Orbea Rise H15 stock brakes, ok or not?

[TKB]

We have 1000m vertical descents where I live but honestly, I do not ride more than 500m vertical before having a break. I weigh 75kg. Given this kind of riding, are the stock Rise H15 brakes (Deore 2-piston, 180mm rotors) up for it?

On the rear, I'd say it's perfectly fine but on the front wheel? What do you say, you who already have the bike? If I need an upgrade on the front wheel, which is best to go for first: 203mm rotors or 4-piston brakes or do I need both?

 

[GMLS]

Try those options one at a time.Cant lose

 

[TKB]

True, but an upgrade comes with a price and I just wonder how well the stock brakes hold on a 500m vertical decent?

 

[mvtomas]

I have an H15 and for me the stock brakes are not adequate for long descents. I've put 203 rotors front and rear which helped. Next upgrade is to 4 piston brakes. Probably 4 piston Shimano SLXs (minimum) which have been good on my Stumpjumper. Main reason for this bike is for those longer downhill runs. Liking the Fox 36.
Also took the Rekon off. Did not like it at all. Moved the Dissector to the rear and put an Assagai up front, went tubeless and now much better.

 

[CO_Steve]

I upgraded to the 203mm front rotor right away. 180mm overheated on my Canyon and this bike is heavier. No need for 4 piston calipers in my opinion, plenty of stopping power.

 

[TKB]

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[benzy]

I’m 100kg and they didn’t get it done with a 203 up front. Went with the 4 piston XTs and they are about 20% better. At the end of the day it’s a pretty impactful factory upgrade for $220, but prob not worth the $460 retail to change them out after the fact.

But at your weight I’d give the stock Deores a try with 203 rotors front and back. Betting they will be good enough.

 

[TKB]

But at your weight I’d give the stock Deores a try with 203 rotors front and back. Betting they will be good enough.

Thanks, I'll definitely try that first.

 

[benzy]

Thanks, I'll definitely try that first.

One thing I wish I tried before swapping was trying MTX ceramic pads on the stock Deore 2 pots. Those alone improved stopping power on my commuter ebike. Something to consider. But my shop was pretty nice in trying to solve the issue and gave me the XTs for cost.

 

[TKB]

Benzy, thanks for that tip as well!

 

[iJak]

I would go in this order to figure out:

1) up the rotor size to 203 then 2a or 2b
2a) if you need a little more power, change up pads to metallic or galfer pros 1554t (my go to now)
2b) if you need a lot more power, get the 4 piston 6120 caliper and switch that out.
3) still need power after 4 pot, change up the pads to metallic or galfer pros 1554t.

 

[DubSea]

Not adequate. It's insanity these bikes were spec'ed with single piston brakes and 180mm rotors.

Im a heavier rider and moderately quick on the descents. Even upgrading to a 200mm is not adequate with single piston trail brakes. Im now running Saint brakes with 220mm front Magura ebike rotor and 200mm icetech rear rotor. I still overheat the rear rotor on steep and long descents but unfortunatly the frame is not compatible with 200mm. Will likely swap the rear roter to a magura ebike rotor or sram rotor once the icetech goes.

This is what I did to a 200mm front Shimano RT-86 Icetech rotor in 3 rides / 30 miles - Yes, that is the alloy center which turned to molten and started purging out of the edges due to overheating.

 

[rvca_zr]

I have an H15 and for me the stock brakes are not adequate for long descents. I've put 203 rotors front and rear which helped. Next upgrade is to 4 piston brakes. Probably 4 piston Shimano SLXs (minimum) which have been good on my Stumpjumper. Main reason for this bike is for those longer downhill runs. Liking the Fox 36.
Also took the Rekon off. Did not like it at all. Moved the Dissector to the rear and put an Assagai up front, went tubeless and now much better.

