Carbon rotors??

[No Skid Marks]

I just measured a 160 and 180 Carbon rotor, and both were accurate. I also measured a 160mm Shimanno at 160mm.
I weighed a few 160mm rotors.
Carbon 61g
A2Z saw 89g
Cheap Shimanno 124g
Avid 111g
Avid 95g
Weight savings is greater the bigger the rotor.

 

[No Skid Marks]

It's just that if carbon rotors were really a viable option on push bikes, you would think companies like Formula, Hope, Shimano, Avid etc would have protos out there. Carbon rotors are nothing new. It seems that by reading this thread, many people are having big issues with them lacking power. Certain parts and meterials need to run at a certain temp to work at their best. Carbon rotors may work well on cars and motorbikes where the forces applied to them are much greater and run much hotter. It's only for exceptionally long downhills that these carbon rotors would seem to be suited best but then I don't hear any WC racers complaining that their rotors are not good enough or powerful enough. Yes, there is always room for improvement but reading that people are putting these on their commuters is making me think that these rotors are more a cosmetic thing.

They're different to the Moto Gp and F1 ones ;-)
assumption is...............
Pretty sure you'll find WC riders would prefer better brakes.
I think the rotors are ugly. I only buy stuff in search of performance gains, not aesthetics. I don't have to wake up next to them.

 

[FatMuz]

I have them on my 130mm travel 29er trail bike. I bought them because I like to tinker with new ideas. Initial bite is not as strong as the ice tech rotors but is still good. They have run completely silent as well.
The best thing about them from my experience is how smooth they feel and how gently you can modulate the pressure. I'm no downhill racer but on extended downhills I've had no fade or any other problems.

Coming from a motorcycle background I fully expected them not to work without initial heat build up... but that's not true. Get the bike off the ute, jump on and ride... brakes work straight away.

Cheers
FatMuz

 

[MtbDjRidaSachaz66]

Phwoar, that was a long read...

Seems like the few riders in this thread whom have actually bought and put these carbon rotors to the test, are satisfied with them - better performance, modulation, lighter, etc. Only downside I've got out of all this is the shitty amount of time it takes to bed them in.

I would definitely give them a go if money wasn't an issue!

 

[harmonix1234]

I want to get some, but are kettle the only manufacturers at the mo?

 

[dilzy]

Are you speaking from experience? Sintered are shit in my carbon rotors and they don't need to get hot to work. They are not the same as motorbike or car carbon fibre rotors

Do you own any? I have 2 sets and organic work fine

With motorbike carbon rotors, yes, with these, no I have no experience. The organics (I mean the shitty resin based basically glued together bicycle ones) usually can't handle the heat, which is the whole point of using a composite rotor anyway, otherwise it's just an expensive wank. Fade resistance at extreme temperature is the whole point of it. I suppose the tiny weight saving on these things is worth it for some people...

 

[ctguru]

With motorbike carbon rotors, yes, with these, no I have no experience. The organics (I mean the shitty resin based basically glued together bicycle ones) usually can't handle the heat, which is the whole point of using a composite rotor anyway, otherwise it's just an expensive wank. Fade resistance at extreme temperature is the whole point of it. I suppose the tiny weight saving on these things is worth it for some people...

my favourite thing about these rotors is absolutely no brake fade what so ever

 

[No Skid Marks]

With motorbike carbon rotors, yes, with these, no I have no experience. hmmm. The organics (I mean the shitty resin based basically glued together bicycle onesaren't sintered made the same way? Organics have more power even with stainless rotors. Up to a temp.) usually can't handle the heat Maybe the carbon rotors cool quicker. Either way, rotor temps in Oz are rarely and issue., which is the whole point of using a composite rotor anywayThis is where you're mistaken. There are several other possible benefits too. Any of wich might be why us guys are trying them. , otherwise it's just an expensive wank. Fade resistance at extreme temperature is the whole point of itNobody has mentioned how they perform at temp, your speculating based on something(Moto rotors)that are only related by a material. . I suppose the tiny It's far from tiny. Sub 50 grams an end sure, but rotating weight, and hard to loose 50 grams off wheels if you've done tubeless etc without risking puncture or durability. weight saving on these things is worth it for some people...Weight savings is worth it for me. Durability is too if it's true, longevity is also if true, same with quicker heating and cooling.

Lot of negativity for something you've not even tried. Glad you weren't on the board when they were discussing disk brakes and full suspension. We'd all still be on penny farthings with that attitude.
Possibly they're not 100% as good as stainless, but like most things on bikes, they're a compromise, and may have other benefits. I'll be sticking with them unless there's catastrophic failure or they don't outlast stainless ones.

