Road Disc Brakes- Rotor Choice
Moderator: robbosmans
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No issues with my Galfers either (85kg rider). Haven't gone down any big descents (not many in the SE of the UK), but feel is very positive and bite is great with Shimano L03a pads.
SL8 S-Works Project Black - 6.29kg
IG: RhinosWorkshop
IG: RhinosWorkshop
good to hear.. I was going to run galfers with l03a pads as well.
2024 BMC TeamMachine R
2018 BMC TImeMachine Road
2002 Moots Compact-SL
2019 Parlee Z0XD - "classified"
2023 Pivot E-Vault
2018 BMC TImeMachine Road
2002 Moots Compact-SL
2019 Parlee Z0XD - "classified"
2023 Pivot E-Vault
I have had 8 brand new 160mm Galfers and could not use any of them. Started with centerlocks, then switched to centerlock adapters with 6 bolt Galfers. I think that their centerlock adapters are the real problem. So far out of true they bounce from one pad to the other. Galfer centerlock rotors are not a true center lock. They just take a CL to 6 bolt adapter and glue and peen the rotor to it. Returned for a refund. Really want to try the Swiss Stop rotors but cannot find any to purchase.
I live in flatland and with Covid restriction, I haven't test long descend on Galfer rotor so far.
But on flat, even with emergency stop from tailwind sprint 50 km/h to 5 km/h make no rotor ping that Ultegra rotor used to do.
It also perform fine in wet (more of pad performance than rotor test in this regard).
That said, it's not really special. Surface treatment or special kind of steel in their advertisement doesn't really make it brake better than any other rotors.
I just like how it look and it perform fine. So, if you want it for look then use it. If you want certain performance characteristics, I don't really see it special.
But on flat, even with emergency stop from tailwind sprint 50 km/h to 5 km/h make no rotor ping that Ultegra rotor used to do.
It also perform fine in wet (more of pad performance than rotor test in this regard).
That said, it's not really special. Surface treatment or special kind of steel in their advertisement doesn't really make it brake better than any other rotors.
I just like how it look and it perform fine. So, if you want it for look then use it. If you want certain performance characteristics, I don't really see it special.
Last edited by Hexsense on Wed May 05, 2021 6:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Web page is already up. Catalyst Pro is the current version. Catalyst Race is a lighter one, only offered in 140mm and 160mm. There is also Catalyst one as budget rotors.
If they really achieve 12% reduction in weight over the old Catalyst (Pro), then it's still not as light as XTR or Galfer rotors. However, both of the Catalyst Race sizes share the same aluminum spider claimed for improved aerodynamics. So, although not light, atleast they claim to be aero.
https://swissstop.ch/catalyst
Last edited by Hexsense on Wed May 05, 2021 6:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Yeah have not found anything except their web page. These are the "Pro" right? https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/compo ... ds-review/ They are listed as 138g for 160 in the review.
I had the Swissstops in 140mm - came in at 128gr. Swapped for Galfers (flat country riding). 140mm version is 1.85mm thick, compared to Galfers and previous Shimano rt99 discs at 1.8mm.
Rubbed a little bit more out of the saddle. Braking performance good, but only tested on rolling hills/mild hills.
I liked the fact they hardly howled, even when wet is was an improvement over Shimano.
Rubbed a little bit more out of the saddle. Braking performance good, but only tested on rolling hills/mild hills.
I liked the fact they hardly howled, even when wet is was an improvement over Shimano.
Last edited by Nezz0r on Thu May 06, 2021 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Some local webshops here in Aus have the Swisstop 'pro' rotors available, but they are massively more expensive than the other equivalents.
They are often 80 - 100% more than the Shimano XTR rotors, so as good as they may be, aren't worth that extra
They are often 80 - 100% more than the Shimano XTR rotors, so as good as they may be, aren't worth that extra
- baldheadbiomed
- Posts: 68
- Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 12:15 pm
- Location: Germany
Depends on your use case, there's no universal best pad - in the wet sintered would be better (also doesn't get contaminated as badly by road muck). In the dry resin is quieter, heat up the rotor less and wear less on the rotors, but wear down faster.
I'm going for sintered as I want optimal braking in all conditions. Silent for me as long as I can keep the rotors relatively cool - to help achieve this iI use 160mm rotors front and back and finned pads.
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Swisstop Disc RS pads are really quiet for me in dry. In wet, I have one bike that remain absolutely silence and another that have noise due to resonance.
It doesn't like to be too clean.
After bedding in and some use, it leave some black dust all over pads, caliper and fork in that area.
To my surprise, simply wiping it with wet rag reduce it's braking power for a while until it is back to dusty state again.
It seems best to leave it alone unless it got contaminated. I now exclude cleaning rotors and pads from weekly bike cleaning.
I heard some good things about Trickstuff Power pads, but haven't tried it due to excessive shipping cost to USA (and my Disc RS are still good).
It doesn't like to be too clean.
After bedding in and some use, it leave some black dust all over pads, caliper and fork in that area.
To my surprise, simply wiping it with wet rag reduce it's braking power for a while until it is back to dusty state again.
It seems best to leave it alone unless it got contaminated. I now exclude cleaning rotors and pads from weekly bike cleaning.
I heard some good things about Trickstuff Power pads, but haven't tried it due to excessive shipping cost to USA (and my Disc RS are still good).