Levo Gen 3 New brakes... What does everyone run?

[Dave_B]

I didn’t use braided lines. Can’t see the point.

The frame has tubes in it for routing the hose, you should be able to just push the new hose through. But yes, connecting old to new should do the job nicely.

 

[Jase]

I have the braided lines, they fit no problem.

 

[Koban]

Using on my Canyon Torque On the Magura MT7 Raceline with SHIMANO XTR M9120 levers and Magura MDR-P 203mm rotors. This combination is working for me.

On the Canyon Spectral ON I use the SHIMANO XTR M9120 brakes. With 203mm XTR rotors. Also working fine. Only thing that I somehow cracked my pistons several times. So I'm converting this now to Magura MT7 Raceline calipers and MDR-P 203mm rotors. with the SHIMANO XTR levers

The choice for brakes etc will be for everyone different. Depends on your own preferences and your own experiences.

 

[Ou812]

Those running the Hope V4s, did you go with the branded lines? And did you just cut the factory cables at the caliper, attach the new cable, and feed it through?

I got a smoking deal on my T4V4s as they were the last set in the shop, if I would have went with the braided hose it would have been closer to retail price as he would have had to order them. I’ve dealt with braided hoses though and trimming them sucks so I probably wouldn’t have chose them anyway.

You don’t have to attach the hoses together, there’s an internal sleeve that the hose slides through. You just push it in and it comes out at the top.

 

[rzr]

Never SRAM, Saint or other new Shimano 4-pot.
Hopes aren't too strong (unless something changed recently?)

 

[Dave_B]

the new Hope Tech 4's are very very good and night and day better than Tech 3's.

 

[Bubbel]

I would always ride Shimano 4 pistons again
XT or XTR
A dream with the TRP R1 disc

 

[Ride 2d@y]

Just had Lewis LH brakes installed on my Levo SL last week - no lack of stopping power is all I can say so far!

 

[Shjay]

Just had Lewis LH brakes installed on my Levo SL last week - no lack of stopping power is all I can say so far! View attachment 133604 View attachment 133605

I have some Ali Express Pro E4 brakes which are very similar also tired their ZRace levers with Magura calipers

 

[Ride 2d@y]

I have some Ali Express Pro E4 brakes which are very similar also tired their ZRace levers with Magura calipers

Yes - but are they as beautiful as the Lewis? Plus I had a dealer source and install the brakes for only about $525 USD

 

[Type1]

Very happy with the Hayes A4 Dominions I've recently installed. Nicely designed bleed process, exactly the same as a car caliper.

 

[Teoslav]

So I am 25 years old. My first real MTB was a Kona process 167 with sram guide RSC, next bike was with the shimano saints. I rode those 2 brakes for about 6 years. Then I became a magura fanboy mostly because of their price. The last bike I got was fully custom and I bit the bullet and got the Hope 4 V4s. I can not tell you how good those are. The modulation and the powaah, my god. I got them paired with some 2.3mm thick brake discs and some braided cables. I really can not stress enough how good the brakes feel. Even when at the end of the run. Best brakes I have ever tried.

 

[SP5657]

I swapped from Magura MT-7's to Hope Tech 4 EV 4's with Hope rotors, I personally prefer the Hope set, but the MT7 is still a very good brake set (I have them for sale if you are looking for 2nd hand)

 

[Theo43]

I'm running the new Slab Calipers from Cascade Components mixed with XT Levers and Absolute Black Graphene pads...and Intend 2.25 203 rotors.
Odd combo but good....very powerful with good modulation. Hard AF to bleed tho.

 

[Ou812]

I'm running the new Slab Calipers from Cascade Components mixed with XT Levers and Absolute Black Graphene pads...and Intend 2.25 203 rotors.
Odd combo but good....very powerful with good modulation. Hard AF to bleed tho.

I was interested in giving those a try at one point but cascade closed their UK store. You can’t order from the EU store since the UK left the EU union so it has to come from the US store, it ends up costing about $200 more after shipping/custom duties/VAT is added.

 

[tjl5709]

I'm late to this, sorry, but if someone searches its something they may want to try if you want to save some coin.

If you are running SRAM Codes, look up on utube "how to make your sram brakes not suck".

When new, my Levo's brakes felt soft and mushy. Found this video.

Its a different way to do adjust them. It worked very well for me. It changed the feel completly.

Spent my upgrade money on a oneup dropper.........

 

[mustclime]

My buddies Rail had sram guides that were really weak. He bought some Code stealth ultimate levers and just replaced the levers for a little over $200 bucks. Brakes are awesome now.

