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Top quality mechanical disc brakes short list

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Top quality mechanical disc brakes short list

Old 02-12-22, 09:15 AM
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Top quality mechanical disc brakes short list

I recently added a basic adventure bike with a 2x10-Speed Shimano Tiagra groupset and Lyra mechanical disc brakes from Tektro. While I wanted mechanical disc brakes to help simplify set-up and maintenance, the reviews on the Tektro Lyra brakes are consistently negative. What replacement flat mount mechanical calipers would you recommend? I'm researching Paul Klampers and TRP HY/RD but will consider other advanced alternatives.
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Old 02-12-22, 09:57 AM
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AFAIK the TRP Spyre is considered to be the best functioning purely mechanical brake. You might research how it differs from the Lyra.
I think the Spyre features better pad clearance adjustment than most others.
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Old 02-12-22, 02:00 PM
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Paul's are beyond my reach, but they and Spyre are the only ones worth considering, IMO.
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Old 02-12-22, 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted by shelbyfv
AFAIK the TRP Spyre is considered to be the best functioning purely mechanical brake. You might research how it differs from the Lyra.
I think the Spyre features better pad clearance adjustment than most others.
Spyre are a dual piston mechanical, and this is a key advantage. Most mechanical calipers are a single piston pushing against one pad. The other pad makes contact with the disc only after the piston presses the disc between the two pads.
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Old 02-12-22, 04:33 PM
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Juin Tech GT-F 4piston.
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Old 02-12-22, 05:00 PM
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The HY/RD's are super simple to setup and maintain, and they work almost as well as fully hydraulic brakes with compressionless housing and cables in good order. The only problem with them really is that if you ride a ton of miles and / or frequently in poor weather, the cost of replacing good quality housing more frequently negates the cost savings compared to full hydraulic. They will, however, still be much easier to setup and adjust for people that are only familiar with cable brakes.
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Old 02-12-22, 07:15 PM
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I'm running Juin Tech R1 on my Fog Cutter and they have been trouble free for over 4000 miles. I like the easier lever pull from the tops vs a full mechanical like the BB7, sort of in the middle of mechanical and full hydro. I don't have any experience with the Spyre.

I recently put on a set of Paul Klampers on my mountain bike, but don't have enough riding time to give an opinion.
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Old 02-13-22, 06:39 AM
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Tektro MD-C550 is the OEM version of the TRP Spyre brake. They can be found for a significantly lower price than the Spyres and they are functionally the same brake. The only difference I can find, besides cosmetic appearance, is that they use a cotter pin to retain the pads and the Spyres use a bolt. I got the pair of calipers with rotors for around $100 on eBay. They are the best mechanical disc brakes that I have used.
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Old 02-13-22, 07:50 AM
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Yeah, Juin Tech GT get good reviews, as do the Yokozuna Ultimo.

I have to say, though, that I rode Avid BB7 for 15 years and was not dissatisfied with them. I think the BB7 variants often get overlooked because they were one of the first, but depending on what you need and want, are still good options.

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Old 02-13-22, 08:59 AM
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Originally Posted by dsaul
Tektro MD-C550 is the OEM version of the TRP Spyre brake. They can be found for a significantly lower price than the Spyres and they are functionally the same brake. The only difference I can find, besides cosmetic appearance, is that they use a cotter pin to retain the pads and the Spyres use a bolt. I got the pair of calipers with rotors for around $100 on eBay. They are the best mechanical disc brakes that I have used.
Thank's, definitely worth an investigation. While I like the design of the Hy/Rd, I'm beginning to think the large price premium for the Hy/Rd is not fully justified. Did you go with the supplied pads or did you upgrade to something better?
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Old 02-13-22, 09:58 AM
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BB7s are the original and the best, everything else is just trying to re-invent a wheel.
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Old 02-13-22, 10:08 AM
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Evidently, Avid designed the BB7 to do two things: make noise and require daily adjustment. The only good thing I can say about them is that they're better than BB5s. I'd rather run cantis than either one.
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Old 02-13-22, 10:39 AM
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I've used BB7s, Spyres, and Klampers. Klampers are hands down the best of the bunch. I was skeptical because of the price, but man they feel great. For drop bar disc I'd rate brakes in this order: Shimano hydro > Paul Klampers > Sram hydro > everything else I've tried.
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Old 02-13-22, 01:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Barrettscv
Thank's, definitely worth an investigation. While I like the design of the Hy/Rd, I'm beginning to think the large price premium for the Hy/Rd is not fully justified. Did you go with the supplied pads or did you upgrade to something better?

