I desperately want to upgrade the brakes on my Core-5. They have been driving me nuts. I am a big rider and need the best possible stopping power. I have two blocks on my commute that are very very steep downhill. Along with living in the city I need good stopping. Does anyone have a suggestion? A year ago I was already to go with hydraulics . I think Tektra E350s along with larger rotors BUT one shop told it wasn’t possible due to where the connections were? Unless I disabled the throttle. I need the throttle. Any suggestions that a shop could install and work? Thanks!
Hydraulic brake upgrade or calliper upgrade?
- Thread starter Leafs2726
- Start date
I highly recommend the Tektro Orion 4 piston brakes. Much superior to the 350 series 2 piston. You should be able to upgrade your Core 5 and still have throttle. I would purchase Orion without motor cutoff. Do you really need the motor to shutoff when you brake? Don't you stop pedaling or release the throttle when you brake? I have bikes with and without the morot cutoff. I think cutoff is superflous. Bikes without cutoff are simpler and less troblesome - you don't have to worry about motor not running someday when the cutoff switch or wire fails.
Interesting take which I haven’t heard before. I will think about the cut off on my way home. And whether I need it. I guess by not having the cutoffit would ride more like a regular bike? I think the reason for the cut off is safety right? I am not sure a bike shop would do this. I suppose I can always ask. Would this make installation a lot easier for hydraulics?
Regarding brake motor cutoff. I think it depends on the power delivery of the bike on if is necessary or not. One of my bikes would keep delivering power for a bit after I quit peddling for about a second which is dangerous if you have to panic stop. I have a steep driveway and have to keep pedaling right up to my garage door to make it. Without the brake cut off I would run into the door.
I found that out when one side quit working.
I think probably the reason for the motor run a brief period after the crank stops is so the motor doesn't cut in and out with momentary slack peddling spots? Just my guess.
My current bike is a mid drive and the power stops the instant the pressure is off the crank. No need for a cut off.
I found that out when one side quit working.
I think probably the reason for the motor run a brief period after the crank stops is so the motor doesn't cut in and out with momentary slack peddling spots? Just my guess.
My current bike is a mid drive and the power stops the instant the pressure is off the crank. No need for a cut off.
harryS
Well-Known Member
Cutoffs for motor safety in case of unintended acceleration,. A good ebike tech can add a brake switch to a hydraulic lever,
Bikes with throttles will go full throttle if the ground line in the throttle were to break, Seen it happen on my bikes twice. Perhaps less likely with newer bikes that use molded connectors, but even zip tying am electrical cable too tight can pinch/break an internal wire, Throttles can also turn on if water gets inside. Seen that on my wife;s bike after a long ride thru flooded pavement,
Well, that;s just me.
Bikes with throttles will go full throttle if the ground line in the throttle were to break, Seen it happen on my bikes twice. Perhaps less likely with newer bikes that use molded connectors, but even zip tying am electrical cable too tight can pinch/break an internal wire, Throttles can also turn on if water gets inside. Seen that on my wife;s bike after a long ride thru flooded pavement,
Well, that;s just me.
I did a bit more reading and my conclusion is I should have this. I am not nimble like I was at 30-35 and wouldn’t want something unsafe. I will ask the bike shop about adding hydraulics etc. There is one shop that I think knows the ins and outs of ebikes and confident they will give me answers. Most regular shops don’t want to mess with anything that puts them at risk.
What does a brake switch do exactly and how does it work?
If your Core 5 has the brake cutoff then get Auriga+if you want the cutoff switch. If your Core 5 doesn't have the cutoff switch then adding one is complicated. Best brakes usually are 4 piston. The difference between your standard brakes and 4 piston hydraulic is dramatic. But changing to hydraulic brakes has no effect on your throttle. It will still work just fine. Installing hydraulic lines will also require a good deal of work. To save a lot of work, I would only replace the front brake with your new Aurig+ 4 piston hydraulic. I would not attempt removing the standard cable line and replacing with hydraulic line. Never done it. But it seems like a lot of work. Besides the front brake is where most of your braking comes from. Going 4 piston hydraulic front will still give your a lot more braking power than your current cable brake.
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I am assuming it does. That’s what happens when I brake.
PCeBiker
No-Hands No-Pedaling No-Credentials
- Region
- Canada
Just an FYI,..
