I am gobsmacked!

[User16625]

Went into my LBS looking to buy a new MTB full sus. Was prepared to hand over £1700 and even signed a disclaimer form so I could ride the bike (albeit only around their car park). Never even bothered. Was told that the brakes (Shimano Deore XT) had no adjustment option. I wanted to bring the pads on the rear brake closer to the disc but was told this was not possible. The only adjustment was lever reach.

Call me pedantic but there is no way I would pay any amount for any bike where I have no control over brake pad/block clearance. I assumed this was a basic. Even Halfords cheapies have adjustment (altho they are still shoot).

I mentioned my Hayes Sole brakes on my 9 year old MTB did have such adjustment, and it only cost half as much.

Apparently I have to spend £3k plus for a full sus bike with such brakes, or simply buy that bike and upgrade the brakes. Not worth the faff.

 

[screenman]

What advantage would you have got by bringing the pads closer?

 

[User16625]

What advantage would you have got by bringing the pads closer?

Reduced the excessive lever travel before the bite point. I cant stand it personally, however strong the brakes are after that point. The front one seemed to have the bite point further out, but I still require the ability to adjust. Wont the lever travel become greater as the pads wear? Last thing I want is the lever coming back to the handlebars before maximum braking is achieved. Just doesnt make sense. I dont know about cars, but even my motorcycle has an adjuster on the lever that sets the bit point further out. As the pads wear, I turn this adjuster over time.

 

[screenman]

The reason I ask is despite using hydraulic discs for many years I have never encountered a problem, I will have to keep my eye's open for it. Mind you my wheels would lock up long before maximum braking is achieved.

 

[MikeW-71]

Hydraulic discs adjust themselves as the pads wear. Car brakes do the same.

 

[fossyant]

SRAM Guide R aren't adjustable either. No big deal.

Only issue, went and rode my old MTB last weekend and nearly crashed into the back of my wife's bike. Bloody canti brakes aren't a patch on finger press hydraulic brakes.

 

[Profpointy]

Reduced the excessive lever travel before the bite point. I cant stand it personally, however strong the brakes are after that point. The front one seemed to have the bite point further out, but I still require the ability to adjust. Wont the lever travel become greater as the pads wear? Last thing I want is the lever coming back to the handlebars before maximum braking is achieved. Just doesnt make sense. I dont know about cars, but even my motorcycle has an adjuster on the lever that sets the bit point further out. As the pads wear, I turn this adjuster over time.

The adjuster on a motorcycle lever is just the hand position. It doesn't adjust the actual brakes as such. Assuming the pedal cycle had hydraulics there similarly wouldn't be a pad adjustment. Cable discs I know nothing about but presume they would need to be adjustable

 

[MikeW-71]

Cable discs I know nothing about but presume they would need to be adjustable

Cable discs have pad adjusters, and need to be re-adjusted as pads wear in the same way as rim brakes.

 

[I like Skol]

Stig, this is a non-issue and you are over thinking the situation. Get the XT brakes, they are the best you will ever use and there is no need to reduce the clearance. I would suggest that if the bike you tried had excessive lever travel then the brake concerned needed bleeding properly. The lever adjustment is all you need to balance the biting point between front and rear. I run the XT's on my commuter and MTB (and now the road equivalent on my new enduroad bike) and once set up they require nothing other than occasional pad replacement.

 

[Levo-Lon]

As above..

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Do all cars/motorcycles/lorries/busses have adjusters on their hydraulic disc brakes, no, as per above as they are hydraulic they are not needed, cable brakes are totally different

 

[Jody]

I thought XT brakes have free float adjustment? That's the only difference between SLX and XT, apart from a bolt holding the pads rather than a split pin. The lever travel will stay the same as pads wear due to piston adjustment But as Skol points out the only thing you really need is reach adjustment to get the brakes feeling right as there is very little throw in Shimano hydraulics.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I thought XT brakes have free float adjustment? That's the only difference between SLX and XT, apart from a bolt holding the pads rather than a split pin. The lever travel will stay the same as pads wear due to piston adjustment But as Skol points out the only thing you really need is reach adjustment to get the brakes feeling right as there is very little throw in Shimano hydraulics.

they do but its debatable as to whether they actually work..

the high end codeR and odd others have pad gap adjustment ..it involes adjustment after the fluid entry point ..bit gimicky but may be more for high heat DH application..or such like..

 

[keithmac]

There is something deffinitely wrong with your motorcycle if you have to adjust the lever reach to compensate for pad wear, the hydraulic master cylinder is self adjusting by design.

Pistons sticking in the calipers can cause spongy lever feel and excess travel..

I would have it checked over to ensure your calipers are in correct working order..

Reduced the excessive lever travel before the bite point. I cant stand it personally, however strong the brakes are after that point. The front one seemed to have the bite point further out, but I still require the ability to adjust. Wont the lever travel become greater as the pads wear? Last thing I want is the lever coming back to the handlebars before maximum braking is achieved. Just doesnt make sense. I dont know about cars, but even my motorcycle has an adjuster on the lever that sets the bit point further out. As the pads wear, I turn this adjuster over time.

 

[User16625]

There is something deffinitely wrong with your motorcycle if you have to adjust the lever reach to compensate for pad wear, the hydraulic master cylinder is self adjusting by design.

Pistons sticking in the calipers can cause spongy lever feel and excess travel..

I would have it checked over to ensure your calipers are in correct working order..

The reach isnt adjusted. There is a little circular thing with numbers 1-5. Rotating this adjusts the bite point of the brake. There is an identical device on the clutch lever, altho I never tried that one.