 

[faberle]

I went for Trickstuff Maxima (I was lucky to meet a rider who had them and was nice enough to let me try them). Zero regret despite the price. A very significant improvement versus any of the good brakes I had (Saint, , MT7, code RSC, stealth). Very high and consistent power, buttery smooth and confortable lever, great modulation, super clean cockpit.

 

[travelinscout]

I'm obsessed about brakes. During my 30+ years biker carrier I've tried virtually all brakes from big and small brands. I was never happy with any OEM set. Around 2010 I started to build my own "custom" brakes, which is now very popular.

My first "custom" set consisted of: Avid Juicy Seven master cylinder plus Straitline levers and Code calipers connected with Goodridge lines. It not only looked good but also worked great!

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That's the history...

My Levo came with Codes which slowed me down but I was not happy. I didn't want to go the "custom" route again (I got lazy with age) so I decided to go crazy and got Trickstuff Direttissima complemented by Galfer Shark rotors (223/203) and Galfer G1652 purple emtb specific brake pads.

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The stopping power is remarkable, providing a sense of control and safety that enhances every ride. The build quality is impeccable, reflecting the craftsmanship I appreciate as a perfectionist. Setting up the brakes was a straightforward process, and their durability gives me confidence that they can withstand the demanding conditions of my favorite trails.

What truly sets these brakes apart is their consistent performance across diverse terrains. I hate wandering braking point or different lever stroke of some brakes during long downhill sessions.

Trickstuff Direttissima has been a game-changer for me. They embody the precision, reliability, and performance I seek in brakes.

Can you share where you purchased these?

 

[travelinscout]

I run Shimano XTR with Hope rotors. This gives me the stopping power with a bit more modulation. I used to run the entire Hope package but felt like the Hope E4s required a bit more grip strength. Love the adjustability of the Hopes though. Haven’t tried their latest version of the brake yet. I personally can’t stand any of the SRAM brake products. They are heavy, seem to always make noise, and are a pain in the butt to work on.

Are you running the standard XTR setup with the Hope floating rotors or which ones? I am trying to find a better braking solution for my Strive ON. Thanks!

 

[Heated]

I have maven's on my other Ebike, They are immense, nothing else compares.... I know that sounds rubbish but I've had A4's, Hope t4v4, saints, code rsc etc...
Nothing compares to the new mavens.... probably other than the trickstuff

The xt's I have rattle and rub(not using finned pads) with 220 rotors.... need that size to make up for power.(see my other posts)

 

[travelinscout]

I have maven's on my other Ebike, They are immense, nothing else compares.... I know that sounds rubbish but I've had A4's, Hope t4v4, saints, code rsc etc...
Nothing compares to the new mavens.... probably other than the trickstuff

The xt's I have rattle and rub(not using finned pads) with 220 rotors.... need that size to make up for power.(see my other posts)

Do you mean the Maven Silver?

Sram Maven Silver disc brake set 2024 LordGun online bike store

Do you know if they will work with the Hope floating rotors?

 

[Heated]

Do you mean the Maven Silver?

Sram Maven Silver disc brake set 2024 LordGun online bike store

Do you know if they will work with the Hope floating rotors?

Yes im running the silver's.
Im not sure on max rotor size etc but the calipers are big and they have little tabs on bottom of pads that could interfere with the floating rotors?

 

[travelinscout]

Yes im running the silver's.
Im not sure on max rotor size etc but the calipers are big and they have little tabs on bottom of pads that could interfere with the floating rotors?

What rotors do you run with them?

 

[Heated]

What rotors do you run with them?

I use Sram hs2 220 & 200, but I've had to drop the front to 200. to much power in the front otherwise.(im 100kg + 27.74kg for bike)

 

[travelinscout]

Thanks!

 

[Ride 2d@y]

Running Lewis LH4 on my Kenevo. Quality, adjustability, power and 'affordable'

 

[BikeBert]

Can you share where you purchased these?

I got my Direttissima brakes from Bike24. Finding them in stock requires both luck and patience. Another store where they occasionally appear is R2-Bike (https://www.r2-bike.com/). Yet another place is the Liteville store in Torbole by Lake Garda. You can follow their Facebook page (Liteville Testzentrum Torbole / Lago di Garda | Nago), where they often announce when they receive a new batch of Trickstuff brakes.

In short, it's tricky to get Trickstuff brakes, but they're totally worth the effort.

 

[Ou812]

Can you share where you purchased these?

Bikecomponents.de is the official supplier of TrickStuff now, they show the Direttissima, Maxima and Piccolla in stock. I tried to order some a few years back when Trickstuff was the only place that sold them, I was originally told 6 months but that turned into 18 months so I canceled the order. They’ve gotten a lot better since being bought out by DT Swiss and actually have stock now.

Trickstuff - German Precision in Bike Brakes | bike-components

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