SRAM Code R brakes - opinions

[MartinFa]

On the rear that is. I used Hope mount m on the front for 220mm. I kept the rears the same size

Thanks for the reply. I'm away ay the mo so can't take a look at the bike, but I can't quite get why you had to take a grinder to the rear brake mount? The original Whyte mount for a 200mm rotor has clearance for the magnet, or did you have a different mount or rotor fitted? Thx again.

 

[MartinFa]

Run these on my TL and on my Yeti Arc, previously ran XT2's find these more progressive and no issues with stopping power when you have to pull hard on the levers.

Just to clarify, what are the "these" in your case? Do you mean the Codes? Thx.

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

Just to clarify, what are the "these" in your case? Do you mean the Codes? Thx.

Yes, sorry as the post was concerning these brakes I did think that was a bit obvious but worth stating I suppose yes the Code R's

 

[Mikerb]

Yes, sorry as the post was concerning these brakes I did think that was a bit obvious but worth stating I suppose yes the Code R's

I guess whether or not you need to maintain brakes fairly regularly depends on the conditions you ride in but all the various types of brakes avaialble to us share the same weakness...............they are completely open to the elements with little protection from mud grit etc getting onto both rotor and pads..........and obviously when the pistons are extended, onto them as well. The front caliper is usally mounted fairly vertically and rearward facing so better protected, whereas the rear calliper is usually mostly horizontal with the top face of the caliper purpose designed to be vulnerable to trail debris.
Both pads and rotors are equally open to contamination when the bike is being cleaned or serviced!! Oily finger prints, silicon sprays, wax based bike wash etc.

 

[cappuccino34]

Honourable mention for Gorilla brakes sintered pads. I've stuck a set on my ebike for winter & dear lord they'll pull your face off when you haul them in.

I should get the gorilla pads, I would probably look better with my face removed.

 

[Ian986]

I read this post with great interest.
I have guides RE that came on my bike as standard they seem to work well enough apart from the front always slightly rubs, Not sure if that is because I bent my Front disc last year and could not find a replacement no one had any stock anywhere! So bought a hope one which is wrong colour, but was better to have that then a bent rotor, It still rubs just not as bad as the bent sram one.

i have been doing quite a few upgrades on my bike and I was watching EMBN and a guy had Magura MT5 and I thought they looked cool and found them very cheap online. I found a dealer nearby, which sells them and went to have a look and potentially purchase a set.

When I got to the shop, They said don't buy the Megura, as they are plastic leavers and master cylinders and I should buy the hope ones and took me around the shop saying feel the hopes compared to the Magura to be fair the hope did feel more solid . I really don't like the look of the hopes brakes (I know that is stupid) I have nothing against hope as I have a set of wheels on order.

I had kind of decided to get some code RSC as I have read some good reviews online, but after reading this not so sure.

I don't mind spending the money, if they work well and give me an improvement over the current set up.

Yes I am Confused.com

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

Hi, I run the Code R's on my Turbo Levo and they work great, different to the XT2's I had previously on my Yeti, but still good progressive brakes. I know run these on my Yeti Arc as well and the new Yeti 160E is coming with the Code RSC so very happy about that.

The XT's are more immeadiate and instant bitting I would say but I find it easier to modulate the Code's. Everyone has their different preferences though depending how and what you ride etc.

 

[Paul C]

I'm done with mine been back to shop 3 times still useless.
Bike hasn't done 500 miles yet dealer Dosnt appear to be able to get them working correctly.
Why should I be fathing around if they work OK I'll be happy but they just don't. And I'm fed up of hearing excuses.
Tempted to get rid of bike but another will be more money. And I really like my Whyte apart from brakes

 

[volts]

I'm done with mine been back to shop 3 times still useless.
Bike hasn't done 500 miles yet dealer Dosnt appear to be able to get them working correctly.
Why should I be fathing around if they work OK I'll be happy but they just don't. And I'm fed up of hearing excuses.
Tempted to get rid of bike but another will be more money. And I really like my Whyte apart from brakes

???
You are considering getting another bike because of the brakes?

