Thanks for the descriptions!!! Now I know how to do it

Did a test run with these calipers and their stock Swissstop green pads on my clinchers few days ago, and the braking performance was much improved, just wow! However I tested them again tonight with my carbon wheelset and of course another set of pads that are made for carbon rims. The braking power dropped significantly and that tells me it was actually those stock 'Swissstop Green Pads' did the work. I doubt this Planet X caliper is better than my previous Apex caliper. Though the weight surely is much lighter than my stock calipers.

How did those carbon specific brake pads perform with your Apex calipers?

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Project CAAD9 7.2kg
The CAAD Build Thread

now only £79 for cnc version, these are now even more amazing value, I have been using these for 1 year now they have great power and modulation, much better than my ultegras.token are selling the same brakes for £210. it really is a no brainer

Gotta make a post about these brakes. Hated them.

They are well made, and very lightweight, that is the plus.

The bad:

1) The "quick-release" setup. Hardly quick. It requires you have the tension set perfect, if you run your brakes real close to your wheels, like I do, since I have carbon wheels that are kept dead true, you can't "quick release" the brakes without loosening the barrel adjuster. Since they require you to have the brakes far enough away so when you squeeze them against the wheel, you can then lift up the quick release arm. Nothing quick about it unless you like your brakes 4mm away from your wheels.

2) The method to hold the cable is terrible and will absolutely destroy and fray your cable. The method is just a plastic piece with a screew throug it which you thread the cable through. You then tighten the screw to "crush" the cable into place. Terrible design, it ruined/destroyed my new SRAM Red cables with my shifters I installed. Both of them. Just a bad idea to have a 3cm screw which you crush into the plastic piece to hold the cable into place.


If these had a normal quick release that has been proven for the last 30yrs, the cantilever type design of Sram, Shimano etc...which you just lift the lever and it opens right up in 1 second, they would be much better. Plus, those are easy to adjust the width on your wheels.

Also, the method to hold the cable/crush it into the plastic piece, should have been designed also like Shimano/Sram where they have a rounded channel that is longer so when you tighten it down, it doesn't crush or destroy the cable, plus allows very tight tension so the cable doesn't slip. The Planet-X brake cable method, once frayed, or if you perform a very hard pull of the levers, will allow the cable to slip/pull through over the screw. Again, this is also what leads to fraying of the cable and ultimately leads to a cable that is no longer safe to use.

Good thing when I bought mine, they screwed up my order a couple of times and I got a 50% discount and a free jersey. So I sold them for a profit actually and got a free jersey, and almost paid for a brand new SRAM Force brakeset at the same time.

No harm no foul.

Fix those two issues, and these would be terrific brakes. But saving 80gm isn't worth the hassles and problems of these. I believe the KCNC are designed better, but I can't find any good photos of the quick release and cable clamping of those, but it looks like a better design.

sure the QR is different to what most people are used to but a few twists of the barrel adjuster is hardly difficult is it?
likewise the cable clamp when installed correctly is fit and forget.
at they end of the day these tick all the boxes being very light, very cheap and very powerful and come ibn lots of different colours

I've never had a problem releasing my brakes when I needed to remove my wheel.
It's been super simple for me. Clasp with one hand, drop the barrel, release the caliper.
Done. Out drops the wheel.

The only issues I've had with them has been centering the front after I've removed the wheel.
But, that problem disappears when I ride my bike for weeks at a time without removing the wheel.

Other than that, yeah. Cheap, light, strong, great not just for the money, but great period.



The only thing I'd ever replace them with would be a set of black Dura Ace 7800's.
OH snap! They don't make black 7800's! So, I guess we know what that means.

Besides, I'd have to spend more than twice as much to get anything noticeably better.
(I paid $175./shipped with SwissStop Brake Pads Stock)

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Project CAAD9 7.2kg
The CAAD Build Thread

£99 listed on the website.

yeah seem to have gone up in price, keep your eyeout on bike radar for second hand ones, I got mine for £39 including new swisstops

Despite being a satisfied user, I would have to admit that these aren't quite as convenient as brakes with a quick-release lever.
I figured that was the price you pay to save ~80 grams.

I have had no problems with the set screw destroying my cable.

EE brakes have a quick release lever and are light as well.
I disagree with "that's the price you pay for 80g". It's more like "that's the price you pay for light brakes at an affordable pricepoint"

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Exp001

Yeah...2 grams less and a dedicated quickrelease for "only" about $425. more.
(These are the brakes I'd go with on my next build if I don't have acceptable OEM brakes)

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Project CAAD9 7.2kg
The CAAD Build Thread

I have them on both my bikes - the swiss stop green pads definitely make a difference. With those on I can't tell a difference in stopping power from my Ultegra brakes. Helped me get my 2005 aluminum S-Works to under 15 pounds.

I'm re-opening this thread with a question (because a newer thread kinda sucked actually, it was about 'centering' which really isn't a problem with these brakes) -


Has anyone tried to dis-assemble (ie, take apart) this brakeset?
I'm wondering if it uses the same center pivot bolt that is used on Dura-Ace/Ultegra brakes.

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Exp001

I have a set here and now I want to take em apart just to see...

Another part of me would just email PlanetX USA... They're up in oregon.

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charles@pezcyclingnews.com