What brakes rotor are you running?

[Paulcon]

I’ve had my Giant Reign E+ for a few weeks now, and although I like the XT brakes I feel like they could do with more engagement, I’ve been looking at either Magura MDR-P or Shimano Ice Tech rotors.

Question is will going from 203 to 220 make a difference and also what rotors do you guys & gals run?

 

[jimbob]

I can only speak for going from a 180 to 203 disk, but found that made a big difference. I'd imagine similar for 203 to 220.

I think the iceteh rotors will only make a difference if you're currently overheating the brakes, otherwise its the same braking surface. I've also heard they're a bit easier to bend which might be a consideration if you go larger.

 

[Paulcon]

I can only speak for going from a 180 to 203 disk, but found that made a big difference. I'd imagine similar for 203 to 220.

I think the iceteh rotors will only make a difference if you're currently overheating the brakes, otherwise its the same braking surface. I've also heard they're a bit easier to bend which might be a consideration if you go larger.

Yeah I agree about the ice tech, the Magura’s are thicker so prob make more sense

 

[Cb750stu]

220mm on front 203mm on rear hope floating disks , stops me good enough so happy with my set up

 

[iXi]

I've got sram G2's rsc with 220 magura rotors front and back on my sight VLT and they are awesome.

I've got sram code R's with 220 front and 200 rear sram rotors on my Levo and they suck.

The 220 rotors do make a different and I find the thicker rotor helps too.

 

[Muzza]

I'm running Hope floating 203 rotors (front & rear) on my XT brakes & they seem to do a good enough job of slowing me down on the steeper gradients. Think they are slightly thicker than the Ice Techs I was running?

 

[emtbPhil]

My standard rotors were below replacement thickness and I was going to go ice-tech as I had them on my last bike, but heard a lot of horror stories about them

I decided, against the advice of most forums/reddit, to get a pair of 203 hope floating rotors, and some shimano centerlock to 6 bolt adapters

You have to file the edges of the adaptors down a bit to fit flat agains the billet machined hope rotors, but it only took 5 minutes to do.
The clearance between the XT caliper on the rear and the 203mm hope rotor pressed studs is very very very close and you either have to get the caliper alignment perfect or file a touch off the caliper. Mine are fine after alignment.

Night and day difference, they handle heat a ton better and they're a lot thicker which gives a great lever feel.
I'm not a light guy but I can drag a brake on long downhills now without melting the rotor and they offer more than enough stopping power to put me over the bars. So I'm properly h appy

 

[militantmandy]

On the Decoy, I am running 220mm HS2 rotors with Code RSC. Yes, they make a huge difference. On my normal bike (Privateer 161) I am running 223mm Glafer rotors with Magura MT5. Again, a big difference and well worth doing if you ride a lot of steep trails.

FWIW - the Glafer discs seem as good or better than the HS2 and are about half the price.

 

[Planemo]

I decided, against the advice of most forums/reddit, to get a pair of 203 hope floating rotors, and some shimano centerlock to 6 bolt adapters

It might be the pic angle, but it looks like theres a lot of meat on the inner edge of the disc friction surface that isn't showing pad scuff?

 

[Mcharza]

On the Decoy, I am running 220mm HS2 rotors with Code RSC. Yes, they make a huge difference. On my normal bike (Privateer 161) I am running 223mm Glafer rotors with Magura MT5. Again, a big difference and well worth doing if you ride a lot of steep trails.

FWIW - the Glafer discs seem as good or better than the HS2 and are about half the price.

I'm running Galfer 203 2 mm thick rotors and pads on my mtb. No need to go 220 mm, much better than old Sram Centerline.
On my ebike I run Sram HS2, front 220 and rear 200, they are much better than old Centerlines.

 

[emtbPhil]

It might be the pic angle, but it looks like theres a lot of meat on the inner edge of the disc friction surface that isn't showing pad scuff?

I noticed that when I added the pic - that pic was straight after fitting the rotors and literally doing a few wheel spins for alignment and stopping with the bike on a stand

They're looking better now they've started to wear in, though I didn't change the pads and maybe should have

You can see the "plenty" of clearance here

 

[Planemo]

I noticed that when I added the pic - that pic was straight after fitting the rotors and literally doing a few wheel spins for alignment and stopping with the bike on a stand

They're looking better now they've started to wear in, though I didn't change the pads and maybe should have

Ah yeah thats looking a lot better. Still, does seem to be a bit of untouched disc left though - mine literally goes from outside edge to inside edge. Maybe Shimano pads aren't as 'deep' as Maguras

You can see the "plenty" of clearance here

Yeah thats tight for sure!

 

[emtbPhil]

Ah yeah thats looking a lot better. Still, does seem to be a bit of untouched disc left though - mine literally goes from outside edge to inside edge. Maybe Shimano pads aren't as 'deep' as Maguras

Perhaps - it's the same area that was covered on the shimano rotors. I think the hope calipers and maguras are a bit bigger though tbh.

