Cable actuated hydraulic caliper upgrade

[usclassic]

Best price I found on eBay for the pair
https://www.ebay.com/itm/317661055640

Easy brake install using stock 5mm screws and four spacers in stock positions two above and two below each screw. Initial test ride found them solid feeling, secure braking and silent.

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

Cool!

you can never have too much in the braking department.

 

[Chazmo]

Nice. Cable-pull caliper. I haven’t seen many of those. Cool.

 

[stompandgo]

That's a cable actuated hydraulic caliper, not a "hydro brake".

 

[usclassic]

That's a cable actuated hydraulic caliper, not a "hydro brake".

As you say it is indeed.

 

[Chazmo]

That's a cable actuated hydraulic caliper, not a "hydro brake".

Good call, Chris. What’s a “hydro brake,” then?

My question for all of you, is there any advantage to cable-actuated brakes vs. hydraulic hoses? Are these best for retrofitted bikes? But, in order to mount these calipers don’t you already need bosses on the tubes to accept them? Just curious.

 

[harryS]

Yes, you need the frame fittings. These replace mechanical disk brakes and work well til they don't. I have installed two HB100's and one of them failed (leak) after a few months, but the replacement has been good for a few years. Probably 5% of them might leak. I have spares.

I think you get more braking power for less lever pull with these, but it still takes some pull. You can get a pair of full hydraulic Shimamo MT200 calipers/hose/levers for 60 bucks, which will stop a 40lb bike with one finger, You don't get the electric switches, but you can get MT200E's with brake switches for a little more. Of course, none of this is plug and play.

 

[stompandgo]

I'm not sure what a "hydro brake" is, but a hydraulic disc brake, as used on bicycles, is a hydraulic braking system that uses a lever containing a master cylinder, a caliper containing one or more slave cylinders, and a sealed, high pressure, hydraulic hose that connects the two. The system is filled with hydraulic fluid. Pulling the lever compresses the fluid which moves the caliper pistons which contact the disc.

On bicycles, disc brakes, no matter how they are actuated, come in several styles. For levers, they can be set up for drop bars or flat bars, with or without rise or sweep. For calipers, they can be single or multi piston, and usually either flat mount or post mount. Flat mount calipers have threaded bosses in them. The mounting hardware goes through the frame and into the caliper. Post mount calipers are the opposite. Mounting hardware goes through the caliper and into a threaded boss on the frame. Rotors are usually either 6-bolt or centerlock, which defines how they are mounted to the wheel hub. Rotor diameter depends on the frame design and rider needs. Calipers have a base rotor diameter, usually 140mm or 160mm, where they can be direct mounted to the bike. Larger rotors require adapters or spacers to properly space the caliper away from the rotor, and ensure proper brake pad contact. Pads are usually resin, semi-metallic, or metallic.

Cable actuated brake bikes can be converted to hydraulic brakes. Rotor size can be changed. Single or 2-piston systems can be converted to multi-piston. Flat mount can be converted to post mount, and sometimes, the other way around. It all depends on the bike.

As someone mentioned in another thread, these hybrid cable actuated hydraulic calipers can provide some degree of improved lever feel, consistency, and braking power while retaining the stock cable actuated brake levers, which may or may not have brake cutouts in them to kill the motor while braking. It can be a cheap, simple, and easy upgrade. A full hydraulic upgrade can be much more expensive and involved, but the end result is more significant.

 

[6zfshdb]

Good call, Chris. What’s a “hydro brake,” then?

My question for all of you, is there any advantage to cable-actuated brakes vs. hydraulic hoses? Are these best for retrofitted bikes? But, in order to mount these calipers don’t you already need bosses on the tubes to accept them? Just curious.

I've used both cable and hydraulic brakes on my bikes. The advantage to cable is, there is no bleeding to worry about and adjustments are easier. The disadvantage is, the "feel" isn't as positive due to minute stretching of the cable when the brakes are applied.

Once I converted to hydraulic, I never went back.

Just my 2 cents though.

