Mix and Matching Brakes

When grilled further on (15 Oct 2005 09:27:19 -0700),
"Sam" <[email hidden]> confessed:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone mixed braking systems front and back. I imagine there
shouldnt be a problem, but wandered if anyone has tried. I currently
have 3 year old Avid mechanical brakes on my hard tail (165 rotor),
and was thinking to change the front brake only to Hope Mono mini (180
rotor) which I have spare.
Any thoughts / experiences?

I have Avid 8" mechanical on the front and Hayes 6" hydraulic on my Level Betty.
Works just fine. I notice the difference sitting in the garage (level pull
force), but not on the trail.

Cheers,
Rob

Sam said:

Has anyone mixed braking systems front and back. I imagine there
shouldnt be a problem, but wandered if anyone has tried. I currently
have 3 year old Avid mechanical brakes on my hard tail (165 rotor),
and was thinking to change the front brake only to Hope Mono mini (180
rotor) which I have spare.
Any thoughts / experiences?

Thanks, Sam

Your gravity constant changes. [1] Usually it's the product of the masses
divided by the square of their distances apart, but in this case, the
gravity changes not in powers of two but in powers of 16. This means that
when you're braking, the forces involved that shift the balance of the bike
also shift your center of gravity. In powers of 16, your brakes won't
balance correctly, and may cause skidding and endoing.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

[1] Wow, that was an unintended oxymoron.

Per Sam:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone mixed braking systems front and back. I imagine there
shouldnt be a problem, but wandered if anyone has tried. I currently
have 3 year old Avid mechanical brakes on my hard tail (165 rotor),
and was thinking to change the front brake only to Hope Mono mini (180
rotor) which I have spare.
Any thoughts / experiences?

Thanks, Sam

I've had a 160mm Avid 160 mech on the back, 185mm Hope C2 on the front for a
couple years now - on both bikes (HT and FS). No problems.
--
PeteCresswell

I have a Hope M4 185 up front and a Hope Mini rear 165 at the back but
i have used magura louise's in place of the rear with little
difference. Certainly no reason not to if you like the way they work.

J

Sam said:

Has anyone mixed braking systems front and back. I imagine there
shouldnt be a problem, but wandered if anyone has tried. I currently
have 3 year old Avid mechanical brakes on my hard tail (165 rotor),
and was thinking to change the front brake only to Hope Mono mini (180
rotor) which I have spare.
Any thoughts / experiences?

Thanks, Sam

Thanks to all above posters for your comments