Which disc brakes, Tektro hyd. vs. Shimano mechanical?
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Which disc brakes, Tektro hyd. vs. Shimano mechanical?
I don't stray out of C&V often and I wasn't sure if I should put this in the Mechanical forum, MTB forum or Hybrid so here I am in General Cycling Discussion. I'm acquiring a 2021 TREK Marlin 5 as part of a trade. I haven't ridden the TREK yet so I'm not sure what the brakes are like but I've read several unflatterng reviews of them but those were all in MTB applications under more severe conditions than a hybrid would ever see. I'm swapping out the Tourney 3 X 7 group on the Marlin 5 for Deore XT 3 X 10 and I'll also be swapping out the OEM 2 piston Tektro M275 hydraulic discs for 4 piston Deore M6120's so I will have the Tektros available for other use. I also have a Marin Fairfax hybrid frame I'm building up as a commuter and have a set of Shimano Tourney mechanical disc brakes for it but I though it might be nice to use the Tektros on it. Would the Tektros have any advantage over the mechanical Tourneys? Cost is a moot point as I already have both with all the levers, etc. The bike will see some pretty good downhills on pavement with a 230 Lb. rider but nothing a good set of cantis with quality pads couldn't handle.
I'll have all the tools necessary as I'm doing hydraulics on the Marlin 5 so hydraulic brake tool and fluid expense isn't a factor.
I'll have all the tools necessary as I'm doing hydraulics on the Marlin 5 so hydraulic brake tool and fluid expense isn't a factor.
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Yes Tektro hydraulic over tourney all day everyday in fact most things over tourney. Tektro Hydraulics aren't always great but they aren't so bad and compared to really low end cable brakes I would rather have them.
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My Timberjack came with Tektros and they have been completely worry free for four years now. I installed a set on my Stormy and they've been fine too. If I was thinking up something bad to say, there is some slop in the (stamped steel) levers.
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I bought an All City with Tektro HD-R280 Hydros last summer, and I assumed I'd replace them before Labor Day. Now it's May, and they're the only stock components remaining. I have absolutely zero complaints.
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Tektros it is.
Surely Tourneys are better than Winzip brakes LOL?! I have used Winzip mechanical disc brakes and they were "adequate" for the conditions the bike was built for, not awe inspiring but they got it stopped. Eventually.
Surely Tourneys are better than Winzip brakes LOL?! I have used Winzip mechanical disc brakes and they were "adequate" for the conditions the bike was built for, not awe inspiring but they got it stopped. Eventually.
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Tektro brakes are all over the place on the bottom builds of good MTB's so you will be able to find opinions. I'm sure some a lot more negative than mine. They're hardly XT, after all. And more likely on MTBR because BF is full of C&V roadies that still think discs are going to leap up and slice their jugulars after sending them OTB.
The nice mechanical calipers are called Spyke / Spyre also from TRP/Tektro. The most common mechanical calipers are SRAM (Avid) BB7's. Cheaper than that is usually budget brands like Promax or unbranded mystery stuff. I don't know if I've ever seen Tourney mechanical disc calipers. Tourney stuff is not all bad! Some of it is just heavy. The stuff that's bad usually fails not with basic function but with wear and exposure because the materials are soft, or only black oxide coated instead of plated.
The nice mechanical calipers are called Spyke / Spyre also from TRP/Tektro. The most common mechanical calipers are SRAM (Avid) BB7's. Cheaper than that is usually budget brands like Promax or unbranded mystery stuff. I don't know if I've ever seen Tourney mechanical disc calipers. Tourney stuff is not all bad! Some of it is just heavy. The stuff that's bad usually fails not with basic function but with wear and exposure because the materials are soft, or only black oxide coated instead of plated.
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I originally bought a set of Spyre calipers for the Marin, I meant to buy the Spykes but got mixed up when I checked which model I wanted to order so I bought canti levers to use with the Spyres. With the possibility that I may sell it down the road I didn't want to put those on it.
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I have installed and worked on lots and lots of disc brakes. The Tektro hydro brakes are better than other low end brakes, however replace the cheap rotors they come with. Use Shimano rotors as they are quite nice and resist warp better than many others.
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Never heard of Winzip but yeah probably better than those though I have a feeling a potato might stop better than those brakes.
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Finally took possession of the TREK today, did a couple hard stops on pavement and locked the rear wheel wihtout much effort, the Tektros will do nicely on the Marin. The rotors are also Tektro.