There are cable actuated hydraulic calipers available that can vastly improve your braking,..
You can probably upgrade your rotor to 180mm with a caliper bracket spacer, then upgrade the brake cable to a low stretch, low friction cable (expensive version of a regular brake cable) and install everything into your current brake lever assembly.
Apparently, the cable actuated hydraulic calipers work Very well.
There are cable actuated hydraulic calipers available that can vastly improve your braking,..
You can probably upgrade your rotor to 180mm with a caliper bracket spacer, then upgrade the brake cable to a low stretch, low friction cable (expensive version of a regular brake cable) and install everything into your current brake lever assembly.
Apparently, the cable actuated hydraulic calipers work Very well.
PCeBiker
No-Hands No-Pedaling No-Credentials
- Region
- Canada
That's what's supposed to happen but you've got a hub drive motor with brake cut-off switches.
Things can go wrong and it Really Is a good idea to keep the switches.
Attachments
Aww thanks. Actually I had some Juintech m1s on the back and front. The fronts are still on and garbage. The rear has a new caliper. Maybe it’s the brand Juintech that sucks who knows. Thus why I am looking past that. Didn’t seem to work for me and my bike.
PCeBiker
No-Hands No-Pedaling No-Credentials
- Region
- Canada
If you install just a front hydraulic brake with no cut-off switch, you'd still have your rear brake switch.
Any emergency braking should involve both brakes anyway.
You could probably quite easily upgrade that brake to a 180 mm disk?
That might be the case but I haven't heard of Juintech?
Entry level brand name brakes are most likely better quality.
I have heard that "cheap" hydraulic brakes can leak under heavy, prolonged use and the excessive heat can boil/burn your brake fluid and pads.
Larger rotors help a lot with heat dissipation as well as providing more powerful braking.
PCeBiker
No-Hands No-Pedaling No-Credentials
- Region
- Canada
The brake switch is easy to test if you keep pedaling and apply the brake to make sure the motor shuts off.
My displays also show a symbol on the screen when the switch is activated.
harryS
Well-Known Member
Wow, you had Juintech M1's and they were no good? I would figure that $175 calipers were better than that. Maybe contaminated pads?
Gionnirocket
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Y. O.
Have you ever made any adjustments to the brakes?
Cables stretch and soon need tweaking on a new bike... Especially if they're not hi_end.
No personal experience with that brand but they've always seem to have good reviews and cable driven hydrolic piston should be adequate but not the absolute best.
As for the throttle... That shouldn't be a problem. To me it sounds like the tech you spoke to was a tool.
Post a pic of the caliper, handlebar levers and throttle as installed.
Cables stretch and soon need tweaking on a new bike... Especially if they're not hi_end.
No personal experience with that brand but they've always seem to have good reviews and cable driven hydrolic piston should be adequate but not the absolute best.
As for the throttle... That shouldn't be a problem. To me it sounds like the tech you spoke to was a tool.
Post a pic of the caliper, handlebar levers and throttle as installed.
Mr. Coffee
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- A Demented Corner of the North Cascades
Even without considering the motor cutoff switch upgrading to hydraulic brakes is going to be quite a project. Especially if you haven't worked with hydraulic brakes on a bike before. Expect to make a mess and mess some stuff up.
If it were me I'd start by upgrading the rotors, and probably shoot for having a larger rotor on the front than on the rear because that often works out the best. Or you can go all in and put 203s front and rear. Which you can do even with mechanical pistons. Whether it would be wise is another question. Most ebikes come with rotors that are a vicious joke for ebikes anyhow.
There are a lot of brands of cable-actuated hydraulic brakes, I'd suspect that at least one of them would be a good brake for you.
You can also go all in and spend the money on high end mechanical brakes.
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If it were me I'd start by upgrading the rotors, and probably shoot for having a larger rotor on the front than on the rear because that often works out the best. Or you can go all in and put 203s front and rear. Which you can do even with mechanical pistons. Whether it would be wise is another question. Most ebikes come with rotors that are a vicious joke for ebikes anyhow.
There are a lot of brands of cable-actuated hydraulic brakes, I'd suspect that at least one of them would be a good brake for you.
You can also go all in and spend the money on high end mechanical brakes.
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