Cross Core Mechanical Disc Brake Upgrade Suggestions

[OregonPerson]

Hello,

I recently purchased a used Cross Core as my first Ebike at a good price. I am really enjoying being able to ride with my younger friends on group rides again. I couldn't handle steep hills on my own anymore. So far I'm loving the bike and the smooth transitions in assist levels. The only thing I would like is to improve the braking power and also decrease the amount of brake adjustments with maintenance. I went to a LBS to see about upgrading to full hydraulics but after about an hour of going down different options and hitting various stumbling blocks I didn't have any idea what route I should go. I've searched the forums and while there are a number of threads on brake upgrades I couldn't find information specifically for the Cross Core.

Questions:

Have any of you upgraded the Cross Core mechanical discs to full hydraulics and if so, what parts did you switch to??

Have any of you just changed your current stock mechanical calibers to another brand like TRP Spyre or Avids, or changed brake pads, or tried to go to a 180 rotor in front??

Thank you in advance.

 

[OregonPerson]

Since I received no responses I'm assuming that either the number of this forum's participants that have the Yamaha Cross Core is small or that the owners are satisfied with their mechanical disc brakes. I thought I would still go ahead and post some of the suggestions and information from a couple of the local bike shops for upgrading the Yamaha Cross Core brake levers and calipers to full hydraulic disc brakes. Please remember that I purchased this used at a very good price and don't need to enter into previous threads discussions about purchasing a bike with the configuration and components you want versus upgrading a cheaper bike. The part prices are not discounted so you can probably save some money if you buy the parts yourself and just have your LBS install them and since labor costs run ~2/3 - 1/2 of the total cost, if you can do it yourself the cost benefit ratio is much better.

There were three configurations that were suggested. All three used the existing Shimano rotors of the Cross Core which they felt were of better performance quality for the type of riding the Cross Core was intended.
The labor costs were ~$200 which is higher than the regular labor costs for non e-bike due to having to drop the Yamaha mid motor to run the rear cable and running the front cable through the front fork. There are opinions online that the pads and rotor have more of an impact on braking performance than your brake levers and calipers.

1. Shimano Altus Brake Levers and Shimano Altus calipers ~$300 parts and labor. Altus components tend to be toward the entry level Shimano hydraulic brake components. These are basically the same hydraulic brake components on the Yamaha Cross Connect.

Shimano Altus BL-MT201/BR-UR300 Disc Brake and Lever - Front, Hydraulic, Flat Mount, Resin Pads, Black

Shimano Altus BL-MT201/BR-UR300 Disc Brake and Lever - Rear, Hydraulic, Flat Mount, Resin Pads, Black

Brake bleed

Brake bleed

Motor Drop - Mid-Drive

Hydraulic Brake Install Front

Hydraulic Brake Install Rear 2. Shimano Deore or Deore XT Brake Levers and Shimano GRX 400 or 810 calipers. ~$400-$500 parts and labor. These components are considered to be at the start or upper end of their performance level components. Labor costs are the same. Because of the direct/flat mount brakes on the Cross Core you will need to get "road" calipers. The Shimano GRX component group was developed specifically for gravel bikes and cyclocross. Two GRX options: BR-RX400 $60.99 per caliper BR-RX810 $81.99 per caliper Because you have a flat bar you need MTB levers. Deore BL-T6000 $38.99 per lever Deore XT BL-M8100 $53.99 per lever 3. Shimano Deore Brake Levers and Shimano Tiagra calipers. ~$400 parts and labor.

Deore BL-T6000 $38.99 per lever

Tiagra Brake Calipers - didn't get part numbers but assuming they are the latest flat mount Tiagra hydraulic disc calipers

 

[FlatSix911]

The CrossCore is a nice ride with the brake lines integrated into the frame... so, a few suggestions:

I would first upgrade the pads to the best Shimano XT resin pads... see if that works any better for you.

If you still want to go with a hydraulic system, consider using a complete kit and route the lines externally.