What rotors front and rear did you get for your bike? Is it just rotors or is more needed to swap. Im using stock everything currently on a H15

 

[mvtomas]

What rotors front and rear did you get for your bike? Is it just rotors or is more needed to swap. Im using stock everything currently on a H15

203 Shimano icetech rotors front and rear. Shimano SLX 4 piston brakes front and rear. Much better on the big descents now. The stock brakes were okay for the cross country type riding.

 

[irie]

I would first try 203 rotors. If not enough then four piston calipers such as mt520. Perhaps paired with M6100 levers to give more feel.

Edit: there currently seems to be over supply so there are some good deals to be had (in the UK at least).

 

[rmd]

Regarding upgrading rotors on the Rise H15 to IceTech 203 MM. Is there a specific one to get for correct thickness and to accommodate the Magnet on the rear?

Thank You

 

[hind-corners]

Regarding upgrading rotors on the Rise H15 to IceTech 203 MM. Is there a specific one to get for correct thickness and to accommodate the Magnet on the rear?

Thank You

Easiest is to buy Shimano RT-EM810 to back, that has built-in magnet. For front, any IceTech (Shimano) 203mm is fine.

 

[Rod B.]

For those interested, I did a three part tech series on Shimano brakes and modifications to the Rise braking system. Part # 2 covers upgrading the Rise brake system and the parts required to do so.

Part # 1: Shimano Brakes

Part # 1: Shimano Brake System Service

This will be a three part technical article discussing Shimano braking system components, how to service your Shimano brakes and brake system modification on your Rise. Part # 1 will discuss basic maintenance on your Shimano brakes. Part # 2 will discuss brake modifications to your Orbea...

www.emtbforums.com

Part # 2: Rise Brake System Upgrades

PART # 2: SHIMANO BRAKE SYSTEM – Orbea Rise Brake System Modification

This technical article is the second installment in a two part series on Shimano brake systems. Refer to “Part # 1: Shimano Brake System Service”, for information on bleeding and servicing Shimano brakes and brake pad compounds...

www.emtbforums.com

Part # 3: Rotor and Brake Pad Inspection for Excessive Wear

Part # 3: Shimano Brake System Service

After submitting Part # 1 and Part # 2 of the tech series on Shimano brakes, I realized I had not included anything on checking your Shimano brake rotor for minimum thickness or signs of uneven rotor wear. You can review Part # 1 and Part # 2 in the series here...

www.emtbforums.com

 

[rmd]

I went with:

Front: 203MM XT RT-M800-L Centerlock Rotor and F203P/PM Adaptor/ J040 Metal Pads.
Rear 203 MM RT-EM600 Center Lock Rotor with steps Magnet/F203P/PM Adaptor/J040 Metal Pads.

Left stock F/R ,(2 piston BR-M6100.), Calipers on for now.

Rear IceTech Centerlock with Steps Magnet seems to be on back order....

Thanks for the replies! The Tutorial part 2 was quite helpful!

​

 

[Rod B.]

I went with:

Front: 203MM XT RT-M800-L Centerlock Rotor and F203P/PM Adaptor/ J040 Metal Pads.
Rear 203 MM RT-EM600 Center Lock Rotor with steps Magnet/F203P/PM Adaptor/J040 Metal Pads.

Left stock F/R ,(2 piston BR-M6100.), Calipers on for now.

Rear IceTech Centerlock with Steps Magnet seems to be on back order....

Thanks for the replies! The Tutorial part 2 was quite helpful!

​

rmd,

Locating a magnetic 203mm ice tech rotor in the USA can be difficult and very expensive. If you are interested, it's an easy hack to modify a $55 non-magnetic 203mm Shimano RT-MT800 brake rotor and turn it into a magnetic Shimano RT-EM800 brake rotor.

I purchased a $55 non-magnetic Shimano 203mm RT-MT800 ice tech rotor. I removed the magnet assembly from a worn out RT-EM800 which was not serviceable and installed the magnet assembly on the RT-MT800 rotor thus turning it into a RT-EM800 rotor.

