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The Basics of Mountain Bike Brakes  

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   There are many different brands and models of mountain bike brakes from a range of manufacturers. The varieties of brakes available in the market today is so overwhelming that unless you know exactly what you are looking for, you might bypass the perfect set of brakes for your mountain bike. You may end up buying brakes that do not fit onto your bike at all. Or maybe you might find one that fits your mountain bike but is not as effective as you want it to be.  Braking, when calibrated just right can be a beautiful feeling.  I remember purchasing a mountain bike with standard equipment, riding down a steep hill and having brakes that just couldn’t stop me fast enough.  Not the best feeling in the world.  So lets take a look at some of the basics in braking to try to better understand what we can do to slow down a bit faster.  

     Mountain bike manufacturers such as Avid, Shimano and Sram produce high-quality brakes. Despite the quality, you need to know some more about mountain bike brakes if you are to get the perfect upgrade for your bike.  The most popular type of mountain bike braking system used today is the disc brake. Disc brakes can either be the mechanical type or the hydraulic type. When shopping for a disc brake, you need to consider the rotors, the brake pads, and the brake modulation. If you are having a hard time choosing disc brakes for your mountain bike, the information in this article will make the task a piece of cake.  

Types of Mountain Bike Brakes

Basically, there are two kinds of mountain bike braking systems. Although we are concentrating on the disc brakes in this article, it is useful to go get an overview of rim brakes. Since mountain bike frames are made to accommodate disc brakes and rim brakes, it is important, to find out the type of mount you have before you choose any type of brakes.  Rim brakes come in different varieties such as the “V – brakes” and “Y – Brakes”. In the rim braking system, there are two pads fitted on both sides of the wheel. They grab the wheel when the levers are depressed, hence slowing down the bike. Rim brakes have a limited stopping power which gets even worse in wet and muddy conditions. This is why the popularity of rim brakes has reduced significantly over the years.  On the other hand, disc brakes have gained its popularity because of its effectiveness and efficiency. They provide a shorter braking distance and are not affected by the weather conditions.  

Hydraulic vs. Mechanical Disc Brakes

Great video on Hydraulic vs. Mechanical Disc Brakes for road bikes and mountain bikes.  

Disc brakes are made in two flavors. Hydraulic brakes are the ones that use a piston-cylinder system that is filled with a special kind of fluid. It is similar to the brakes being used on vehicles and motorcycles. On the other hand, mechanical brakes use a steel cable which converts the pull on the lever to a pull on the brake caliper on the disc.   Although hydraulic brakes provide more stopping power and an improved modulation, they are quite expensive to buy and maintain. They also require a lot of skill to service and perform operations such as bleeding. Mechanical brakes are cheaper to buy and maintain. They are also easy to service and maintain compared to hydraulic brakes.

Considering the Brake Rotors

In a disc brake system, the disc itself is also called the rotor. It is the circular disc that is mounted on the wheel, which when grabbed by the pads, slow down the bike. It functions very well in dissipating heat from the friction during braking.  The diameter of the rotor will determine the amount of heat transferred. Therefore, gravity-oriented mountain bikes should use larger rotors than cross-country mountain bikes. The size of the rotor can also be dictated by the position on which the caliper is mounted on the frame of the bike. For this reason, many manufacturers have adopted and now include an adapter that fit various rotors.

Disc Brake Pads

Here's a great video on how to change your own disc brake pads on your mountain bike.  Some people take their mountain bikes in for this but the process is pretty simple.  You can do it at home if you follow the steps in the video...

The basic brake pads available for disc brakes include the semi-metallic pads, sintered pads, and organic brake pads. Most out of box bikes will come fitted with some kind of semi-metallic pads. They are famous for providing stronger stopping power and do not wear out quickly compared to organic brake pads.  Sintered pads, also known as metallic pads, are suitable for heavy gravity riders because of their elevated friction values. As a matter of fact, metallic brake pads produce more friction in high temperatures as opposed to low temperatures. As a result, they perform well in extreme conditions.

Resin brake pads, which are the organic pads, provide an improved modulation. It generates less noise but wears and tears quicker than the semi-metallic pads. They also do not cope very well with wet conditions.  

   Now that you understand some more about the types of mountain bike brakes, the difference between the mechanical and hydraulic brakes, the brake rotors and the different types of brake pads, you are in a position to select the perfect brakes for your mountain bike. All you need to do is keep in mind that manufacturers make the different types of mountain bike brakes depending on the riding style the bike is meant for. The hydraulic and mechanical brakes are the two flavors available for the disc braking systems. The size of the brake rotor contributes significantly to its power, and brake pads also come in three flavors: the metallic, semi-metallic, and the organic brake pads. You can get more information on bike mountain bike braking system on the wiki page.  Also, remember that heavy riders should go for a braking system that has more stopping power.  If you have any questions please feel free to email us or leave a comment!  We thank you for reading!   

