Jeff H
Well-known member
I’m also a fan of MTX Gold for the same reasons plus better modulation. For those in North America, Summit Bicycles has them on closeout sale for $23 vs $35.
Review SRAM HS2 220mm Disc
- Thread starter Ian986
- Start date
Front Shimano MT420 4 piston caliper with Shimano M6120 lever, Shimano RT76 203mm rotor, Shimano DC03S resin pads.
To get improved single finger leverage in July changed Shimano 203mm RT76 rotor to SRAM HS2 220mm rotor with Discobrakes Semi-metallic pads.
Noisy as hell.
Swapped out the Discobrake pads for Shimano DCO3S resin pads.
Less noise, but still noisy especially when hot.
Swapped back to original Shimano rotor.
No noise.
Think the SRAM HS2 may distort when hot.
Waste of money.
Edit: could be a HS2 220mm issue not suffered by smaller HS2 rotors.
To get improved single finger leverage in July changed Shimano 203mm RT76 rotor to SRAM HS2 220mm rotor with Discobrakes Semi-metallic pads.
Noisy as hell.
Swapped out the Discobrake pads for Shimano DCO3S resin pads.
Less noise, but still noisy especially when hot.
Swapped back to original Shimano rotor.
No noise.
Think the SRAM HS2 may distort when hot.
Waste of money.
Edit: could be a HS2 220mm issue not suffered by smaller HS2 rotors.
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Downhillr
Active member
Interesting, I haven’t had any noise issues with my setup other than slight howl on first couple stop in wet/cold weather, after that they settle right in. HS2 are a thicker rotor so should handle heat better.
The 203mm RT76 and 220mm HS2 both measured 2mm thick.
Edit: correction - the RT76 is 1.8mm. I did adjust caliper pistons positions for the HS2 several times.
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You shouldn’t be warping rotors enough that you notice around swinley because it’s basically flat. Check your calliper alignment, but most likely it’s damage while you are transporting or storing the bike.
mastakilla
Member
Fork is bomber 58. Brake caliper is XT 8120. Using 203 to 220 shimano adaptor ESMMAF220PPL. The rotor is the 220 sram hs2.
The issue I am encountering is that the rotor does not sit quite deep enough into the caliper and there is a small lip of brake pad at the periphery which is not engaging with the rotor.
Anyone have any idea what the issue may be? Is the rotor not sized as stated?
The issue I am encountering is that the rotor does not sit quite deep enough into the caliper and there is a small lip of brake pad at the periphery which is not engaging with the rotor.
Anyone have any idea what the issue may be? Is the rotor not sized as stated?
Downhillr
Active member
I notice this rotor has different part #, don't know if that means anything or not. (it does sound like a caliper alignment issue although I cant speak to it personally since I use SRAM Codes and their caliper spacers).
203 mm direct mount forks and frames for 220 mm disc brake rotor | SHIMANO BIKE-US
203 mm direct mount forks and frames for 220 mm disc brake rotor. DISC BRAKE MOUNT ADAPTER
bike.shimano.com
mastakilla
Member
what is the sram 203-220 adapter for fork? like part is it? i will give that a shotI notice this rotor has different part #, don't know if that means anything or not. (it does sound like a caliper alignment issue although I cant speak to it personally since I use SRAM Codes and their caliper spacers).
203 mm direct mount forks and frames for 220 mm disc brake rotor | SHIMANO BIKE-US
203 mm direct mount forks and frames for 220 mm disc brake rotor. DISC BRAKE MOUNT ADAPTER
Downhillr
Active member
What is you fork standard?
I believe Fox38 and RS Zeb are 180 rotor standard, so youd gi from there.
Downhillr
Active member
Downhillr
Active member
That screenshot should help you figure out the correct mount adapter...