New Shimano XT M8000 MTB Disc Brake Set Front&Rear Set With Resin Pad-Black | eBay

Find great deals for New Shimano XT M8000 MTB Disc Brake Set Front&Rear Set With Resin Pad-Black. Shop with confidence on eBay!

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Yamaha Cross Core Review | ElectricBikeReview.com

Price: $2399.00 | Model Year: 2019 | A sleek affordable commuter from Yamaha, a household brand name going for a balance of price, performance, efficiency, and a purist feel, for years they did their homework studying their applications on Haibike, Giant, etc, using data and analysis to make...

electricbikereview.com

 

[Captain Slow]

What about the TRP HY-RD, that might be cost effective. I've never used them, but I hear they're good.

 

[FlatSix911]

TRP makes good stuff... I suggested Shimano since the bike already has decent Shimano rotors.

 

[Mike TowpathTraveler]

It looks like you did alot of great research here. I don't understand why Yamaha would not go with hydro brakes on their complete ebike lineup.

I can't speak for the feel and quality of these hydro brakes but I do know you get what you pay for. For example, my Specialized Fatboy came with Tektro Gemini hydraulics and rotors. My Haibike Full FatSix, Magura MT5 hydraulics and rotors.

The difference in feel and stopping ability in the higher end Magura's vs the cheaper Tektro is a night and day comparison. In any kind of wet weather condition, the Tektro's squealed and screamed. The Magura's....never did. Even with Shimano Ice-Tec rotors installed on the Fatboy, it still screamed and the feel at the lever was not inspiring.

Your bike should be considered a long term investment and brakes are nothing to go cheap on, imo. Get those Deores and enjoy new-found braking ability!

 

[John Daly]

Great research and you seem to have a clear picture of what to do. I am riding a Cross Connect Yamaha with hydraulics and I can vouch for the ease of pressure and great stopping action. They are great. So just to add to your consideration..... would you think of selling your core and buying a cross connect. Saves all the upgrade hassle. Figure out the price difference and compare to the cost of your upgrade... including your labor. The buyer may not need hydraulics the way you do... and the Cross Connect also has an air front suspension. I feel the full package is worth it.

 

[Brendon@OEB]

We've upgraded the brakes on a few Cross Core models we've sold. Starting with a Shimano Ice Tech XT rotor is the best initial part to replace, after that going with an Origin8 Vise or TRP HY/RD is the best bet so you don't have to mess with dropping the motor. They're a self contained hydraulic system that work very well in situations where a full hydraulic system can be a challenge, in this case the brake levers Yamaha spec's on the bike are pretty nice, just fewer parts to replace.

 

[tomjasz]

Avid BB7 is a nice mechanical disc. But for a slower bike, a good set of aggressive pads on a 26" wheel (disc) can serve us well. We just added Magura MT5e and adapter cable for BBSxx.

 

[geysir]

I upgraded my Yamaha CrossCore to Shimano MT200 hydraulic brakes. I installed them without too much difficulty and love them. You can find a set on ebay for $50. You also need mounting adapters (ebay $20 total) plus a bleed kit ($15) and a little mineral-type brake oil. Routing the rear brake hose can take time but is doable. Rock Shox (SRam) sells a connector that screws together 2 brake hoses. It may work for screwing into the mechanical brake housing too. Then you just pull the new hose through while pulling out the old hose. You may still need to drop the motor but that just means removing all but one bolt and let the motor swing down out of the way.

 

[tomjasz]

I upgraded my Yamaha CrossCore to Shimano MT200 hydraulic brakes. I installed them without too much difficulty and love them. You can find a set on ebay for $50. You also need mounting adapters (ebay $20 total) plus a bleed kit ($15) and a little mineral-type brake oil. Routing the rear brake hose can take time but is doable. Rock Shox (SRam) sells a connector that screws together 2 brake hoses. It may work for screwing into the mechanical brake housing too. Then you just pull the new hose through while pulling out the old hose. You may still need to drop the motor but that just means removing all but one bolt and let the motor swing down out of the way.

Thanks! However being a eTrike I want a better set than the MT200. But again, thanks for the post. Great information and breakdown!