Canyon Strive ON Brake System Help Needed Please!

[travelinscout]

Hello, first let me say thanks for reading this post.
My wife and I both ride Canyon Strive ON's, and we love almost everything about them. The almost, is because of the DB8 brakes.
I have read lots of posts both for an against these brakes.
Let me also add that my other bike, a Canyon Spectral 125 CF8, has the Shimano XT brakes which I absolutely love. They stop great, and feel amazing.
On the Strive, the DB8's will stop the bike, but they just don't feel as strong, and seem to only want to stop the bike on a steep descent up to a certain point. After that, no matter how hard you squeeze, you get what you get. Probably in part due to the weight of the bike.
My first thought was to get better pads, and I just got the Galfer purple, which have yet to be installed.
I also read a lot about rotors, and have a set of the Hope floating discs on the way. I have now read more than one post about them rubbing, or otherwise not fitting the SRAM DB8 calipers without some filing, which I would rather not do.
Let me add that as of now, no changes have been made to the bikes or brakes at all, just parts in hand.
The other day my wife bent her rear rotor, a SRAM centerline, and now I am faced with a decision.
Do I Swap out the whole mess? I would love to use the Hope rotors not only because they are said to have great performance, but they look great in the red and other colors.
I am planning to stay with the stock sizes of 200/220.
My latest thought is to bite the bullet, and purchase a set of Shimano XTR levers and calipers.

Question: Will the Hope rotors work with these?
Am I overthinking this and is there a better option?
I was initially trying to save some money by just doing the pads and rotors, but that may be dumb.
I am looking for some expert brake guidance.
Thank you!

 

[Bndit]

I hava had one bad experiance with Sram brakes, Core R`s. I changed bads and rotors to get them work, it didn`t work. Maybe they should have been bled as new, or maybe bed in process should have been better, but I was so frustrated because they were so shit compared to my SLX so I switched them to XT`s. Problems gone. So when I ordered new Bullit which had Code R`s, I ordered XT brakes for it . IMO Shimano brakes are powerfull, really easy bleed (and you don`t have to do it so often) and works without problems. Of course riding here in Finland is trail riding and even when I ride in bike parks, the tracks are short. Maybe in real mountains/alps some other brakes are better…
So in my experience, just change XT brakes and you`ll be good

 

[travelinscout]

I hava had one bad experiance with Sram brakes, Core R`s. I changed bads and rotors to get them work, it didn`t work. Maybe they should have been bled as new, or maybe bed in process should have been better, but I was so frustrated because they were so shit compared to my SLX so I switched them to XT`s. Problems gone. So when I ordered new Bullit which had Code R`s, I ordered XT brakes for it . IMO Shimano brakes are powerfull, really easy bleed (and you don`t have to do it so often) and works without problems. Of course riding here in Finland is trail riding and even when I ride in bike parks, the tracks are short. Maybe in real mountains/alps some other brakes are better…
So in my experience, just change XT brakes and you`ll be good

Thanks! At the moment, I am thinking of just going with the XTR, but I dont know if they will work with the Hope rotors. If they dont, I will return them and move on with a different option. Maybe HS2.

 

[Tubby G]

I’ve just had Magura MT7’s fitted to mine with the HC3 levers.

The HC3 levers feel very similar to XT levers but with more adjustment. I have another bike with XT brakes which are indeed great but I find you have too pull hard on the steep stuff which leads to arm pump over time. You don’t have to pull as hard with Magura’s and they offer more modulation

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[JP-NZ]

Just get some SLX M7100 4 pots if money is an issue or XT M8100 4 pots same as your other bike. Both will work fine with Hope Rotors.

The majority of Sram brakes are garbage, as you have found out.

 

[travelinscout]

I am going to try the galfer purple pads and hope rotors, if they fit. Next choice may be Mavens.

 

[James_C]

SRAM you can buy parts for e.g. pistons. shimano - new caliper needed instead.

That said I'm sticking with shimano!!