Author Topic: brake caliper advice needed (Read 2476 times)

dizzy · « **on:** May 16, 2012, 09:24 AM »

hi

i have an old skool areo reflex with a dia comp fs880 pots mod on the front and a dia compe mx901 on the back running through a giro. I use the new skyway brake blocks. The wheels are the new style skyway tuff 2's. Try as i might i have never really got the brakes to actually stop the bike very well. They run off tech 3 levers. I am thinking of changing the brake cailipers. I would like some advice as to which calipers to get so the brakes may actually work better. I'm looking at some dia compe bulldogs.

WOuld these work? are they better stoppers than my current mx901and fs880 combo. What about the acs boa's? i haven't heard of them, but was reading a post here and someone mentioned them in relation to brakes and skyways. I have limited funds and i think the boas maybe a tad more expensive than the bulldogs. If i got new calipers would i have to change the brake levers too?

thanks in advance for help, i really do need an experts opinion on this subject

renegaderacer · « **Reply #1 on:** May 16, 2012, 09:51 AM »

Hi mate,

I don't think you need new calipers as they are good brakes you have and I used to have no problems whatsoever when I had an 880 on the front.

I've never been a fan of mags but from what I've heard, they don't brake as well as alloy rims. You could always try new clear pads which are a soft compound and grip really well (but make a hell of a racket!).

Wouldn't bother with Bulldog's as they're no better than you have now and I wasn't that impressed when I've had them in the past.

ACS Boa's are wicked but again, a brake's only as good as it's set-up. There's no denying they're the business when they're set-up properly but they can also be crap when they're not.

Stick with what you've got and concentrate more on how it's set-up. How's the routing for the front brake cable? Is it kinked? Is it oiled properly? Are the cables adjusted properly for the Gyro for the back brake?

If you've set everything up properly and it's still bad maybe you'll just have to concede that brakes just don't work that well on mags!

Giles

oldschoolace · « **Reply #2 on:** May 16, 2012, 10:34 AM »

what he said ^^^^

Clear pads are the only money i would spend trying to rectify the problem.

brummie · « **Reply #3 on:** May 16, 2012, 01:11 PM »

you could change the levers to some tech 5's
remove the calipers and bend the spring ( straighten it out a bit )
would work better minus the giro i should imagine and squirt some wd40 down the cable esp the front if potts modded
sticky pads will help a bit too

deeman · « **Reply #4 on:** May 16, 2012, 05:06 PM »

Quote from: oldschoolace on May 16, 2012, 10:34 AM

what he said ^^^^

Clear pads are the only money i would spend trying to rectify the problem.

x2 pads are probably the problem!

dizzy · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2012, 11:56 AM »

thanks for the advice

I'm not relishing the idea of taking them apart, but if that's what i have to do , i'll try to give it ago. I'm a bit skint at the mo so can't really afford to buy new brake stuff. I'm 6 foot tall and 39 but i do rather like my aero reflex. Have thought about selling it a few a few times but simply can't do it. It does seem to eat funds from time to time. I have had it since august 2006, built it myself , (was one of those aero reflex complete self build packages from alans bmx, when they had them, but i have changed quite alot of the parts since then, so practically built it twice over) and use it as a run about. This summer i hope to try to learn some tricks, hence making the effort to get the brakes tip-top.

anyways, so i just have to take apart the brakes , stretch the spring, wd40 the cables and check the giro is running smoothly, is that about it?

renegaderacer · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2012, 12:37 PM »

Definately change the brake pads for clear, soft compound ones.

They make a massive difference. As they are soft, they make a horrible loud noise when you apply the brakes as they're so grabby but it's a small price to pay for brakes that work!

Also, you could try changing the levers to tech 5's like brummie said, or even tech 6's but DEFINATELY change the pads.

dizzy · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2012, 12:16 PM »

well the bikes back together, and in the end i went with the skyway tuff pads again, mainly cos i'd bought them before people had suggested the clear ones. I didn't end up taking the brakes apart but concentrated on making sure the locking nuts on the front of the brake calipers were locked, sounds simple, but never had a flat spanner to lock the thin bolts against the out one. The brakes work but still don't stop on a penny. Next time i will try the clear pads ( i've seen in the rad bmx shop they have own branded clear pads at reasonable cost. I still haven't quite got the hang of adjusting those brakes. Sounds simple but had a little bit of a problem centralising the front, doh!

. At some point i may well taking them apart and mess with the springs.

Anyways just to say thanks for the advice,