Brake lever force for Shimano road hydro vs mtb hydro?

[peligro]

I just acquired a lightly used 2015 Cannondale Synapse and am finding that the hand force required to stop the bike with Shimano 785 levers and 140 discs isn't all that much less than with rim brakes.

I had anticipated that they would be akin to the one finger braking I've always had with Shimano MTB brakes. Am I correct that with these brakes I should need to exert much less hand force relative to rim brakes?

Just trying to check my assumptions here...Never ridden road discs and don't have access to a similar bike to compare.

Thanks for any advice.

[PhilippCX]

I have the same experience with SRAM red discs on my road bike. Better braking feel than any rim brake but still far off from any solid MTB brake. No idea why that is...

[DamonRinard]

I just acquired a lightly used 2015 Cannondale Synapse and am finding that the hand force required to stop the bike with Shimano 785 levers and 140 discs isn't all that much less than with rim brakes.

I had anticipated that they would be akin to the one finger braking I've always had with Shimano MTB brakes. Am I correct that with these brakes I should need to exert much less hand force relative to rim brakes?

Just trying to check my assumptions here...Never ridden road discs and don't have access to a similar bike to compare.

Thanks for any advice.

Your experience is correct. Matter of preference.
Shimano now advises that 140 mm rotors "match" a good rim brake, and 160 mm rotors exceed.

[Marin]

[PhilippCX]

[peligro]

Thanks all!

[peligro]

postscript to this in case anyone finds it helpful....

apparently the hose used in Shimano road disc is intentionally less stiff than their MTB brakes. folks report switching to BH90 MTB hose gives the brakes an MTB like feel.

[ms6073]

So when you switched over to the BH90 hose kit, did you stick with the BH59 needle inserts, or did you replace everything with the ones included with the BH90 brake host kit?

[ooo]

apparently the hose used in Shimano road disc is intentionally less stiff than their MTB brakes.

not anymore, SM-BH90 is recommended hose for Shimano Dura-Ace R9170

[peligro]

So when you switched over to the BH90 hose kit, did you stick with the BH59 needle inserts, or did you replace everything with the ones included with the BH90 brake host kit?

I didn't actually install this hose, was just sharing the info. My problem wasn't spongy feel so much as peak hand force applied at the lever, so stiffer hose wouldn't really help (I believe?).

Having ridden the bike more I think the main reason road discs are a bit disappointing relative to MTB is the hand position. From the hoods your hands are just too high on the lever to get that one-finger MTB feel. With one finger at the lever tip from the drops the feel is more MTB like.

I ordered some grabbier resin pads to replace the stock sintered ones, will report back on whether that helped.

[motorapido]

The SRAM brakes feel underpowered due to the smaller diameter pistons in the callipers, relative to there MTB brakes, they are only 19mm on the road callipers.

[wheelzqc]

First CX race with them....at first I thought I had too much power ! but I got adjusted to the feel and the ability to brake later then others.