 

[pistonbroke]

I've only done around 150km or so but I'll chime in with my thoughts on the kettle rotors.
I am running 160mm f & r on my Anthem Advanced 29er. Both are the updated C processed units.
I put them in and left the standard XT pads in as they were still in good shape after about 1300km on the Icetech rotors. It's recommended that new pads are used, but meh.
I put them on and went out into the street to bed them in. As expected initial braking performance was terrible, but improved by the minute.
On my first ride which was an easy 60km wet roll along the Yarra trails they lacked outright power but were quiet and smooth.
Today I raced a 4 hour xc race that was fast and flowey. It was a dry and sandy track. Again they were smooth and quiet but lacked the outright grab that they would have with the icetech rotors. I like to dab the rear brake mid corner the help bring the front around tight corners but this was less effective with the carbon rotors. On steep descents it felt like I would be unable to stop in a hurry if needed. I had zero brake fade and they seem to run the same wet or dry, hot or hold.
It's almost like running abs brakes which isn't all bad because the XT brakes can be a little grabby at times.
So in summery I am happy with them but not 100%. I may try Kettle's carbon specific pads in the future to restore my confidence in the steep stuff.

Would I do it again? Only if I had too much money. I wouldn't list it as a must do.

 

[dilzy]

Lot of negativity for something you've not even tried. Glad you weren't on the board when they were discussing disk brakes and full suspension. We'd all still be on penny farthings with that attitude.
Possibly they're not 100% as good as stainless, but like most things on bikes, they're a compromise, and may have other benefits. I'll be sticking with them unless there's catastrophic failure or they don't outlast stainless ones.

I think that's a bit rough considering I've been wanting gear box and carbon bikes for years. I actually championed these when they came out because the dh tracks I used to ride were f'ing steep and even the 4 pot saints most of us were running were cooked by the end of the run, so the fade resistance is I think the biggest thing. I just stopped riding dh before they came out or I'd probably have got a set.

 

[No Skid Marks]

I think that's a bit rough considering I've been wanting gear box and carbon bikes for years. I actually championed these when they came out because the dh tracks I used to ride were f'ing steep and even the 4 pot saints most of us were running were cooked by the end of the run, so the fade resistance is I think the biggest thing. I just stopped riding dh before they came out or I'd probably have got a set.

I'm a bit confused about the gearbox bike and carbon bike comments. Something everyone doubted 8 or so years ago when I was selling Lahars with gearboxs, lazy head angles, integrated headset and BB, all things that are common place now but were doubted by doubters then. So seems a touch ironic to mention.
It's all good. I'm just saying keep an open mind. Advancements now days are generally small, so it pays to take them where you can get them.

 

[SaabG]

I don't have a set of these so I can't comment on how they work but I will say that the reason why I'm interested in them is that no matter what rotors I buy I am continuosly bending them. I ride rough am where I'm constantly getting rocks and branches smashing my rotors to bits and I'm sick of having constant brake rub as a result of this.

As for lack of power why don't people run a bigger rotor? If you normally run a 160mm surely a 180mm carbon rotor would perform similarly. I myself run 180mm ice tech rotors with formula the one brakes on my nomad and I will be trying 203mm carbon rotors when funds allow. I'm sure over the life span of the rotors they will actually save me money as they shouldn't bend everytime I go near a rock garden. Time will tell I guess.

 

[creaky]

I notice that the 'lack of outright power' comments seem to go hand in hand with 'great, no brake fade' comments ..... Do they just feel like a constantly faded ?

NSM - I seem to recall reading that are you selling / looking to be selling these rotors. Is this correct ? If so, what price will it be to get a first hand experience ?

 

[No Skid Marks]

Double post.

 

[No Skid Marks]

I notice that the 'lack of outright power' comments seem to go hand in hand with 'great, no brake fade' comments ..... Do they just feel like a constantly faded ?

NSM - I seem to recall reading that are you selling / looking to be selling these rotors. Is this correct ? If so, what price will it be to get a first hand experience ?

Sort of the fade comment is what my front felt like with the sintered pads. Feels pretty similer to steel rotor now. But I don't have enough time on them yet to say. I did a dh race on them the other day with good times(cue no brake joke).
Pretty sure they'll be
160mm $169
180mm $199
203mm $219
Each. I think that's what the manufacturer sells them for roughly with freight. We'd just be matching their prices.

 

[pistonbroke]

So after racing on them for 4 hours yesterday, I got home today and pulled the rear pads out. It was pretty clear that the rotor is about .5mm too small. So I pulled the caliper off and filed down the posts on my bike. I probably filed off about 1mm as I had a little trouble at first getting then level. So now the rotor sticks out past the pads about .5mm which I'm more comfortable with.
I also checked the pads and they are Shimano alloy backed resin.
I then fitted a new set of the same pads, just to be sure.
If I can't get the power and feel I want, I'll try kettles carbon specific pads.

 

[vtwiz]

Haven't seen these before. Do Shimano have a prototype carbon rotor?

 

[pistonbroke]

That's not a carbon rotor. It's a finned Saint.

 

[vtwiz]

That's not a carbon rotor. It's a finned Saint.

With a black braking surface?

EDIT: Prob just the way the light hits it i suppose.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

That's not a carbon rotor. It's a finned Saint.

They've now expanded on those so you'll find the finned alloy core rotors in XTR as well as the new hydro roadie range