If I switch disc brakes between bikes do I need to…

[TBLS]

May switch hydraulic disc levers, hose and calipers from my MTB to fat bike. Can I clean existing fat bike rotor and bed pads on fat bike or should I also switch rotor over from mtb?

Both are same size, etc so I don’t think any issues but prefer not to swap unless recommended

Thanks in advance

[NHAero]

FWIW, I have three wheelsets for my Litespeed Unicoi, all 160mm disc, and swap them without any issue.

Originally Posted by TBLS

May switch hydraulic disc levers, hose and calipers from my MTB to fat bike. Can I clean existing fat bike rotor and bed pads on fat bike or should I also switch rotor over from mtb?

Both are same size, etc so I don’t think any issues but prefer not to swap unless recommended

Thanks in advance

[12snap]

You shouldn't need to switch the rotors. I've swapped wheels with different rotors between bikes with no issues. There are some rotors that are geared toward DH or Enduro racing that are thicker. In the rare event you have those, you might have some clearance issues between the pads.

[lavi]

I always swap my discs. It's a fast procedure.

What happened to brakes (rotors and pads) that are bedded in working the best? Would putting unwed rotors and pads not lead to decreased braking power? Or, for those that don't swap, do you find that with a few hard stops on a given ride that the bedding takes place on the ride?

I mean, I guess I could try not swapping rotors for even faster turn around. I just have always done the swap.

[12snap]

Originally Posted by lavi

I always swap my discs. It's a fast procedure.

What happened to brakes (rotors and pads) that are bedded in working the best? Would putting unwed rotors and pads not lead to decreased braking power? Or, for those that don't swap, do you find that with a few hard stops on a given ride that the bedding takes place on the ride?

I mean, I guess I could try not swapping rotors for even faster turn around. I just have always done the swap.

In my case, I use the same brake pads on every bike so there's no difference there. When bedding pads/rotors, you're really only scuffing off the initial surface of the pads. You're not doing much to the rotors at all. I've swapped wheels and just rode. Never concerned myself with bedding the pads to a different rotor. Never noticed a difference in braking feel, either unless one bike had a severe difference in pad wear.

[teleguy57]

I've always understood bedding in to be distributing pad material on the rotor so that when you apply the brakes you have similar material (pad and pad material on rotor) coming in contact with each other.

I like to have rotors on each wheelset that's in regular use; prefer to get on the bike with as few steps as possible to be barriers/time sucks.

[Spdntrxi]

when I swap wheels..

Whatever rotors are used on the bike.. stay on the bike. Only the wheelset changes

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by Spdntrxi

when I swap wheels..

Whatever rotors are used on the bike.. stay on the bike. Only the wheelset changes

This.

The disc bikes in the garage are all Ultegra disc so it's not a problem. The only one that isn't is a fixed gear and the wheels that are on there are the only SS/Fixed specific wheels I own

M

[dolface]

I switch rotors/wheels to bikes w/ different pads and brands of brakes a couple times a year and haven't had any issues. I try to do the bed-in procedure each time (10 hard stops) but don't always get to it and haven't had any issues.

(Rotors: SRAM, Shimano, Galfer. Pads: Shimano metal and organic, Hope metal and organic, Hayes organic, Galfer pro and standard).

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Spdntrxi

when I swap wheels..

Whatever rotors are used on the bike.. stay on the bike. Only the wheelset changes

Wow ... when people talk about how much slower wheel changes are with disc brakes, they weren't even adding the time to switch rotors. I find it hard to believe that it is necessary to switch rotors when switching wheels, as long as the rotors are clean and/or have been "bedded in" with the same type of pads (but not necessarily actually the same pads).

[Spdntrxi]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Wow ... when people talk about how much slower wheel changes are with disc brakes, they weren't even adding the time to switch rotors. I find it hard to believe that it is necessary to switch rotors when switching wheels, as long as the rotors are clean and/or have been "bedded in" with the same type of pads (but not necessarily actually the same pads).

centerlocks are quick... I keep the rotors with the bike because of rotor/pad wear. Sometimes I can get away with no adjustments, especially with like hubs.

[Dave]

I have no reason to swap wheels back and forth on my road bike. When I installed new wheels on one of my bikes, I took the rotors off the old wheels, but the calipers both needed to be recentered. I wouldn't want to do that very often.

I also wouldn't want to swap rotors between wheels real often. There's that thin stainless shim washer under the nut that probably won't last through a lot of swaps.

[EB]

The ease of this is highly dependent on hub tolerances.

Generally I’ve found most centerlock hubs put the rotors in exactly the same spot, and no caliper adjustment is needed when swapping, even with centerlock hubs from different manufacturers are involved (my data is anecdotal, though).

When swapping between centerlock and 6-bolt hubs, however, sometimes a caliper adjustment is necessary.

For my garvel bike I have 700c and 650b wheelsets I swap between - pads on that bike are organic and rotors are all SRAM centerline 160mm. No caliper adjustment is ever needed there.

On my 29er I have XC and all-mountain wheelsets I swap between. The XC is 6 bolt (saves grams! Lol) and the all-mountain is centerlock. In that case, the rear swaps without issue but the front needs a tiny caliper adjustment.

[BenCalvert]

I wouldn't swap rotors personally. You might notice a small difference the first ride or so on brand new rotors.

Like Eli said ^ I do always re-center the caliper.