I used the supplied pads for a while, but I really like the Kevlar pads from DiscoBrakes. so I switched to them. The supplied pads are good and I didn't have any issues with them, but the Kevlar pads stop a bit better and make it feel more like a Hydraulic brake.
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Old 02-14-22, 07:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Barrettscv
I recently added a basic adventure bike with a 2x10-Speed Shimano Tiagra groupset and Lyra mechanical disc brakes from Tektro. While I wanted mechanical disc brakes to help simplify set-up and maintenance, the reviews on the Tektro Lyra brakes are consistently negative. What replacement flat mount mechanical calipers would you recommend? I'm researching Paul Klampers and TRP HY/RD but will consider other advanced alternatives.
Have you actually tried the bike with these brakes, to see if the reviews are accurate?
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Old 02-15-22, 03:18 PM
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Use BB7 on gravel bike and TRP Spyre (flat mount) on road bike at the moment.

Both work, but prefer TRP Spyres which I really like. I've upgraded the group from 105 to Dura-ace but didn't feel like changing the brakes to hydraulic (will do electronic+hydraulic for next bike). Running XT 160mm rotors on both.

The TRP Spyres you won't regret.



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Old 02-15-22, 07:39 PM
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I had good luck with BB-7s and the Tektro equivalent, I highly recommend compression-less housing. But eventually you will want hydraulic, unless it interferes with air/train/ground travel.
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Old 02-16-22, 08:31 AM
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I’ve never ridden Spyres, but the hooded upper/pad bolt area seems like something nice for gravel riding, keeping mud from piling up directly atop the pads and pistons. Maybe a small thing, but a nice, quality touch, IMO.
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Old 02-16-22, 04:11 PM
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I’ve got some BB5s on my road bike that gets pretty light usage so they are adequate. Not crazy about the gap you have to run in order to prevent drag and the resultant slack in brake contact so the other day I bought a set of TRP hy-roads for a good price. They seem like a very well made piece but god they are heavy. I’m not a weight weenie per se, but I don’t really want to bolt those things on too badly.
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Old 02-17-22, 01:04 PM
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Originally Posted by venturi95
I had good luck with BB-7s and the Tektro equivalent, I highly recommend compression-less housing. But eventually you will want hydraulic, unless it interferes with air/train/ground travel.
Yes, full hydraulic has real benefits, especially lever effort and feel. I have two bikes with Shimano hydraulic shifters and brakes. I wanted this bike to have mechanical brakes. I will transport this bike on planes and trains. It will be used on tours and I won't have tools or brake fluid with me.
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Old 02-18-22, 07:29 AM
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I have BB7, dont have much problems with them, actually I dont have to adjust them often, maybe once a month I fiddle with dials and not because they are off or not breaking I but I ride mostly flat roads. Having said that, yesterday ordered Juin Tech R1, lets see in couple of weeks if they will be better.
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Old 02-18-22, 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by chaadster
I’ve never ridden Spyres, but the hooded upper/pad bolt area seems like something nice for gravel riding, keeping mud from piling up directly atop the pads and pistons. Maybe a small thing, but a nice, quality touch, IMO.
It doesn't do anything.
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Old 02-18-22, 11:37 AM
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Originally Posted by shoota
It doesn't do anything.
What do you mean? It does cover the top opening of the caliper, so it seems like it would impede ingress of water and particulates, which should be a good thing since I don’t believe the Spyres have any seals for the balls/cam/piston which moves the pad.

If you’re saying that’s a non-issue, well perhaps; I don’t know because I have no experience with them, but I took apart one of my BB7 once— just once was enough! There are lot of bits in those things!— and they have outer and inner seals on the piston side which may have been a factor in why I never had to rebuild them in the 16 years I ran them. I mean I did the one, but mostly out of curiosity, not because the action was gritchy or grindy.
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Old 02-18-22, 11:45 AM
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Originally Posted by chaadster
What do you mean? It does cover the top opening of the caliper, so it seems like it would impede ingress of water and particulates, which should be a good thing since I don’t believe the Spyres have any seals for the balls/cam/piston which moves the pad.

If you’re saying that’s a non-issue, well perhaps; I don’t know because I have no experience with them, but I took apart one of my BB7 once— just once was enough! There are lot of bits in those things!— and they have outer and inner seals on the piston side which may have been a factor in why I never had to rebuild them in the 16 years I ran them. I mean I did the one, but mostly out of curiosity, not because the action was gritchy or grindy.
I guess what I'm saying is, yeah maybe they keep some stuff out but if conditions are bad enough (like Mid South), then in the end it doesn't matter, they'll get messed up. Also, the covers fall off easily. Also, they don't cover the "arms" and like you said those are hard to clean out. I have a set that don't retract fully because the arm pivots are compromised with sand and grit.
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Old 02-18-22, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by shoota
I guess what I'm saying is, yeah maybe they keep some stuff out but if conditions are bad enough (like Mid South), then in the end it doesn't matter, they'll get messed up. Also, the covers fall off easily. Also, they don't cover the "arms" and like you said those are hard to clean out. I have a set that don't retract fully because the arm pivots are compromised with sand and grit.
I see. Thanks for the clarification.
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