed to reset itself and not cause a single other issue all night. My son had one a week ago (unfortunately he was popping a wheelie at the time and slammed the road as he couldn't 'feather' the brake). Is that just Shimano or time for a full bleed?
Can be a symptom of a shit bleed, which I have had before. But if they are older I've found in every single set of shimano servowave levers (9 of them) they get scoring on outside of the master cylinder and no amount of bleeding will remedy the wandering bite point.
 

moorey

call me Mia
deep breath

I got my first set in 2012 when they were new. Part of my first big custom build (on a budget you'd be lucky to get an alloy frame for now :D). Splashed out, Ice Tech 180mm, the works. Squealing, endless niggles, wandering bite point, glazed pads and ever inconsistent performance. Like yeah I do like to indulge in Dad braking but I also try to look after my gear. Same issues with second set I got with another secondhand bike, and the third set (on another secondhand bike) added weeping callipers for more fun. I've still got the third set on the DJ and with the rear calliper replaced with an M8000 they've been much better. Front is still shit though.

Maybe I've just been unlucky, and when they can be bothered working they're great, but that's been a rarity for me and they're high maintenance af.
Definitely unlucky. Had easily a dozen sets. One failed lever.
Sold most to replace with m8000. Had a few of those fail.
The 785’s I kept are still going strong.
 

Labcanary

One potato, two potato, click
Definitely unlucky. Had easily a dozen sets. One failed lever.
Sold most to replace with m8000. Had a few of those fail.
The 785’s I kept are still going strong.
Count me as unlucky too. I've got a set and both levers leak.
Next rainy day project is pull apart the levers and give them a thorough clean, they're filthy (came that way second hand). What could possibly go wrong?
 

The Duckmeister

Has a juicy midrange
I've had a small number of Shimano levers with sticky pistons through the workshop. Random mix of models and very few units, so can't say there's a fundamental flaw anywhere in the range.
 

komdotkom

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Another happy M785/675 owner here, I've even run them with the caliper lower than the lever on a Billy cart without issues.
 
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