You could also consider getting other brakes. Just spitballing.

 

[Paul C]

Why should I buy new brakes?
At this money it should come with decent brakes.
Or ones that work. Should they not?

 

[Mikerb]

Why should I buy new brakes?
At this money it should come with decent brakes.
Or ones that work. Should they not?

you dont say exactly what is "not working"..............they are all a pretty simple design, that just need good maintenance and correct bleeding. If you describe the problem, someone on here will probably be a ble to help.

So what can go wrong? Damage or kinking of a hydraulic pipe run, fluid leakage ...which should be visible, faulty lever piston action.....thats a replacement lever under warranty, calliper seals leaking ( as before you will see the leakage on the calliper and or pads), incorrect calliper alignment...easy to adjust, bent rotor...straighten or replace, cotaminated rotor and/or pads........clean rotor with IPA/replace pads or rub down with glass paper, pads never bedded in properly.......buy new pads and bed in properly, incorrect/inept bleeding procedure......loads of YT videos on how to do it properly.

If you or your lbs cannot fix whatever the problem is go to a different lbs. Not all LBS have mechanics who know what they are doing!! The brakes are warrantied by SRAM not Whyte.

 

[Giff]

I had SRAM Code R’s on my Whyte e160rs for a year and tried everything they always seemed spongy and unresponsive.

I thought it was me but my previous 1st eBike was a basic Cube hardtail with entry level single pot Shimano brakes. They felt better than the Code R’s.

Last year I put on Magura MT5’s…..massive difference, bite point and feel.

E Mountainbike Magazine did a group test on MTB brakes. It isn’t just the ability to stop it is the scrubbing of speed that can be important.
Their review:
SRAM Code R 30-15 km/h = 3.1sec
MAGURA MT5 30-15 km/h =1.7 sec

 

[cappuccino34]

I had SRAM Code R’s on my Whyte e160rs for a year and tried everything they always seemed spongy and unresponsive.

I thought it was me but my previous 1st eBike was a basic Cube hardtail with entry level single pot Shimano brakes. They felt better than the Code R’s.

Last year I put on Magura MT5’s…..massive difference, bite point and feel.

E Mountainbike Magazine did a group test on MTB brakes. It isn’t just the ability to stop it is the scrubbing of speed that can be important.
Their review:
SRAM Code R 30-15 km/h = 3.1sec
MAGURA MT5 30-15 km/h =1.7 sec

I went from Code R to MT7 and I estimated that the MT7s were about twice as powerful, and it seems their test results confirm my feelings.

I think the root of the problem is too much flex in the Code R caliper. When pushed, mine used to really 'honk', rather than the usual brake 'squeal', and when they were honking (I could feel the high frequency vibration through the bars) it just wouldn't stop. I tried all the usual; bleeding, deglaze, new pads, different pads etc. Only different brakes fixed it.

 

[Giff]

The MT 7's are in another league again. Similar to the MT5's in the speed reduction test (my speed level!) but massive difference between the Code R's in the 45km/h - 0 test.

CODE R 45km/h - 0 = 11.9sec
MT 7 45km/h - 0 = 5.2sec

In ideal conditions... a straight stop.... and no wheel locking that's 83 mtrs !

 

[volts]

Why should I buy new brakes?
At this money it should come with decent brakes.
Or ones that work. Should they not?

I'm just saying buying a new bike to solve brakes sounds brain dead. I don't really care what you do. Buy a new bike if you want.

 

[Ian986]

I upgraded to code RSC from guide RE to be honest I was very underwhelmed when I first put on the was useless went back to shop re bled them and scuffed up pads made a million times better. But still pretty similar to guides I hade previously.

I read another thread on here and they changed to after market pads and they said it made a world of difference. End of day do what make you happy,but brakes seem to be a parsonal choice some people have good results with different brands other people have issue with others
Does anyone you know have a set of codes you can compare your too? As that might give you an idea if it is a service issue or something faulty with brakes

One of the local bike shops to me their mechanic has code RSC on his own bike so I got home to do mine and since then have been great until over zealous with chain cleaner so rear not as good but still stop good enough

 

[volts]

One of the local bike shops to me their mechanic has code RSC on his own bike so I got home to do mine and since then have been great until over zealous with chain cleaner so rear not as good but still stop good enough

To be fair, that's not brand specific. All brakes are crap when contaminated.