Here is an article I wrote on the procedure:

Shimano Brake Center Lock Rotor Hack - Converting a RT-MT800 into a RT-EM810 magnetic rotor

Hello, This tech article will describe how to convert a Shimano "Non-Magnetic" RT-MT800 center lock brake rotor into a "Magnetic" RT-EM810 brake rotor. I hope you find this article useful. If your bike has Shimano brakes, you will have likely noticed there is a shortage of Shimano brake parts...

www.emtbforums.com

After posting the hack, I received another idea from eMTB forum user "Emailsuck98." He uses a universal spoke/wheel magnet to hack a RT-MT800 rotor and turn it into a RT-EM810 rotor. He mentions:

"I found a standard cateye cyclometer magnet works fine with no drilling required- the threaded plastic "spoke" piece on the back, magnet threading into that through the hole on the front side of the rotor."

Front side of RT-MT800 Rotor

Back side of RT-MT800 Rotor

 

[rmd]

Thats great info! I decided to buy one from a U.S. Ebay seller. 2 left!

Shimano STEPS RT-EM810 203mm Disc Brake Rotor for E-Bike Speed Sensor System | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Shimano STEPS RT-EM810 203mm Disc Brake Rotor for E-Bike Speed Sensor System at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[rmd]

I went with:

Front: 203MM XT RT-M800-L Centerlock Rotor and F203P/PM Adaptor/ J040 Metal Pads.
Rear 203 MM RT-EM600 Center Lock Rotor with steps Magnet/F203P/PM Adaptor/J040 Metal Pads.

Left stock F/R ,(2 piston BR-M6100.), Calipers on for now.

Rear IceTech Centerlock with Steps Magnet seems to be on back order....

Thanks for the replies! The Tutorial part 2 was quite helpful!

​

Still waiting on the Rear Steps IceTech Rotor but decided to take the bike out today to bed in the front IceTech Rotor with Metal Pads. Immediately notice what seemed like a bit of forward and backward slop. If I put the front brake on and push back and forth on the bike there is definite slop. Brought it home and switched the pads back to the originals but no change. Then removed wheel and rotor to make sure the shim on the outer bottom bracket type DiscRing was in place which it was. I reinstalled and tighten the crap out of if. I am sure Sure it was more than the 40NM. Still seems to slop back and forth with front brake on. It is not the pads. The Rotor is not moving. If you look at the spoks while rocking you can see the spokes move but not the rotor so it really looks like movement between the hub and the disc.. I also tried adding an extra shim which did not change anything.

Curious if anyone with the Orbea Rise who switched to front 203MM Centerlock IceTech has had anything like this?

Thanks in advance!

Rick

 

[Rod B.]

Still waiting on the Rear Steps IceTech Rotor but decided to take the bike out today to bed in the front IceTech Rotor with Metal Pads. Immediately notice what seemed like a bit of forward and backward slop. If I put the front brake on and push back and forth on the bike there is definite slop. Brought it home and switched the pads back to the originals but no change. Then removed wheel and rotor to make sure the shim on the outer bottom bracket type DiscRing was in place which it was. I reinstalled and tighten the crap out of if. I am sure Sure it was more than the 40NM. Still seems to slop back and forth with front brake on. It is not the pads. The Rotor is not moving. If you look at the spoks while rocking you can see the spokes move but not the rotor so it really looks like movement between the hub and the disc.. I also tried adding an extra shim which did not change anything.

Curious if anyone with the Orbea Rise who switched to front 203MM Centerlock IceTech has had anything like this?

Thanks in advance!

Rick

Rick,

Have you ever wondered the difference between Shimano Deore and above braking system component groups? In most instances, it will be either a weight savings such as a carbon fiber brake lever, or a rider convenience feature such as tool free reach adjustment, etc.

When it comes to Deore and above brake calipers whether two piston or four piston, there are two main features, 1) How the brake pad is attached to the caliper and 2) The brake hose connection type, straight or banjo fitting.

All Deore brake calipers utilize a cotter key brake pad retention feature and straight fitting brake hose connection. All SLX and above brake calipers utilize a threaded bolt to retain the brake pads and a banjo style brake hose connection.