 

[rob feature]

I've used both & they each have their finer points. No real disadvantages to either for most folks. Modulation is a bit better on the hydraulics. And maybe power. But. If I were gonna use an ebike for, say, fishing or hunting or urban duty - I might go for the mechanicals. Field repairs are gonna be easier. If you snag a line on something, or just tend to abuse it or be careless, hydraulics are more susceptible to damage.

I had a hydraulic line pop on me on an older MTB while I was riding. It was cold out (brittle plastics) & I smacked a branch - severing the line, spewing DOT fluid on me, and rendering the brake useless. A cable would not have done that.

 

[PedalUma]

is there any advantage to cable-actuated brakes

From what I have seen is that if you are 100 miles from civilization and loaded with camping gear, you do not want to get vapor lock or do a bleed. Cable actuated, or cable actuated hydraulic is the preference. Some cable actuated brakes are very nice and so easy to adjust. I would much rather have really nice mechanical brakes than average hydraulic brakes. On another front, a through frame install is much easier with a cable. And no mess.

 

[gromike]

There is something to be said for simplicity, and a cable pull hydraulic caliper seems to add complexity where, from my experience, it isn't needed. A decent cable pull caliper can work well.
Though at $22 a pair those calipers the OP linked are tempting--if they work well. I use Shimano M375 Brake Calipers for cheap bike brake fixing, but they cost twice as much.

 

[usclassic]

There is something to be said for simplicity, and a cable pull hydraulic caliper seems to add complexity where, from my experience, it isn't needed. A decent cable pull caliper can work well.
Though at $22 a pair those calipers the OP linked are tempting--if they work well. I use Shimano M375 Brake Calipers for cheap bike brake fixing, but they cost twice as much.

They work well and look cool.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Do you need to put Brembo brakes on your commuter car? No, but some people do. And maybe they will save your life coming down a mountain road if you don't know how to downshift and use the motor to slow down.

Why the big debate? Those brakes will stop that bike just fine. Maybe high end quad piston hydraulic brakes will need less lever pressure and have better modulation. But those brakes are safe to use. People got by for over a hundred years with rim bicycle brakes. I still have a few bikes I like to ride with rim brakes.

 

[PedalUma]

Another application for cable actuated hydraulic brakes are BMX stunt bikes. They will do things like take a jump and spin the handlebar four times before landing. Can't do that with hydro hoses.

 

[usclassic]

 

[RunForTheHills]

Huh, I didn't know hydraulic rim brakes existed. Pretty cool.

 

[gromike]

My scale of bad brakes goes back to cheap side pull calipers on steel rims. About as bad as the disc brakes on that Hyper mid-drive I bought this summer. Quality rim brakes work very well, so do cable and hydraulic disc brakes. All depends on the components and setup.
As far as the cable pull hydraulic disc calipers, at that price, I would question their longevity. With ebike stuff I like to see how it's doing after a couple of years of use. For $22 a pair I would be tempted to trial them myself, but I have already replaced the calipers on my cheap ebikes. Don't want to sink more money into that experiment.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Huh, I didn't know hydraulic rim brakes existed. Pretty cool.

because they tended to crush rims. magura has had them a long time. https://www.performancebike.com/mag...MI8aSWmofwkQMVkAqtBh2CVQOoEAQYAiABEgLgfPD_BwE

 

[PedalUma]

because they tended to crush rims. magura has had them a long time. https://www.performancebike.com/mag...MI8aSWmofwkQMVkAqtBh2CVQOoEAQYAiABEgLgfPD_BwE

Back in October a guy had a 97 pound 'bike' shipped to him. It had small Tektro knock off brakes and stopping from 20 mph took 40 yards. It was a joke on a 1500 watt bike. I sent him to the electric bike store downtown to get an upgrade estimate of $700 for Magura. Then I sat down with him and we ordered a set of four piston hydros for $73. I told him they might not be quite as nice as the Maguras but will be 10 times better than what he has. I had used those before and they work great but do not have the logo. Even with longer new hose and thru-frame, the total job was about $200 including parts. It is very important to have a olive setting tool when cutting new hose. Pre-bleed is easy when external.