Bontrager Direct Mount Brake Fix

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Ozrider
Posts: 1018
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:06 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

by Ozrider

I fitted my Madone 5.9 frame with older SRAM Red that I had spare after upgrading the groupset on my Parlee Z5.
I set the brakes up according to the Trek/Bontrager manual, which has 2 scenes for pull ratio, one for Shimano and another for SRAM / Campagnolo. The braking was pretty poor, and I tried a number of things like swapping pads, checking cable ends opened properly post cutting, and living with Teflon Dry Lube.
I Spent a bit of time fiddling this morning, I lubed the cables with dry Teflon lube, shortened the cable housing under the BB by 1cm, and I set the brakes up on the Shimano setting to see if it would improve the braking.
Obviously the 2010 SRAM Red has a similar pull ratio to Shimano.
The brakes feel much better now.
Not as good as my 2013 SRAM Red, but a massive improvement over the dead feel and poor stopping that I was experiencing before.
I am really relieved that I now have brakes that work.



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Ozrider - Western Australia
Parlee Z5 XL (6055g/13.32lbs) Trek Madone 5.9 (7052-7500g)Jonesman Columbus Spirit (8680g)
Chase your dreams - it's only impossible until it's done

spud
Posts: 1261
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:52 am

by spud

i have Bontrager brakes that I have fiddled with a tiny bit but have not set up/ridden. When squeezing the caliper directly, it feels like there is quite a bit of stiction - wonder if it is the pivots, or the mechanism which transmits torque from the cable mount caliper to the other caliper. based on your comments, it might be the mechanism - feels like there is sliding between two high friction surfaces, and wonder if some lube placed in that area might help.

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Ozrider
Posts: 1018
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:06 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

by Ozrider

Spud, what groupset are you using?
I used some grease on the mounting bolts, Teflon dry lube on the cables, made sure the cable outer under the BB is 18 cm as stipulated in the assembly directions, and used an awl to make sure all cable ends are nicely opened up after cutting to length.
I am using 2010 SRAM RED, and am using the Shimano setting to get the right pull ratio.

The brakes are working quite well now, about 85% as well as my normal Dura Ace and SRAM Red on my other bikes. Not perfect, but braking is acceptable now, where previously it was really poor.

Apparently EE Brakes are bringing out direct mount brakes soon, according to Fairwheel bikes who have a prototype set on their blog.
Ozrider - Western Australia
Parlee Z5 XL (6055g/13.32lbs) Trek Madone 5.9 (7052-7500g)Jonesman Columbus Spirit (8680g)
Chase your dreams - it's only impossible until it's done

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Kayrehn
Posts: 1775
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:06 pm

by Kayrehn

From the pictures on FWB blog, I'm not sure that there's enough space within the recessed area at the top of the madone fork to fit the EE front brakes on...

ejprez
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:03 pm

by ejprez

I contacted EE brakes about their prototype brake and said that it will work with Madones. However to clear the headtube a rear brake would have to be used on the front instead. So when they come out you would order 2 rear brakes. I saw the pics, unfortunately I don't have them saved on this computer.

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