Seen below is a Deore BR-M6100 two piston brake caliper. Note the cotter key and looseness where it rests in the caliper brake pad mounting hole. Everybody hates looseness...ya know.......

Here is a picture of a Shimano BR-M7100 SLX two piston brake caliper. Note the pads are attached to the brake caliper with a threaded bolt. This reduces brake pad slapping noise.

The cotter key system is functional, however it does not hold the brake pads firmly in the caliper. The cotter key fits loosely in the brake pad mounting holes. When you apply the brakes, the brake pads are allowed to shift forward hard and you tend to hear a banging/slapping sound of the cotter key during braking. Rocking a stationary bike back and forth you will also hear a shifting/slapping sound in the brakes.

Shimano brake calipers which utilize the threaded bolt, tend to be quieter. This is due to the threaded bolt fitting better in the brake pad mounting hole and thus holding the pads more securely in place. However, even threaded bolt calipers, whether SRAM, Shimano have some looseness and will make a slight amount of noise when you rock the bike back and forth with the brake applied.

Note: It is an easy process to thread the caliper brake pad hole so that your Deore calipers will accept a threaded Shimano brake caliper bolt. You will need to buy a tap that corresponds to the Shimano brake pad bolt. I've not done the process so maybe another forum user can tell you the correct size tap to buy.

Here's a YouTube video where a person converts their cotter key calipers to accept a threaded bolt.

 

[rmd]

Thanks for the info! I am in the process of adding the pins to my Calipers to see if that can eliminate some of the slop. The link in his video is no longer valid and I was able to locate some pins but they are 3MM diameter but I think my caliper will take a 4MM. Still researching but will update once I get it done.

Thank You.

 

[rmd]

Still waiting on the Rear Steps IceTech Rotor but decided to take the bike out today to bed in the front IceTech Rotor with Metal Pads. Immediately notice what seemed like a bit of forward and backward slop. If I put the front brake on and push back and forth on the bike there is definite slop. Brought it home and switched the pads back to the originals but no change. Then removed wheel and rotor to make sure the shim on the outer bottom bracket type DiscRing was in place which it was. I reinstalled and tighten the crap out of if. I am sure Sure it was more than the 40NM. Still seems to slop back and forth with front brake on. It is not the pads. The Rotor is not moving. If you look at the spoks while rocking you can see the spokes move but not the rotor so it really looks like movement between the hub and the disc.. I also tried adding an extra shim which did not change anything.

Curious if anyone with the Orbea Rise who switched to front 203MM Centerlock IceTech has had anything like this?

Thanks in advance!

Rick

This is a bit dated. I have not changed anything but I still get a noise/vibration on the front wheel/brake. Here is a video of what I am talking about.


Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thank You.

 

[Rod B.]

This is a bit dated. I have not changed anything but I still get a noise/vibration on the front wheel/brake. Here is a video of what I am talking about.


Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thank You.

RMD,

I have a good idea about what's causing it. I don't want to jump to conclusions, so some additional information would allow me to better diagnose the problem.

We last communicated in January. Things installed on your Rise H15 might have changed since January. I would like for you to confirm with me the following:

1. What fork is installed on your bike, as an example Fox 34, Fox 36, Marzocchi, Rockshox Lyrik?

2. What size rotor do you have on your bike, i.e. 200mm, 203mm?

3. Which brake caliper adapter do you have installed on your bike? I would like the specific part number listed on the adapter.

4. If you could remove the brake pad from the caliper and take a picture of the brake pad surface that would also help me diagnose the problem better.

Trying to diagnose a problem without physically being there and looking at something is difficult. However, I don't want to leave you hanging while waiting for the above info. If I had to immediately guess what is causing the jerking and noise with your front brakes, I'd guess the brake caliper adapter is orientated incorrectly, i.e. mounted upside down and is causing your braking issue. I need the above information to confirm if this is occurring.

Keep in mind that the orientation arrow depicted on any Shimano brake caliper adapter must always point upwards. For the front brake, this means the arrow points upwards towards the handlebar. For the semi horizontal rear brake, the arrow points towards the front of the bike.