Looks like 20P for 200mm rotor, 40P for 220mm rotor onto a 180 post-mount fork standard
On the medium size Rail 180mm post are standard but the bike is sold with 203mm rotors and calliper brackets. I switched to the 220mm mm rotors(f/r) and soon found that the 220mm rotor for the rear wheel was overkill. When I returned to the 203mm rotor for the rear wheel the balance in braking became better. There was less tire sliding and wear on the rear tire also. Magura brakes and rotors btw.
mastakilla
Member
yep 220s on mtb and ebikes are not worth it, i very much agree. 203s on my ebike and dh bike are perfect. i am only running 220s on my surron, that is something that needs it since its using mtb brakes for what is essentially a moto
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I have 220mm Swissstop Catalyst Pro rotors front and rear on my 2022 alloy Rail (L) with Shimano m6100 levers and Shimano M6120 calipers (also front and rear) with Shimano D03S resin pads. Assegai Maxxgrip DD front and rear, huge grip. Single finger braking and I very rarely* lock my brakes. But then after having ridden motorcycles since my teens and for 10 years raced motorcycles on closed circuits, I know that feel is everything and for me locking brakes* is asking to crash. There is no right answer to brakes, just use what works best for you.
Edit: * unintentionally
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If some of my riding was commuting, or if I was 200lbs+, I would likely use 220mm rotors front and rear. As it is now 203mm rotor on the rear is sufficient.
The 220mm on the rear was too quick to lock up, but I wanted the benefit of efficient cooling for long descents. It became a trade-off. A better 203mm rotor on the rear with better heat dissipation seemed to be the answer.
Also, Trek was wishy-washy on whether they would warranty my bike, especially the rear triangle, if I used 220mm rotors on the rear. They claimed that the bike was not designed for that. But the front forks were designed and able to use 220mm rotors.
My setup works good for my style riding. A few years ago I had a complete failure of the rear brakes while on a fast descent. Probably my fault, but the outcome was not pleasant.
Besides changing my brand of brakes, I installed rotors with better heat dissipation properties and eventually found the combination that suits my riding style.
The 220mm on the rear was too quick to lock up, but I wanted the benefit of efficient cooling for long descents. It became a trade-off. A better 203mm rotor on the rear with better heat dissipation seemed to be the answer.
Also, Trek was wishy-washy on whether they would warranty my bike, especially the rear triangle, if I used 220mm rotors on the rear. They claimed that the bike was not designed for that. But the front forks were designed and able to use 220mm rotors.
My setup works good for my style riding. A few years ago I had a complete failure of the rear brakes while on a fast descent. Probably my fault, but the outcome was not pleasant.
Besides changing my brand of brakes, I installed rotors with better heat dissipation properties and eventually found the combination that suits my riding style.
Am 5'10"/1.78m, 170lb/77kg.
I bet that’s the average sized rider.
Most of us have went back to a 203mm rear rotor. I can think of 5 of us, (in our small circle) who have chosen a 220mm front/203mm rear combination. Maybe it’s the steepness of our mountain or the type of terrain material. Regardless, we can probably adjust to subtle changes.
storminorman77
Member
I concurr, Code RSC with stock SRAM rotors. Swapped stock pads with MTX gold. Bed them in and all good, they will squeak when wet but after a couple of squeezes its gone... I have rode some really long desents and no fade... though I am not the heaviest of riders at 150lbs on a KSL...
Run a poll and find out.
Hi, I just had the scariest experience with the 220mm HSC2 rotor up front. I first noticed a scrubbing sound, then saw my rotor visible wobbling like a pizza when thrown :O It settled in, and is straight when cold, but at 2400m up in the mountains with no way but down it was scary!
Long story: I'm about 102kgs(xxxlbs), so on the heavier side, and not a demon descender. I was up in the Dolomites, Italy sampling the finest of the World Enduro Series using lifts for couple of days. I got up to 2508meters(Porta Vescovo) and started a very steep descent on some rough concrete surface. You have to lose the first 150m elevation there no alternatives. When I got to the trail head, where it levelled out noticed the very loud scrubbing, and to my horror saw the disc visibly wobbling, touching my brake calipers. XTR four pot brakes, finned pads. Have been using these pads for a while, but not for descends this heavy(25% straight down for coupe of minutes).
