Is It Possible To Make A ShiMaven Brake?

[Eluder]

I know they are popular to hate, but Lewis LH4 has been fantastic. More power than the Codes or Shimano's, and light lever throw with usable modulation. I also have a pair of the LHTs and prefer the cheaper LH4

[rideit]

Curious about these. But certainly a brake hose isn’t almost 1/2 a pound?

[Marshal Olson]

If you don't care about them saying Lewis, you can always pickup the OEM verison.

[Eluder]

If you don't care about them saying Lewis, you can always pickup the OEM verison.

Different MC with no bite point adjustment. Different hoses, and caliper as well.

[Eluder]

Curious about these. But certainly a brake hose isn’t almost 1/2 a pound?

No idea; they are not heavy brakes, but the hose fittings are beefy at the MC, so maybe that's the mass?

[Marshal Olson]

Different MC with no bite point adjustment. Different hoses, and caliper as well.

EDIT - Just realized that the Lewis LV4 (14 + 17mm pistons) and LHT (2x 17mm pistons) have different diameters... Sorry. That makes a big difference! In taking a deeper look just now, I found someone who measured the Zoom pistons to be 14mm + 16mm. It looks like the Zrace style caliper is 2x 16mm, as is a DHR EVO.

Thanks Eluder -- Now I am talking myself into trying the LHT all of a sudden instead

PLEASE DISREGARD ALL THE BELOW BAD INFO.


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According to my research, Lewis are made by the same manufacture with a few differences...?

To make sure I understand, is it accurate that the main differences are the Lewis adds adjustable pad contact, the Lewis uses a banjo at the caliper vs some of the generics use of olive/barb, and the Lewis has a 2-piece bolt-together caliper instead of a solid 1-piece caliper? Does your Lewis use the Hope M4 brake pad standard or something else?

As far as I can tell, I think the IV4R, Z Race, and Bucklos brakes are all basically the same to one-another, beyond the varying use of Olive/Barb vs Banjo at the caliper end, different color options, and some different pad options. And finally, the ZTTO brake appears to be a TRP DHR clone with a different lever blade (that seems to match the common lever blades from the others) and the caliper is olive/barb instead of a banjo.

No horse in the race, other than I have been super close to buying one of the above brakes to try for fun anyway, so any insights are helpful, as it's quite confusing (due to you know... aliexpress brands w/ nonsensical names...)

Thanks!

[XXX-er]

what brake pads does it ^^ use, i don't wana use hard to get parts

[Eluder]

EDIT - Just realized that the Lewis LV4 (14 + 17mm pistons) and LHT (2x 17mm pistons) have different diameters... Sorry. That makes a big difference! In taking a deeper look just now, I found someone who measured the Zoom pistons to be 14mm + 16mm. It looks like the Zrace style caliper is 2x 16mm, as is a DHR EVO.

PLEASE DISREGARD ALL THE BELOW BAD INFO.


>>>



According to my research, Lewis are made by the same manufacture with a few differences...?

To make sure I understand, is it accurate that the main differences are the Lewis adds adjustable pad contact, the Lewis uses a banjo at the caliper vs some of the generics use of olive/barb, and the Lewis has a 2-piece bolt-together caliper instead of a solid 1-piece caliper? Does your Lewis use the Hope M4 brake pad standard or something else?

As far as I can tell, I think the IV4R, Z Race, and Bucklos brakes are all basically the same to one-another, beyond the varying use of Olive/Barb vs Banjo at the caliper end, different color options, and some different pad options. And finally, the ZTTO brake appears to be a TRP DHR clone with a different lever blade (that seems to match the common lever blades from the others) and the caliper is olive/barb instead of a banjo.

No horse in the race, other than I have been super close to buying one of the above brakes to try for fun anyway, so any insights are helpful, as it's quite confusing (due to you know... aliexpress brands w/ nonsensical names...)

Thanks!

Oops, my edit deleted the part where I said, "I think they are all made in the same factory with a little different spec." which may have left my tone sounding defensive. Also, I have no horse in this race, these happen to be one of few bike items I have paid retail for out of curiosity. So I apologize if that was the case. I got nervous not being able to navigate the Ali nonsense, plus I wanted the bite point adjustment, as I like my levers close to the bar with a short throw.

They use Hope V4 pads. The stock ones have worked well, but I have some Galfers for when they wear out.

For reference the barb on the LHT are fragile and take some effort to install without ruining them. The LH4 threads in by hand. The LHTs leverage adjustment has been a little annoying as well as it takes a t10 ( I swap my for hex) and will loosen up without locktite... I had a park day cut short because my minitool doesn't have that size.