Seen in the pictures below are the orientation arrows which I speak about:

If the caliper adapter is orientated incorrectly, i.e. downwards, this will cause the brake caliper to be mounted too high over the brake rotor. In other words, the brake rotor will only engage and make contact with half of the brake pad surface. The wheel will still spin and the brake caliper will still mount. However, once you ride your bike and apply the front brake under force, the rotor's wavy outer "Mud Cutter" edge will act like a saw blade and chop into the brake pad material. The hammering and jerking noise you are hearing is the "Mud Cutter" outer edge of the rotor eating into the brake pad.

Note, This will typically destroy the brake pads and they must be replaced with new pads. I've tried to save people money by attempting to resurfacing the damaged pads. Unfortunately, too much material has to be removed to repair the pads.

The above is just a guess based off the sound in the video. There may be an incorrect adapter size issue. I'd need more information and pictures of the brake pads to confidently diagnose the issue. Please keep me posted on what you discover. I'm interested in learning more.

Good Luck,
Rod

 

[rmd]

RMD,

I have a good idea about what's causing it. I don't want to jump to conclusions, so some additional information would allow me to better diagnose the problem.

We last communicated in January. Things installed on your Rise H15 might have changed since January. I would like for you to confirm with me the following:

Answers inline in bold red.

1. What fork is installed on your bike, as an example Fox 34, Fox 36, Marzocchi, Rockshox Lyrik? 2022 150MM Fox Float 36 Performance Grip


2. What size rotor do you have on your bike, i.e. 200mm, 203mm? XT RT-MT800-L 203 Centerlock

3. Which brake caliper adapter do you have installed on your bike? I would like the specific part number listed on the adapter. M6100 2 Piston. BR M6100 2 Piston

4. If you could remove the brake pad from the caliper and take a picture of the brake pad surface that would also help me diagnose the problem better. Pictures of pads attached.

Trying to diagnose a problem without physically being there and looking at something is difficult. However, I don't want to leave you hanging while waiting for the above info. If I had to immediately guess what is causing the jerking and noise with your front brakes, I'd guess the brake caliper adapter is orientated incorrectly, i.e. mounted upside down and is causing your braking issue. I need the above information to confirm if this is occurring.

Keep in mind that the orientation arrow depicted on any Shimano brake caliper adapter must always point upwards. For the front brake, this means the arrow points upwards towards the handlebar. For the semi horizontal rear brake, the arrow points towards the front of the bike.

Seen in the pictures below are the orientation arrows which I speak about:

View attachment 129125 View attachment 129126

If the caliper adapter is orientated incorrectly, i.e. downwards, this will cause the brake caliper to be mounted too high over the brake rotor. In other words, the brake rotor will only engage and make contact with half of the brake pad surface. The wheel will still spin and the brake caliper will still mount. However, once you ride your bike and apply the front brake under force, the rotor's wavy outer "Mud Cutter" edge will act like a saw blade and chop into the brake pad material. The hammering and jerking noise you are hearing is the "Mud Cutter" outer edge of the rotor eating into the brake pad. I believe I have the Caliper Adaptor,(Shimano SM-MA-F203P/PM),
orientated correctly with arrow up.. But not sure about the shims. I had read somethere that an additional washer may be required. I also attached a picture showing orientation/wahers/shims.

View attachment 129127


View attachment 129129
Note, This will typically destroy the brake pads and they must be replaced with new pads. I've tried to save people money by attempting to resurfacing the damaged pads. Unfortunately, too much material has to be removed to repair the pads.

The above is just a guess based off the sound in the video. There may be an incorrect adapter size issue. I'd need more information and pictures of the brake pads to confidently diagnose the issue. Please keep me posted on what you discover. I'm interested in learning more.

Good Luck,
Rod

Thank You Rod!

 

[Rod B.]