So to me it seems that this is a problem of the one piece construction, combined with really heavy load. Will try two piece Maguras, or go back to the original 203 XTRs. Only problem with the Shimano discs was I had to swap the discs after only one set of pads, due to the light weight(and less material) in the XTR 910s.
Long story: I'm about 102kgs(xxxlbs), so on the heavier side, and not a demon descender. I was up in the Dolomites, Italy sampling the finest of the World Enduro Series using lifts for couple of days. I got up to 2508meters(Porta Vescovo) and started a very steep descent on some rough concrete surface. You have to lose the first 150m elevation there no alternatives. When I got to the trail head, where it levelled out noticed the very loud scrubbing, and to my horror saw the disc visibly wobbling, touching my brake calipers. XTR four pot brakes, finned pads. Have been using these pads for a while, but not for descends this heavy(25% straight down for coupe of minutes).
So to me it seems that this is a problem of the one piece construction, combined with really heavy load. Will try two piece Maguras, or go back to the original 203 XTRs. Only problem with the Shimano discs was I had to swap the discs after only one set of pads, due to the light weight(and less material) in the XTR 910s.
Downhillr
Active member
Huh, very odd to hear.
I’ve been running those discs with no problems on DH bike & e-bike, steep, long trails in NorCal Sierra Nevadas set up on SRAM Codes with MTX Gold pads…quiet, very little fade.
Gyre
Well-known member
Interesting. I've been running 220mm HS2s and TRP DH-R Evos on a couple bikes at Mammoth Mountain and weigh at least as much. They tend to scrub a bit when hot, so certainly some warping is involved, but I never experienced anything dramatic. I wasn't exactly looking at the rotors spin during my runs though.
Downhillr
Active member
There seems to be different opinions and levels of familiarity with brake prep in the forum. I found this article informative and just wanted to share info which can affect brake performance and opinions about our brakes…
The Right and Wrong Ways to Bed In MTB Brake Pads with Rotors
Properly bedding in your MTB disc brakes makes a huge difference in performance, and Matt from BrakeAce has the data to back it up.
www.singletracks.com
Good article and suggested bed-in procedures. I’m probably guilty of not completely following this process but I understand the importance of proper pad alignment and material transfer to the rotor surface. As the article suggested, it only takes about 12 minutes of riding and braking on a paved flat surface.There seems to be different opinions and levels of familiarity with brake prep in the forum. I found this article informative and just wanted to share info which can affect brake performance and opinions about our brakes…
The Right and Wrong Ways to Bed In MTB Brake Pads with Rotors
Properly bedding in your MTB disc brakes makes a huge difference in performance, and Matt from BrakeAce has the data to back it up.
There’s lots of “scientific” data included in the article that may have went over my head, but the basics makes sense. Technical trails are probably not a good place to bed-in new brake pads.
It’s been my experience that howling brakes are caused by composite differences (pad/rotor) or contamination. Resin, resin/metallic, metallic, will all make you stop. But cross contamination of materials between pads and rotors can be easy to mistakenly do.
I still get the occasional howling when I pass through water but the H2O quickly evaporates after a few pumps of the brakes. It’s not a flock of geese noise. Water is inevitable though and is probably another compound introduced to the braking area. Different pad compounds might yield different levels of noise.
It could be a kidney stone ?
…or a prostate test/exam?It could be a kidney stone ?
Shane(NZ)
Active member
I run the HS2 220 , found them to be OK, one didn't bed that well ,used 2nd hand pads.
Not many option for center-lock in 220mm.
System weight just over 140kg(rider + bike)
On a previous e-bike I tried a 223 (2mm) galfer with new finned metal pads, was a nightmare, didn't want to bed , squealed when hot ,not much power.
Not many option for center-lock in 220mm.
System weight just over 140kg(rider + bike)
On a previous e-bike I tried a 223 (2mm) galfer with new finned metal pads, was a nightmare, didn't want to bed , squealed when hot ,not much power.
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