 

[RustyMTB]

I'm just saying buying a new bike to solve brakes sounds brain dead. I don't really care what you do. Buy a new bike if you want.

Throwing the baby out with the bath water is the phrase that comes to mind.

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

Code R's and RSC's work fine on my Yeti's to be honest, not as immediate as the XT2's but still stop in an emergency.

 

[RustyMTB]

There's a well documented issue with box fresh Sram brakes where they can have excessive lever throw & consequently weak stopping power. The fix is to take the wheels out, pull the levers to advance the pistons & refit. Had this on a bike & it transformed them.

That & other fixes discussed here:

Brakes problem.. (Code R, RSC and lever throw)

I am short.. my fingers are short (The other measurments are impressive - that's what she said ;-) ). I ride M bike with SRAM Code brakes. You see my point? So I hate that my brake lever goes 1/2 into its travel before the pad gently touches the disk. Some more and it finally brakes but lever...

www.emtbforums.com

 

[Mikerb]

I upgraded to code RSC from guide RE to be honest I was very underwhelmed when I first put on the was useless went back to shop re bled them and scuffed up pads made a million times better. But still pretty similar to guides I hade previously.

I read another thread on here and they changed to after market pads and they said it made a world of difference. End of day do what make you happy,but brakes seem to be a parsonal choice some people have good results with different brands other people have issue with others
Does anyone you know have a set of codes you can compare your too? As that might give you an idea if it is a service issue or something faulty with brakes

One of the local bike shops to me their mechanic has code RSC on his own bike so I got home to do mine and since then have been great until over zealous with chain cleaner so rear not as good but still stop good enough

Guide Re are Guide levers with Code ( albeit older version than current) 4 piston callipers. I have also used both Guide REs and Code RSCs and both work well. The RSCs have better shaped levers and bite point adjustment which makes it easier to get the levers nice and close to the bars and the bite point almost at the bars, so I can ride with virtually a full four finger grip whilst still having my index fingers on the brakes.

I dare say the most significant difference between ( 4 piston) brakes is the pads and rotors used rather than the actuation of the brakes, but both geo and suspension travel/set up, will also influence how the brakes feel in use. After all, in order to brake, you need friction between the pad and rotor and grip from the tyres.........and the latter is influenced by the tyre in use and how much bike/rider weight is on that tyre.
So I place no credence in supposed comparison tests unless different brakes are used on the same bike, with the same size rotors, same pad compound, and in the same conditions.......... with the same rider.

 

[Giff]

Hi Mike
Yes what you say is true but it is explained quite well in the whole article here. I think if your brakes work you are fine but the OP was asking about upgrading.

The best eMTB disc brake you can buy

Disc brakes now have it harder than ever before: we’re riding higher modern tires bite harder, and the trails we ride are getting tougher. To be confident in challenging terrain we need to be able to control our speed, so which disc brake is best? Every year, tires get better, our bikes get more...

ebike-mtb.com

 

[Swissrider]

I have one bike with Code R/s and another town ebike with the cheapest 2 pot shimanos with 180 rotors. Seem to about the same even when latter bike is going down a steep hill with fully laden trailer behind! I changed front rotor to on. codes to 220 and braking is fine but with thicker rotor it’s hard to stop them rubbing slightly. I have to adjust the calliper several times as pads wear out. The trick of braking when bolts are loose and then tightening doesn’t work - I have to use a bright light and make sure gap is the same on both sides. Quite fiddly. Pistons need good maintenance but I suspect this is the case for all brakes. At least bleeding is simple and I’ve only had to do it once in four years and 5000k. The fairly definitive test of brakes done by ebiking magazine showed the real differences between different brakes and the codes came out OK, especially the RSC. One thing to note is that power was massively increased by using Trickstuff pads. I tried these but they wore out quickly. I now use ebike specific pads by Swisstop which work well, are quiet and last well. All of the comments about being spongy must be due to some air in the system. Mine have always felt very solid and modulation is a code strong point. For the money Codes are fine and as OEM probably cost the manufacturers peanuts which is why they are specified on so many bikes.