RMD,

Can you send me a picture of your brake lever? I want to see what Orbea supplied with your H15. During covid, Orbea was switching brake parts due to Shimano supply problems. I want to confirm you have the BL-M6100 Deore brake lever.

I see that you reside in the USA. Do you reside near Orange County California? If so, I'd be happy to check the bike out in person.

Okay....let's work the problem:

Looking at your pictures, I don't see any obvious "In Your Face" issues. The pads look okay. The caliper adapter is orientated correctly. The brake rotor looks good. Everything should work.......but it's not.

We can agree that the horrible hammering noise when you apply the front brakes is not normal. Something is hitting, grabbing, and jerking when you apply the brakes. The million dollar question, what is causing it?

1) I know from personal experience that it's very easy with the Fox 36 fork, to push the caliper adapter over a bit too far, towards the rotor. This may cause either the caliper or the adapter to make contact with the brake rotor rivets. When riding and or coasting you won't hear a noise. However, when you apply the brakes, the caliper pistons may be pushing the rotor over enough to make contact with the caliper adapter or brake caliper.

Remedy: Remove the two caliper bolts and carefully examine the caliper adapter and the brake caliper. Look for any shiny spots on the adapter or caliper which will indicate one or the other is making contact with the rotor. Re-install the caliper bolts. Insure the caliper adapter is pulled as far as possible away from the rotor. Re-center the brake caliper over the rotor and tighten the bolts. Visually inspect everything as you spin the front wheel to see if the caliper or adapter is too close to the rotor.

2) Examine the outer edge of the brake rotor. Feel it with your fingertips. Does it feel smooth? Is there any scoring, scratches, or burring that you can feel on the leading edge of the brake rotor? If so, your rotor may be bottoming out against the caliper. This is a long shot, but it's possible the caliper adapter or fork post mount may be machined too short by a millimeter or so. This will cause the caliper to not be spaced out high enough to clear the rotor. I recognize this is a long shot and you would likely hear a rubbing noise while spinning the front wheel, but we are trying to eliminate potential causes.

Remedy: If you feel scratches or burring on the leading edge of the rotor and consistent with bottoming out against the caliper, you will need to first measure the caliper adapter with a Vernier Caliper. Compare your measurement against the caliper adapter you have used to space out the rear brake caliper. If both adapters are the same, then you may have an issue with the fork's post mount not being machined correctly. You will need to use a very thin shim/washer to space the caliper out enough to prevent the rotor from bottoming out. This is highly unlikely, but I've encountered it before.

3) Confirm, that the 203mm RT-EM600 rotor which you mounted on the rear is braking smoothly with no hammering or noise issues? Yes? No?

If the RT-EM600 rotor is working fine, then this leads me to suspect that the 203mm RT-MT800 Ice Tech front rotor is possibly not playing well with the Deore two piston front caliper or possibly the G05S-RX brake pads. You may need to switch to the much softer GO3S-RX resin brake pad.

There is an easy way to confirm if the Ice Tech rotor is conflicting with the caliper. Swap the 203mm RT-EM600 rear rotor with the RT-MT800 front Ice Tech rotor. They are both 203mm rotors so no switching of caliper adapters is required. I realize the motor won't work with the magnet missing from the rear rotor. You don't need the motor to pedal down the street and test the front and rear brakes.

After switching both rotors, pedal down the street and test both the front and rear brakes. Has the noise disappeared? Has the hammering noise now migrated to the rear brake? Is the front brake still making a hammering noise despite having switched the rotors?

Shimano's compatibility chart for the BR-M6100 caliper states the Ice Tech RT-M800 brake rotor is compatible with the M6100 two piston caliper.

However, when you look at the specification chart for the M6100 caliper, Shimano recommends that the RT54, RT56, RT64 or RT66 be used. These four rotors have a narrower surface band as compared to the Ice Tech rotor. My guess is that the two piston caliper may not provide enough braking pressure to grab, hold and stop the larger surface area of the Ice Tech. I'm not a friction engineer, so this is just a guess. Regardless, Shimano recommends that the above four rotors be used with the two piston Deore caliper. I do know that four piston calipers provide more braking pressure as opposed to two piston calipers.

