Hydro brakes that use, um, H2O

[mvrider]

http://www.bikerumor.com/2015/08/29/eb15-brake-force-one-h2o-disc-brake-trade-mineral-oil-for-water/

http://www.brakeforceone.com

Please discuss. I know nothing about hydraulics.

http://www.brakeforceone.de/files/BFO_H2O_en.jpg

[velotrack]

Sweet. Water has a very high specific heat capacity, so it comes to no surprise to me that it's working well for them. More to come, I bet.

[Cicli]

Uh, yeah. Right.

[palincss]

Those should be really solid come the depths of winter.

[rwsaunders]

20% glycol added to prevent freezing.

[rzthomas]

Glycol will take care of the freezing issue. I guess glycol also serves as a bit of a lubricant, too?

Looks like a promising system.

[Schmed]

Those should be really solid come the depths of winter.

:D

The article mentions 20% glycol. That'll only protect from freezing to 20 degrees F. So, you are right, still a concern in the winter. I ride in weather below 20 degrees.

Glycol will first turn to slush before it freezes solid. I wonder how brake-lever feel is affected by slush!

[A1CKot]

:D

The article mentions 20% glycol. That'll only protect from freezing to 20 degrees F. So, you are right, still a concern in the winter. I ride in weather below 20 degrees.

Glycol will first turn to slush before it freezes solid. I wonder how brake-lever feel is affected by slush!

Glycol is used to de-ice airplanes. I never had any problems with a glycol/water solution freezing when I used it in Minot when it was -35*F. I don't remember the exact mixture but the glycol tank was much smaller than the water tank.

I would be more worried about the water component. Surely it has to be pure/distilled to perform at its best.

[makoti]

I never had any problems with a glycol/water solution freezing when I used it in Minot when it was -35*F.

Summers are beautiful in Minot, aren't they? ;)

[wallymann]

distilled water would ensure no contaminants in the system, a-la engine cooling systems. similar with use of glycol additive to address freezing.

i'd also be worried about corrosion. has to be 100% stainless construction, including all the inner bits-n-pieces.

[unterhausen]

there was a big push to use water in hydraulic systems a couple of decades ago. Not sure why it failed, but I imagine it takes some reasonably toxic additives to make it work. Whereas the only toxicity danger for mineral oil is if you dump it directly into a still body of water because it keeps oxygen from mixing with the water.

[CMiller]

My first thought was also distilled water and how clean it is. I can't wait to see who comes out with the purest water haha

[Cicli]

My first thought was also distilled water and how clean it is. I can't wait to see who comes out with the purest water haha

Duh, Rapha.

[linkedrecoverie]

My first thought was also distilled water and how clean it is. I can't wait to see who comes out with the purest water haha

But this is water and glycol: Stoli.

[A1CKot]

Summers are beautiful in Minot, aren't they? ;)

They actually weren't bad. Sun came up early and went down late. They were short though.

Is glycol readly available? I wonder how often you will need to change your fluid. I change mine every year because of water but if it already has water in it what would cause you to need to change fluid?

[unterhausen]

I assume that by "glycol" they mean anti-freeze, which usually is ethylene glycol, or sometimes propylene glycol