[Marshal Olson]

No stress on tone! I was just trying to figure it all out since it’s super murky water to wade through!

thanks for the details. Interesting indeed. Curious what rotors you went with

the dual 17mm pistons on the LHT should make for a very powerful brake

[toast2266]

Based on a 20 second fondle of Eluder's Lewis brakes, I can say that their lever blade shape is a little weird. It's straighter than most other options.

[Eluder]

LH4 on my trail bike with sram 2.0mm rotors. 200/180
LHT on my big bike with TRP 2.3 rotors. 200/200

I have some Lewis 2.3 rotors to try out as well.

[Eluder]

Based on a 20 second fondle of Eluder's Lewis brakes, I can say that their lever blade shape is a little weird. It's straighter than most other options.

I'm not sure I agree, but we set up brakes totally opposite of each other. They feel very much like a Sram lever to me but lighter pull and less mushy. Different than the Maguras HC3 I had on prior and better ergo than the TRP/Freedom Coast.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Are the Galfer rotors really that much better than Shimano RT86 rotors? Those and fully sintered pads do not lack for power, even with my old SLX's. I'm just under 200lbs, btw. Rotors are 8 and 7 inches. On my full suspension, I have Magura MT7's and I think there's randos all over the Internet who have combined Maguras and Shimanos in some fashion. I run fully sintered in those too and they are so good when they get hot. Almost too grabby sometimes. I don't even have 2mm rotors for them. I have the Centerlines that came on the bike. I would like to upgrade to HS2, though.

Slight hijack for those of you who also run fully sintered: Does it your leaver feel change as they heat up, or do I need to order more on brand pads? Been using Truckerco because they are cheap and long lasting.

[Marshal Olson]

Centerlines, some Galfer, and Shimano are 1.8mm thick. Other than being a little lighter, they are worse are doing “braking” things, in my experience - or at least they tend to run a little hotter and fade a little more.

the 2.0mm thick rotors like magura, Hayes, HS2, and some Galfers handle heat much better warp less, and transmit more power into the wheel (stiffer). 2.3mm rotors even better than that, though they don’t fit into every brake caliper.

One guys view, but sintered pads bite notably better in the wet, and Organic + semi metallic pads generally are much less noisy in really dry desert like conditions. In between those extremes is more personal preference than anything.

hope that helps, interested to see other takes too!

[Marshal Olson]

@rideit - have you looked at the Magura Gustav Pro brakes at all? They are running effectively the same (4x19mm) pistons as the Mavens.

I didn’t care for the MT7 levers I used to have, but plenty of folks do, and may potentially be easier to pop a Shimano lever on, since that’s already a thing with the existing brakes

[Phall]

Shigura is a "relatively" common upgrade on some forums. Have trusted mechanic friends who, while they haven't done it because TRP, they have been decidedly curious about doing it. That could be a good way to go.

[One (+) Sentence]

Juicy levers with Lewis hoses and Dominion calipers is the $$ move.

[beaterdit]

I'm doubtful that Shimano levers would push enough fluid for those huge pistons, on the Maven or Gustav.

I wager you'd get used to new levers pretty quick.

[rideit]

I think I’m gonna back off spending my way out of the dilemma, outside of some new chi-chi Galfer pads. Thanks for entertaining all of this, it has been cool to ponder. But the new Shimano DH brakes are on the ‘first buy’ list, likely along with whatever new drivetrain appears.

I guess I just gotta do ‘grip strength’ excercises all day, every day.

Viva, pm incoming!

[beaterdit]

MTX pads are pretty awesome. I’ll be running their gold pads in Peru.

[XXX-er]

I used to use those grips strength things to ride dirt bikes which was incredibly hard on the arms and hands

[CantDog]

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Ryx...ibextid=79PoIi

Here you go rideit, if you’re curious it not500$ curious.


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[toast2266]

Relevant to the lever pull force discussion, happened across this (Sorry for the insta link):

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_k-I...xsbHptZGcxeWNs

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[stuckathuntermtn]

I have to add: I may like the little one finger levers on Shimano brakes better than others. If I could change just the lever blade on the MT7's, I probably would. Also, the MT7 levers squeak a little when just standing there squeezing the brake. Unacceptable for a brake like that. My over 10 year old SLX levers don't squeak.

[stuckathuntermtn]

There's these:
https://www.jensonusa.com/Magura-HC-...-Lever-Blade-2
Anyone?
Edit: that's the price for 1 lever, not 1 pair. Lol, gtfo. The entire M8100 brake lever/master cylinder is about the same price.