 

[R120]

Galfer 223 up front and Galfer 203 out back - been running them for about 3 years now and would never go back down to a smaller rotor on an EMTB up front.

 

[Keggie]

Galfer 223 fixed with zee brakes

 

[Singletrack Scene]

Galfer 2.0mm

 

[MrSimmo]

Magura MDR-P's (220 front, 200 rear)

 

[Jimbo Vills]

Galfer 223 up front and Galfer 203 out back - been running them for about 3 years now and would never go back down to a smaller rotor on an EMTB up front.

Exactly the same for me.

Front stopping power definitely seems stronger. i'm probably going to stick a bigger rear on too for the 3 day enduro2 in france i'm doing as the long descents i'm thinking may cause issues with fade.

 

[Paulcon]

Magura MDR-P's (220 front, 200 rear)

What callipers/levers are you using with the MDR-P’s?

 

[MrSimmo]

What callipers/levers are you using with the MDR-P’s?

Magura MT5/7 (5 and 7 are the same calipers)

 

[Slapbassmunky]

MDR-P, 220/200, Shimano slx, EBC sintered pads, Putoline GPR6 fluid.

Work amazingly well.

 

[Shjay]

Magura MT5/7 (5 and 7 are the same calipers)

Not quite

MAGURA | Bike & Motorcycle Brakes

Shape the future: At MAGURA, we develop innovative brakes for bikes and motorcycles.

www.magura.com

 

[MrSimmo]

Not quite

MAGURA | Bike & Motorcycle Brakes

Shape the future: At MAGURA, we develop innovative brakes for bikes and motorcycles.

www.magura.com

Strange, Magura themselves told me they were the same when I emailed them (they explained the differences were in leverage ratios with the levers), I double checked with a local bike shop who had both and they couldn't find any differences either with the calipers (including measuring the gaps).

Maybe there are newer versions that are different?

 

[Planemo]

I double checked with a local bike shop who had both and they couldn't find any differences either with the calipers (including measuring the gaps).

Did they remove the pistons and measure the insertion depth or maybe even the piston diameter? I suspect one or both is where the difference is, as suggested on the link given by Shjay.

It would also make sense that the MT5's, to give them more disc gap (according to the link), means they have to move more more fluid at the lever which reduces effective pressure for the same lever movement/force. It also explains why the MT7's have a higher braking force, albeit with the downside of a slightly 'softer' feel compared to the MT5.

Personally I find the MT5's have ample power so would rather take the increased disc clearance but it's good they at least have the two options.

 

[militantmandy]

Personally I find the MT5's have ample power so would rather take the increased disc clearance but it's good they at least have the two options.

Especially since MT5s already have pretty tight pad clearance.

 

[MrSimmo]

Did they remove the pistons and measure the insertion depth or maybe even the piston diameter? I suspect one or both is where the difference is, as suggested on the link given by Shjay.

No iirc although it was a while ago. It was a push the pistons in till flush and then measure. Would make sense if a piston is slightly bigger.

 

[Planemo]

Especially since MT5s already have pretty tight pad clearance.

Agreed! And thats compared to my sons Shimano SLX's, which not only have more disc clearance but also happen to have a very nice solid bite point with perfectly decent lever travel. But they are 2 pot, I guess thats the downside of (albeit smaller piston) 4 pots and more fluid. All that fluid has gotta be moved with the same-ish amount of lever travel, so something has to give somewhere, and that something has to be pressure unless we run silly amounts of lever travel. It's all a juggling game

 

[Jeffsy29]

I’ve had my Giant Reign E+ for a few weeks now, and although I like the XT brakes I feel like they could do with more engagement, I’ve been looking at either Magura MDR-P or Shimano Ice Tech rotors.

Question is will going from 203 to 220 make a difference and also what rotors do you guys & gals run?

@Paulcon - My bike came stock w/ SRAM Code RSC 200F/200R. At my hefty rider weight, I didn't feel the brakes were up to task and upgraded Fronts-only to 220mm rotors. Same SRAM design, no other mods and it made a HUGE difference in power (leverage ratio of +20mm is significant). For me, 220/200 is just right.

 

[BrentH]

220mm on front 203mm on rear hope floating disks , stops me good enough so happy with my set up

There is a very good argument for putting the larger disc on the back. Bigger disc doesn’t affect power just heat dissipation, which brake do you use most on a long descent?

 

[BrentH]

I’ve just bent the rear rotor on my Merida e160 and replaced it with a Swissstop rotor. It’s great but the problem was what to do about the magnet. For now I’ve just epoxyed a magnet to the rotor but planning a more robust solution with a thin sheet of titanium.