Blue Sky Cycling

2530 Randolph St.

Huntington Park, Ca 90255

(323) 585-3934

https://www.blueskycycling.com

info@blueskycycling.com

Shimano Mountain Bike Groupsets

Shimano Mountain Bike Groupsets

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   The drivetrain of your mountain bike is a fairly small section of your bike, yet it is made up of the most hardworking components on your bike. For example, when you are climbing long rocky hills with your mountain bike, you are forced to keep shifting from gear to gear trying to keep a constant cadence. You grind over the long sections of grit, mud and sand, or on the snow, wheezing down the rock gardens towards your finish line, hoping and jumping over abrupt logs and roots on your cross country trail. All these translate to pressure and stresses on your bike which in turn leads to wear and tear. The components of the drivetrain are the ones that you will most likely replace more often.

Since there are several different types of groupsets available for your mountain bike, it can be very difficult to choose the correct set to use when replacing or upgrading your mountain bike. This article takes a closer look at the lineup of Shimano’s drivetrain group sets starting with the Deore groupset, the Shimano SLX groupset, the Shimano Deore XT groupset, the Shimano Zee groupset, the Shimano Saint groupset, the Shimano XT Di2 groupset, and the Shimano XTR groupset, with the aim of helping you identify the correct set for your mountain bike and your riding style.

Shimano Deore groupset

Although the Shimano Deore groupset may seem to be obsolete, it is still one of the best groupsets offered by Shimano. It may be perceived as an unsung icon in the mountain biking componentry. Nevertheless, the fact is that it mixes the right balance in performance and reliability. What you may not know is that over the years, Shimano has been tweaking and refining the Deore groupset until now it boasts of many of the features found in Shimano’s top models. In general, the Deore groupset is still the ideal choice for an entry level mountain bike trail riding.  

Shimano SLX groupset

The Shimano SLX groupset is a relatively new addition to the Shimano’s set of family. It is a universal group of components that you can easily tailor to your own riding style and preferences. The Shimano SLX groupset shifts smoothly and is long lasting. It is composed of Shimano’s high-quality components featuring the Shimano Shadow+ rear derailleur, the Shimano RapidFire plus shifter, and the Shimano Ice Technology disc brakes. All these accrue to the exceptional performance witnessed in this group set, not forgetting that all these come at a wallet-friendly price

Shimano Deore XT groupset

A whole new level of performance and reliability comes with the Shimano Deore XT groupset. Its components are lighter in weight and have high performances. The Shimano XT derives its features from a trickle of features from high-end models. Regardless of whether you are a cross-country cyclist, a trail rider, or you mix different riding styles, the Shimano Deore XT excels in providing you with crispier shifting, transfer, general refinement, and increased power.

Shimano Zee groupset

One of the latest groupsets by Shimano is the Shimano Zee groupset which is carefully engineered to meet the need of gravity riders who are usually on the lookout for the next big jump, and drop off. The components of this groupset have been meticulously tried, tested and designed to meet the riding needs of mostly the freeride and downhill riding styles. It is a mix of high technology, reliability, top value, and a fair price.

Shimano Saint groupset

The Shimano Saint groupset is manufactured in such a way that it is able to take that extra harsh treatment, and abuse. Surprisingly, it is still light enough. The Shimano Saint groupset  is manufactured with the top end downhill professional in mind. The rider can easily forget all about gentleness to the bike and concentrate on the technical aspects of the ride.

Shimano XT Di2 groupset

The cross-country and enduro riders have also not been forgotten. The Shimano XTDi groupset is specially designed and manufactured for them. This groupset blends high performance with seamless shifting and brings them to a new level. Their price is affordable and accessible.

Shimano XTR groupset

     Top of the list is the Shimano’s XTR groupset which is a collection of Shimano’s top cream components. Using this groupset, numerous high-speed racers and have won uncountable races and championships.  It is light in weight, yet strong and adorn with the latest technology which makes it crisp, efficient, and reliable.

Although the latest and the greatest mountain bike products and components catch the attention and stimulate conversations and debates about them, this need not mean that the earlier versions of the same products and components are rendered useless. We have taken a look at the major groupsets offered by Shimano such as the Deore groupset, the Shimano SLX groupset, the Shimano Deore XT groupset, the Shimano Zee groupset, the Shimano Saint groupset, the Shimano XT Di2 groupset, the Shimano XTR groupset. The Deore may not be celebrated much, but it is still a great way of starting mountain biking. While the SLX can easily be tailored to match your riding style and preferences, the Deore XT features characteristics of other high-end models. The Zee and the Saint are crafted to meet the needs of freeride cyclists and withstand harsh treatment respectively. The Shimano XT Di2 is best suited for high-speed cross-country cyclist, and the XTR groupset being a careful collection of the best of Shimano’s components. 

Blue Sky Cycling

2530 Randolph St.

Huntington Park, Ca 90255

(323) 585-3934

https://www.blueskycycling.com

info@blueskycycling.com