Focus Mares AX 105 Disc 2016

[Wafer]

Is the topping up a simple thing you can do at home?
Let us know how you get on with them

From the way they talked about it, it sounded like a shop job, honestly no idea though! I'm not the most mechanically minded so planning on letting them sort it as part of the free servicing

 

[RussellZero]

@SpokeyDokey - I know this is a couple of years old now but wondering if you took the plunge with this bike? I've got the 105 CX with TRP hybrid brakes; I love the bike, it's great fun to ride, but the brakes have been nothing but trouble, and I'm considering spending another £4-500 upgrading to fully hydraulic. The TRP's don't seem to be easy to configure (eg. lever pull length), and I've had several occasions where they just haven't worked well enough to slow me down fast enough (my road bike's ultegra rim brakes are *way* better in the dry), and I've even had one ride where they completely gave up, and I had to manage 10 miles with no brakes at all. The LBS sorted it after that, but only to the level that they're just about usable - in fact last week I had a scary moment needing to brake downhill to avoid traffic coming up, I was with another rider who was in front, and even with him a good 30 yds in front, I nearly crashed into him, just couldn't stop. My MTB has full hydraulic, and is far better. The TRP's I can't seem to even lock the wheel - the lever will touch the bars before it gets close. Maybe I've been unlucky or have a faulty component, but it's the one thing about the bike that spoils the fun.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

@SpokeyDokey - I know this is a couple of years old now but wondering if you took the plunge with this bike? I've got the 105 CX with TRP hybrid brakes; I love the bike, it's great fun to ride, but the brakes have been nothing but trouble, and I'm considering spending another £4-500 upgrading to fully hydraulic. The TRP's don't seem to be easy to configure (eg. lever pull length), and I've had several occasions where they just haven't worked well enough to slow me down fast enough (my road bike's ultegra rim brakes are *way* better in the dry), and I've even had one ride where they completely gave up, and I had to manage 10 miles with no brakes at all. The LBS sorted it after that, but only to the level that they're just about usable - in fact last week I had a scary moment needing to brake downhill to avoid traffic coming up, I was with another rider who was in front, and even with him a good 30 yds in front, I nearly crashed into him, just couldn't stop. My MTB has full hydraulic, and is far better. The TRP's I can't seem to even lock the wheel - the lever will touch the bars before it gets close. Maybe I've been unlucky or have a faulty component, but it's the one thing about the bike that spoils the fun.

I didn't take the plunge as at the time the local Focus dealer was out of stock and couldn't give me a firm delivery date once ordered.

I dithered around for a couple of years partly because I can dither on such matters and partly because I was ill and off my bike for some time (recovered now).

The bike I eventually ended up with is a Trek Domane ALR 5 Disc - the RS505 hydraulics on this are superb and no way would I ever bother with rim brakes again.

AFAIK TRP Spyres are v.good cable operated discs - no idea why yours aren't work so well. Have you tried asking the question in the Mechanicals section of the site?

Although if you like your bike and you like hydraulics then you upgrade plan seems like the way to go!

Good luck whatever you do.

 

[vickster]

I didn't take the plunge as at the time the local Focus dealer was out of stock and couldn't give me a firm delivery date once ordered.

I dithered around for a couple of years partly because I can dither on such matters and partly because I was ill and off my bike for some time (recovered now).

The bike I eventually ended up with is a Trek Domane ALR 5 Disc - the RS505 hydraulics on this are superb and no way would I ever bother with rim brakes again.

AFAIK TRP Spyres are v.good cable operated discs - no idea why yours aren't work so well. Have you tried asking the question in the Mechanicals section of the site?

Although if you like your bike and you like hydraulics then you upgrade plan seems like the way to go!

Good luck whatever you do.

It reads like he has the TRP HY/RD not the mechanical Spyres

I think @ColinJ might have the HY/RDs?

 

[RussellZero]

It reads like he has the TRP HY/RD not the mechanical Spyres

I think @ColinJ might have the HY/RDs?

Correct I have the HY/RDs - hybrid jobbies. Just found out I can get the Ultegra disc brake hydraulic (R8020?) shifters & calipers on the cycle to work scheme so that's my way forward. I think I may get LBS to fit though, it's all internally routed cabling, is this something I can DIY or should I leave it to the specialists?

 

[amasidlover]

I have TRP Hy/Rds and what you're describing isn't normal.

Possible faults:
1) They could need the fluid reservoirs topping up/bleeding.
2) Contaminated pads.
3) Worn out pads (or disc with enough miles on it)
4) Cable set-up with some slack in it (or very poor cables).
5) Weird bar / lever combination that doesn't allow full travel of the brake lever.

However, its worth saying that the biggest criticism of the Hy/Rds is the travel on the lever needed to brake - its not adjustable at all and for me I get within 10mm of the bars with brakes hard on (until the pads are heavily worn and the self-adjusting then goes - at that point I change pads and its back to normal).

Regardless, with fresh pads there's something wrong if you can pull the brake lever back to the bars.