Light weight rotors

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

Moderator: Moderator Team

Post Reply
AllenMtb
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2017 5:07 am

by AllenMtb

What are some light weight rotors? Is there really a difference in rotors? I have been told I need ice tech rotors, but I have read that they don't make a difference. If they really aren't any better, I want the lightest rotors I can find. Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated

User avatar
LeDuke
Posts: 2022
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 2:39 am
Location: Front Range, CO

by LeDuke

Avoid any carbon or aluminum-ceramic stuff like the plague.

While they may be mature tech in other sports (F1, MotoGP), those concepts are poorly executed for MTBs right now.

Steel is real, in this case.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



UpFromOne
Posts: 1181
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:23 am
Location: Olympic Nat'l Park, WA

by UpFromOne

KCNC Razor is a good value in a light steel rotor:
http://www.kcnc.com.tw/products.php?fun ... _parent=19

Personally I use aluminum-based rotors for road, but for mtb I like Carbon-Ti, which may be the lightest quality steel.

There are prior year threads on this very topic as well.

TheRookie
Posts: 926
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:23 pm
Location: Midlands, United Kingdom

by TheRookie

There are a number of options depending on usage (?).

Ice tech works very well for what its designed for (keeping heat at bay during long protracted braking) but for XC and light to moderate trail riding it's simply not needed.

KCNC or Ashima are good lightweight options, a little bit heavier but a lot cheaper there is alligator or for a small weight increase but a full braking surface there is A2Z.

I use an A2Z on the front and an alligator on the rear and it gives the combination of light weight and decent braking on harsher terrain that suites me.
Impoverished weight weenie wanna-be!
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956

User avatar
DonutBoy
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:06 pm

by DonutBoy

Good selection here: http://www.xcracer.com/shop/index.php?tag=12
Personally use the Quaxar ones, which are the same as Ashima.

bikemaniack
Posts: 331
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:33 pm

by bikemaniack

I'm using Ashima Ai2 66gram rotors from 2 years,and they are very good. The "Ashima look" has few brands.

02GF74
Posts: 724
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:04 pm
Location: Sunny UK

by 02GF74

I found 2 drawbacks with the really light rotors, those that have more air than metal in the braking surface:
1. they do not stop as well and can cause juddering at the front
2. they wear pads quickly

The best all round rotor (good stopping ability, lightweight and price) is Hope SAW (not the latest version as these have become heavier), otherwise check out the Deckas rotor which is much cheaper, not much heavier but not quite as good for stopping as the Hope.

pegleg81
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2015 3:09 am

by pegleg81

I've read or seen somewhere about some pro tip: use only half of the bolts when attaching the rotor. Will be trying this for first time this season so dunno how well it'll work.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

chris47
Posts: 126
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 11:06 pm

by chris47

i only use 3 bolts on my brake rotors, but it has to be said that i check them pretty regularly and i only weigh 53kg :)

mattr
Posts: 4671
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: The Grim North.

by mattr

If you have a pro mechanic with a pro schedule and a pro level of ability, you'll be fine.

Otherwise, i'd think long and hard about that!
Maybe try 3 steel and 3 Al or 3 Ti and 3 Al.

mrclownprince
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:11 am

by mrclownprince

mattr wrote:If you have a pro mechanic with a pro schedule and a pro level of ability, you'll be fine.

Otherwise, i'd think long and hard about that!
Maybe try 3 steel and 3 Al or 3 Ti and 3 Al.



Second on the 3 Ti 3 Al bolts. It may be better to get the torque on 6 Ti bolts and after the rotor is mounted replace a Ti bolt with Aluminum one at a time, to get to the 3 Ti and 3 Al more reliably.

02GF74
Posts: 724
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:04 pm
Location: Sunny UK

by 02GF74

3 disc brake bolts??

Think about what could happen if the rotor parts company with the hub when you desperately need to stop to avoid the oncoming car/ditch/tree vs the weight saving.

IMO not worth the risk; you'll probably pick up more weight in mud on the tyres than the weight saved by ditching 3 bolts.

minley1
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:53 am
Location: United Kingdom

by minley1

I ran the KCNC Razors and Quaxar from mt zoom, both very light, but as has been mentioned they just didn't have the bite. I'm now running XTR M9000 race with the 160mm ice techs and the feel is much better (though obviously a weight gain).

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



gtinut
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 4:04 pm

by gtinut

with shimano brakes I would run icetech setup. If you have centerlock hubs then you are limited to same type of rotors or with 6 bolt adaptors which add weight.

Post Reply