 

[Mikerb]

I have one bike with Code R/s and another town ebike with the cheapest 2 pot shimanos with 180 rotors. Seem to about the same even when latter bike is going down a steep hill with fully laden trailer behind! I changed front rotor to on. codes to 220 and braking is fine but with thicker rotor it’s hard to stop them rubbing slightly. I have to adjust the calliper several times as pads wear out. The trick of braking when bolts are loose and then tightening doesn’t work - I have to use a bright light and make sure gap is the same on both sides. Quite fiddly. Pistons need good maintenance but I suspect this is the case for all brakes. At least bleeding is simple and I’ve only had to do it once in four years and 5000k. The fairly definitive test of brakes done by ebiking magazine showed the real differences between different brakes and the codes came out OK, especially the RSC. One thing to note is that power was massively increased by using Trickstuff pads. I tried these but they wore out quickly. I now use ebike specific pads by Swisstop which work well, are quiet and last well. All of the comments about being spongy must be due to some air in the system. Mine have always felt very solid and modulation is a code strong point. For the money Codes are fine and as OEM probably cost the manufacturers peanuts which is why they are specified on so many bikes.

.....SRAM brakes use Dot fluid which is hydroscopic so it is recommended they are bled at least once a year. Your brake rubbing problem probably has nothing to do with using a slightly thicker rotor since code callipers have plenty of room to accomodate that. It is more likely that the brakes need bleeding because if the there is air or the fluid has absorbed moisture, the volume of fluid is greater and the pistons cannot retract enough after the brake has been applied to clear the pads. On Code callipers this more typically effects two pistons both on the same side of the calliper.

 

[The EMF]

In the last couple of days I’ve upgraded the levers on my Whyte E150RS to Code RSC and they run with the Code R callipers that are standard.
I’ve had no problem with the Codes in terms of performance or maintenance, the callipers are a doddle to maintain and service, as for bleeding them I’ve never had a problem and is a lot easier thanks to the bleeding edge system.
The RSC levers are a much better quality lever. The lever action is very positive, there is no play in the movement due to bearings on the pivot point of the lever and the contact
point adjustment allows the pad contact to tuned to my particular braking preferences and the feel of the brake to be maintained as the pads wear.( this feature I like and in the past I’ve had Formula and Avid brake systems and I’ve missed this set up on the Whyte I currently ride).
I completely changed the fluid in the braking system and what was noticeable was the colour and contamination of the old fluid, some thing that was not apparent when I’ve just bled the brakes.
IMO the poor performance of any braking system on Emtb/Mtb can be the combination of a few minor problems at the same time therefore you need to maintain them to get the best performance and reliability possible.

 

[Gary]

In the last couple of days I’ve upgraded the levers on my Whyte E150RS to Code RSC

Where did you find a set of RSC levers?

 

[The EMF]

Where did you find a set of RSC levers?

I got them from Bikeinn, they still ship to the UK via Royal Mail. I buy most of the spares I need from them if I can’t get stuff in the Uk

 

[Gary]

Ah. Cheers. All UK (trade) suppliers are out of stock. And have been for some time.

 

[RustyIron]

IMO the poor performance of any braking system on Emtb/Mtb can be the combination of a few minor problems at the same time therefore you need to maintain them to get the best performance and reliability possible.

Right on. That's kind of the story with everything about our bikes. Parts are small, tolerances are tight, and then we take them out and beat the heck out of them. Tiny problems quickly add up.

 

[The EMF]

First ride with the RSC levers, what a difference. Modulation was spot on, so when the need to wash off a bit speed it was always controllable with the slightest squeeze of the finger and all ways achieved full power breaking using one finger. I read on the forum suggestions that the callipers flex or the rotors are too thin….IMHO the callipers hold the pistons and if they extend and return then job done. It’s at the lever where the feel, modulation, power is generated, the better the lever the better the bracing performance.