Do you still have your original RT64, 180mm brake rotor that came on the front of your bike? It would be interesting to see what happens when you remove the 203mm caliper adapter and mount the 180mm rotor back on the front wheel. Does the hammering and jerking go away?

In the picture of your front brake caliper, I did note that the cup and cone washers on your caliper mounting bolts are reversed incorrectly. Below is a Shimano diagram showing how the cup and cone washer should be orientated in relation to the caliper bolt. The cup and cone washers allow the caliper to pivot and be tightened down to an angle so that the brake pads are square and true to the face of the rotor. While it's unlikely, it's possible the reversed washers could be binding and are not allowing your caliper to be set true and center to the brake rotor. It's a real long shot, but what the hell, it's something to look at.

Here are the brake specifications for the 2022 Rise H15. You will note that Orbea offered a 203mm rotor upgrade option which included four piston M8120 XT calipers. I have to wonder if it's possible much of your hammering problem stems from the Deore two piston caliper not providing enough braking pressure to fully stop and hold the 203mm rotor when hard braking the front tire? The hammering may be the caliper releasing and trying to grab and hold the 203mm rotor???

I realize everybody has a budget and you can only do what you can do. However, if you have the financial resources, I very much encourage you to ditch the two piston Deore calipers and go with Shimano's four piston "BR-MT520" caliper. The BR-MT520 caliper is the exact same caliper as the Deore BR-M6120, but is matte black in color. The BR-MT520 is a direct bolt on and requires no modification to your Rise. The BR-MT520 caliper can be purchased for about $55 per caliper. With the Black Friday sales kicking in, you can likely pick up the calipers even cheaper. Four piston calipers will offer a better braking experience.

As a side note, one of my riding partners has a Rise M20. We mounted 203mm rotors on the bike and Shimano BR-MT520 four piston calipers. We kept the stock Deore brake levers. My buddy weighs 260 pounds. He has no problem stopping his Rise, even on technical chunky downhill.

Shimano Deore BL-M6100 brake lever

Shimano Deore BR-M6100 two piston caliper. Your Deore caliper is an "OEM" manufacturer only version without the Deore labeling.

Deore BR-M6120 four piston caliper at $70.

Shimano BR-MT520 four piston caliper at $55.

Conclusion:

After trying the above suggestions, let me know what your results are. We can go from there. As I mentioned above, if you live in or near Orange County, I'm happy to work on and help you out with your braking issue. Send me a private message and I'll give you my address.

Be safe,
Rod

 

[RustyIron]

@Rod B. 's ideas sound legit.

@rmd , have you tried putting the bike on the stand, applying the brake, and spinning the wheel while you listen and feel for what's crashing? That might provide a clue.

I had to put my Freeza rotors on the shelf because the aluminum heat sink sticks out too far and would crash into the caliper. Another issue on my current setup is that the outside circumference of the rotor barely rubs the caliper. I add a thin washer and end up with a RCH of clearance.

 

[rmd]

@Rod B. 's ideas sound legit.

@rmd , have you tried putting the bike on the stand, applying the brake, and spinning the wheel while you listen and feel for what's crashing? That might provide a clue.

I had to put my Freeza rotors on the shelf because the aluminum heat sink sticks out too far and would crash into the caliper. Another issue on my current setup is that the outside circumference of the rotor barely rubs the caliper. I add a thin washer and end up with a RCH of clearance.

Great Points! I will look closer at the clearances.. Last time I went down the path of isolating that crash - I wound up focusing on the lock ring which locks rotor to the hub. Then the bike is on the ground and you pull the brake lever hard and move the wheel there is slight movement. movement I compared to a buddies bike and it looked similar movement so I stopped there. I am thinking of trying a different pad, (I found a thread where something had kinda similar but they had lower grade resin pads). I will setup a better camera angle and run the wheel like you suggested on a stand and post as well as rocking the front wheel while on the ground with lever pulled tight to show .

Thank You