Quick question for the MTBers.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by nmrt

That's an awesome Alliance! Much like the venerated Moots Mooto RSL.
Why would the gravel bike with 45 mm tires not be sufficient for bombing down fire roads?

I’m sure with a more confident descender it would be. Some of the fire roads around here are 15 percent and sometimes 20 percent. I feel more confident descending on a flat bar. I was going to sell it (haven’t used it in close to five years) but when my daughter wanted to explore MTBing, that was the deciding factor in keeping it.

[nmrt]

If the roads are that steep, I'd keep the mtb. Just build it with 2.3 in tires and you will have something different than the 45 mm gravel bike. I think you will enjoy the mtb Alliance experience on these roads.

Get the 2-pot with non-weight weenie 180/160 mm rotors.

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

I’m sure with a more confident descender it would be. Some of the fire roads around here are 15 percent and sometimes 20 percent. I feel more confident descending on a flat bar. I was going to sell it (haven’t used it in close to five years) but when my daughter wanted to explore MTBing, that was the deciding factor in keeping it.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by nmrt

If the roads are that steep, I'd keep the mtb. Just build it with 2.3 in tires and you will have something different than the 45 mm gravel bike. I think you will enjoy the mtb Alliance experience on these roads.

Get the 2-pot with non-weight weenie 180/160 mm rotors.

I think that’s exactly what I’m going to do. On topic, does anyone have any experience with e*thirteen cassettes? I have a 9-42 I want to use. The other choice is a XX1 (or XO1) 10-42. I have a 28t up front.

[nmrt]

I have an e13 Helix Race 10-52 (12-speed). I have less than 200 miles on it. So far it is as good (reliable shifting, no noise while pedaling) as its XX1 counterpart.

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

I think that’s exactly what I’m going to do. On topic, does anyone have any experience with e*thirteen cassettes? I have a 9-42 I want to use. The other choice is a XX1 (or XO1) 10-42. I have a 28t up front.

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

I think that’s exactly what I’m going to do. On topic, does anyone have any experience with e*thirteen cassettes? I have a 9-42 I want to use. The other choice is a XX1 (or XO1) 10-42. I have a 28t up front.

12 speed upgrades are really cheap (you can probably get everything for less than the cost of an e*thirteen cassette), and will get you up to a 50-52 large cog. I'd highly recommend that.

[d_douglas]

My FS bike has 4 pot SLX and my hardtail has 2 pot Avid Level Ts (cheap). They both work just fine. I actually prefer the ergonomics of the SRAM ones, but hate the concept of using DOT fluid.

[lorenbike]

I've had the same set of cheap sram level 2 piston brakes on a 29+ hardtail for 6 years that have only been bled once, and work fine. I would recommend 180 f/r rotors though and make sure to swap the pads as needed.

[Hilltopperny]

I prefer 4 piston brakes at 225lbs, but unless I am descending gnarly fast stuff 2 piston brakes work just fine!

Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

[Alistair]

Originally Posted by nmrt

No one was talking about Shimano/Sram. Magura was being spoken about specifically while noting that some 4-pots have four pads/caliper.

P Nut didn't specify a model when he first mentioned 4-pots.

[HenryA]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

My daughter seems to like riding in the dirt. So…time to build up my MTB again. I’m a complete noob when it comes to this stuff. (Frankly, I’m not much better when it comes to road bike technology).

I ride mostly fire roads. We have plenty of them here in the Bay Area. Long climbs to epic views. Of course, what goes up… So, with that in mind do I need two piston or four piston brakes? Is it frame dependent (2012 Alliance Ti hardtail) Or rider dependent? (195 lbs roughly)

Thanks for any feedback.

You’re riding with your kid and you’re worried about —your— brakes? What are you doing for your daughter’s brakes?
(XTs are totally fine for your’s and her’s)

[p nut]

Originally Posted by Alistair

P Nut didn't specify a model when he first mentioned 4-pots.

I ride Mag. and use MTX pads, which come with 4 separate pads. Works well and I’ve used it for 4 years now and it’s been great. But I’m not sure if it works any better than M785’s I had before.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by HenryA

You’re riding with your kid and you’re worried about —your— brakes? What are you doing for your daughter’s brakes?
(XTs are totally fine for your’s and her’s)

Her bike is already built up. I purchased one of Willow Koerber’s former training bikes. Big “daughter points”: it’s pink.

[Alistair]

Originally Posted by p nut

I ride Mag. and use MTX pads, which come with 4 separate pads. Works well and I’ve used it for 4 years now and it’s been great. But I’m not sure if it works any better than M785’s I had before.

If you aren't getting them super-hot, yeah, you won't see much difference. Heat management is where bigger calipers, more pad material, and bigger rotors really make a difference.

And it's why I run 2-pot SLX with 160mm rotors on my single-speed. It's never going fast enough for long enough to matter.

My trail bike has the 4-pot 180mm front/2-pot 160mm rear, which seems to be a reasonable middle ground for my use.

The reason I suggested a similar setup to the OP was the longer descents out west. Yeah, it might be mostly gravel, but that just means he's going even faster. The mountain bike will weigh more than his gravel bike and the extra tire will allow more speed. So, the slightly beefier caliper seems like a good idea. He already has a gravel bike, so may as well go slightly beefier on the hardtail, otherwise just ride the gravel bike right? If an equivalent 4-pot caliper was a massive cost increase, I might not bother, but XT vs XT the cost isn't far apart ($30 or so, IIRC).

[Jaybee]

As the voice of dissent-

I've never regretted going to 4-pot on any of my bikes, even on bikes where I'm concerned about weight. They modulate better, they'll pull you back faster with less hand strength required, they fade less. If the cost is close, I don't see much of a penalty. They make even more of a difference on big gravel road descents where the terrain is open and the speed is high.

I prefer the way SRAM feels, but get Shimano if the DOT icks you out. I really like the TRP Slate also - better modulation than XT with similar power and mineral oil.

[Alistair]

Originally Posted by HenryA

You’re riding with your kid and you’re worried about —your— brakes? What are you doing for your daughter’s brakes?
(XTs are totally fine for your’s and her’s)

Kids bounce better than adults.