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Be sure to bed in the pads and rotors before doing a lot of hard stops. Your ears will thank you later.
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Shimano hydraulic.
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Well, the Marin project changed directions, it's getting drop bars, Microshift 3X9 R9 drivetrain with brifters and TRP Spyre mechanical discs. The Tektro hydraulics and Tourney mechanicals will go on the shelf for now.
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Last edited by Murray Missile; 08-22-22 at 07:24 AM.
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Not much to see right now but a stack of parts in a spare bedroom. I'm recovering from 2 total knee replacements so I'm a little "wobbly" right now and nothing is getting done in the shop at the moment except lots of planning but here's what I'm starting with. It's a NOS frame I got from Crosslake Sales in MN. They buy warranty stock from bike companies once that model year's warranty has reached its expiration date and then sell it on Ebay at pretty resonable prices. I've built 2 other bikes this way, one was for my wife. It's in no way cost effective but it's helluva a lot of fun and cheaper than a lot of other hobbies.
The only thing I don't like about the frame is that it has brake bosses on the seat stays and it is seriously limited on how wide a tire will fit between the rear stays. 42's are a definite "no go", 40's might go but since I already had a set of new 38mm Conti Tour Rides that's what it will get.
Here's the bike I pieced together for my wife a few years ago.
The only thing I don't like about the frame is that it has brake bosses on the seat stays and it is seriously limited on how wide a tire will fit between the rear stays. 42's are a definite "no go", 40's might go but since I already had a set of new 38mm Conti Tour Rides that's what it will get.
Here's the bike I pieced together for my wife a few years ago.
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I snagged a nice set of handbuilt 29er wheels from BWW, some RhynoLites with black DTs laced to 36h XT hubs (pre plan-demic, so well under $200 delivered!) and built the rest from another Craigslist bike that had a tweaked frame, and other spare parts from my stash, ebay and RBP. I'm running some 40mm tires with no problems.
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Crosslake is also Random Bike Parts,right? I dig that operation, didnt think they still had these. I bought one of these NOS Marin hybrid frames from them a couple years ago for about $115 (a San Rafael 4 IIRC). I love that (franken)bike!
I snagged a nice set of handbuilt 29er wheels from BWW, some RhynoLites with black DTs laced to 36h XT hubs (pre plan-demic, so well under $200 delivered!) and built the rest from another Craigslist bike that had a tweaked frame, and other spare parts from my stash, ebay and RBP. I'm running some 40mm tires with no problems.
I snagged a nice set of handbuilt 29er wheels from BWW, some RhynoLites with black DTs laced to 36h XT hubs (pre plan-demic, so well under $200 delivered!) and built the rest from another Craigslist bike that had a tweaked frame, and other spare parts from my stash, ebay and RBP. I'm running some 40mm tires with no problems.
I bought this one about 2 years ago and it keeps getting shuffled to the back burner. This is about version 6 or 7 now LOL In this iteration it's getting an RST Vita 80mm travel "trekking" fork with remote lockout. I had a rigid fork that matched the paint and lines of the bike perfectly but the steerer tube was about 40mm too short. Mine is a 21" frame and has a LONG head tube. While looking for something else the Vita popped up, I wasn't really wanting a suspension fork but the paint and lines were a good match and I figure at 80mm travel it shouldn't mess up the steering too badly. I've put suspension forks on a couple other hybrids with good luck, much better than my 2 attempts on old rigid MTBs, both got the original rigid fork put back on. The roads around here are in pretty bad shape so I may be glad I have a little bit of suspension. If not, forks are easy to swap, IF I can find what I want that is. The selections online are a far cry from what they were pre-pandemic.
I may remove the graphics but the Vuelta Corsa SLX wheels I currently plan to use have red and white graphics so we'll see. The wheels graphics are pretty in your face though so they will most likely get removed as well.
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My frame also was originally set up with suspension,but I was installing a rigid steel fork. I realized that nearly too late, and re-crunched the numbers then frantically messaged RBP/Crosslake and changed my order/frame size, which ultimately worked out perfectly.
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That's a fascinating website. Everything is really cheap and really obsolete (and/or oddball) but some of it is really good
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Yeah... but it's not C&V oddball. Those FSA brakes were really premium when they launched eight years ago and no one bought enough of them for anyone to even have an opinion. But they look fantastic for a hundred bucks.
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