Increase brake rotor size

[Pale Rider]

You could try degreasing/deglazing the rotor and pads.

Grit is ideal, an old mountain biker's trick is to smear mud on the rotor and use the bike as normal.

You might notice the brakes pull a bit better after you've hammered along a cinder track - it's the same self-degreasing effect.

If you don't fancy that, a mildly abrasive kitchen cleaner - Cif or similar - applied with a dry rag to the rotors would do.

Or fine grade emery cloth.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

160's front and rear will stop you if you were heading down a steep Alpine pass let alone the hills in the UK.

I have 160's front and rear and they are spot on even here in the Lake District which has some pretty steep descents.

Tbh I'd prefer 140 on the rear as it is overkill for a rarely used brake and it is relatively easy to inadvertently lock up.

 

[ColinJ]

I'd never heard of Fimber but I see that it is near to the strangely named Wetwang! I haven't been quite that far out but rode through Stamford Bridge on the Humber Bridge ride a couple of weeks ago. I must go and check out the Wolds properly some day.

 

[NorthernDave]

I'd never heard of Fimber but I see that it is near to the strangely named Wetwang! I haven't been quite that far out but rode through Stamford Bridge on the Humber Bridge ride a couple of weeks ago. I must go and check out the Wolds properly some day.

http://eastyorkshirectc.org.uk/hill-climbs-on-the-yorkshire-wolds

Often overlooked, but some great cycling out that way.

 

[Pale Rider]

I'd never heard of Fimber but I see that it is near to the strangely named Wetwang! I haven't been quite that far out but rode through Stamford Bridge on the Humber Bridge ride a couple of weeks ago. I must go and check out the Wolds properly some day.

The Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding National Beauty not far north of York is excellent cycling country - pretty like the York to Humber Bridge ride but with plenty of ups and downs.

You would have gone through a corner of it as you approached Malton on the Leeds to Scarborough ride.

Careful route planning is advised in the Howardian Hills, stray even a couple of miles too far north and you are into the North York Moors and lots of ludicrously steep climbs that feature in books such as Boltby and Rosedale Chimney.

 

[I like Skol]

As has already been said multiple times. Going to bigger rotors wont fix anything that getting your current brakes working properly will.

 

[Kajjal]

To give you an example I am 100kg and my gravel / road bike has 160mm rotors front and back. They are hydraulic brakes and have plenty of power / control for road riding and also are fine off road. On road braking from 40mph abruptly is very controlled and fast.

My XC hard tail has 180mm front and 160mm rear rotor, this helps as it mainly rides off road , has knobbly tyres and mountain biking needs greater control / power over braking.

My XC FS (Full suspension) bike has 205mm front and 180mm rear rotors. Due to the bike being ridden harder and at greater speed than the hard tail the increased rotor size helps a lot.

In any of the above having contaminated brakes would significantly reduce the braking performance and if very contaminated the brakes would be very poor.

 

[stuarttunstall]

Thanks for all the advice, I do appreciate it...

There is a good chance I have glazed the pads, as shown in one of my other posts the second time out I seem to have discoloured the rear rotor... total newbie error and over using going down a slope, think I may have got it warm ... suppose I scared myself with speed lol

I will get them to check them out on the 20th

 

[I like Skol]

I dont think getting them warm is the issue. I think the continuous dragging under light braking may be more of a problem. The brakes do like to work so use them hard when you need to slow or stop and just let yourself roll the rest of the time. To be honest i dont even have to think about how i use my brakes, but maybe i am just more gungho than some?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Thanks for all the advice, I do appreciate it...

There is a good chance I have glazed the pads, as shown in one of my other posts the second time out I seem to have discoloured the rear rotor... total newbie error and over using going down a slope, think I may have got it warm ... suppose I scared myself with speed lol

I will get them to check them out on the 20th

View attachment 416333

Did you bed the pads in properly?

 

[Crankarm]

Just get some brake cleaner and give the rotor a clean. Go for a ride, find a steep hill and keep riding up and down it using the brakes hard to a standing stop. I suppose you could take the pads out and check them, but it sounds from your posts it would be better to let the place and people that sold you the bike do this at it's first free service.

 

[Levo-Lon]

A better pad and disc will improve things if you want to spend a bit more.
160mm should be fine ,as said your pads may be glazed ?
new sintered pads will eat the disc as the shimano disc use resin pads.
That said they will last a while before there scrap.

sinter pads on the front will give good power and maybe all you need .
the rear will be ok with standard resin pads.

 

[si_c]

To answer your question, no, you can't upgrade to a larger size rotor as flat mount road disc brakes have a maximum rotor size of 160mm. Some older bikes using post mount brakes can fit a larger rotor as these are designed for MTBs so can use an adapter for larger sizes.

There is no reason why your brakes are inadequate for riding on the road, certainly I've never thought that a larger rotor would benefit me when trying to stop 110kg at speed. If you think the braking performance is poor, there are a couple of possible reasons, contamination or glazed pads/incorrectly bedded in being the most likely.

To fix the latter, get some disc brake cleaner from your LBS and a new or clean microfibre cloth. Remove the front wheel and the pads from the brake caliper, then spray the cleaner liberally on both and use the microfibre cloth to buff them. Take care not to touch either the brake track on the rotor or the pads themselves. If the pads are a bit shiny or look smoothed out, then get a bit of sandpaper and roughen them up.

If you've done that, re-fit both, and then bed in your pads and rotors again from scratch - basically go fast (20ish mph), brake until you've almost stopped, and then repeat. You will notice after about 10 or so times your braking will be completely different.

You could also change the disc pads for an a better quality after-market model - I find that sintered pads work best for me in terms of braking performance, although they are a bit noisier.