I've had Juicys on two and a half bikes (one has an XT V on the back) and like them but over time have built up a long list of frustrations:
~ pads wear twice as fast as the Hope M4s on another bike
~ pads sit too close to the rotor so often rub (cause of the extra wear?)
~ have snapped off two of the pad locating thingies
~ sometimes pads just drop in, sometimes I can't get them in for love nor money
As it happens, I quite like the bleed kit/procedure - once you've done it a few times it's logical, works and gives good results.
I need a new set of brakes, possibly two if I flog my old Mono M4s and am thinking about Elixirs. In my little dreamworld, they're as good as Juicys when they work with all the problems ironed out. Am I right or wrong?
Yes, I know I should just buy some XTs but for some reason Shimano brakes don't fog my mask.
I went from juicy carbons to elixirs about 2 months ago - great set of brakes compared, more power, more reponsive, better modulation. They stil rub a bit and seem to get a bit close to the disc but they are good brakes and you would notice the step up from juicys. If you look hard enough you can get a bargain too.
I've used both - and the Elixir is the better brake, especially in the power dept.
Before you splash your cash, see if you can try a bike with Formula RXs - they really are the best brake I've ever had - so far!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43121659@N06/4570511018/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43121659@N06/4570509834/
Everything M_T_B said. Because they're not Hopes or Formulas lots of people seem to take them straight off their factory built bikes and flog them on here for penuts. Which is nice.
Shimano slx. So much better than avids.
geda that is complete rubbish - elixirs piss on shimano in every which way including being about 100g lighter each end!
Only problems i had with Juicys were the 7's calipers which were made of cheese. Now run the 7 levers with 3 calipers and they are an astoundingly good set of brakes. Have elixirs on the other bike and they have given no problems so far.
I realised it was silly to have Juicys on one bike when I had a spare set of Magura Louises sitting in a drawer. Juicys were fine, but the Maguras are waaaaay better! 🙂
Hig's I have a set of Elixirs (3 rides old) coming up for sale on the "Big list"
PM us on the other place for details
Its not that I don't think they work well but they just don't suit my huge hands lever wise.
180/180 if that's any help
Had J7's, rear one caused me nowt but trouble from day 1, finally seizing...
Despite saying 'never again' to Avid i dropped the cash on Elixirs after a lot of asking and shopping around - wiggle had them at £100 an end at the time for OE carbons..
Went with 'em chiefly because I already had the bleed kit etc, price was right and reviews were mostly good...
Have to say, lovin the Elixirs - far better brake that the Juicy's - even with Superstar pads in there 😉
Just for balance I've been running juicy 7's for two years solid with absolutely no problems at all.
Very impressed with my elixirs. My trusty 10 year old hopes started to become too much of a pain to keep going so I went for a pair of the basic elixir5, couldn't see the point of the exposed reach adjuster on the pricier models. Mine are easy enough to adjust with an allen key and surely you only do it once, why pay more for the dial adjuster? Bite point adjust (as on the elixir carbon) would be nice I suppose but my hopes never had it so I figured I wouldn't miss it. What really swung it was that the pair of 5's cost the same as one end of the carbons. (and I got a free bleed kit too!)
Truly powerful, fantastic feel and modulation, I've had the rotors so hot they turned blue but didn't feel any fade. IMO they are fantastic brakes. Only slight problem I have is that on mine the hose angle as it exits the calliper can't be adjusted (higher end models can) and the front one sits at such an angle on my pikes that there is quite a big loop of hose by the front wheel, its been fine but I have wondered if it may get snagged on something.
Man up and get on board the XT train.
They're more powerful, have better feel, are cheaper, easier to bleed, easier to change pads and all round superior.
If it's any help, the other mechanic in our shop got Elixirs when they first came out and they've needed bleeding, the pads rub and they feel like shite. So business as usual with Avid.
one thing that puts me off shimano xt is the stupid one bolt clamp - why do they do that ?!
I think because most bikers aren't obsessive part swappers, but yes, it is annoying. But I'd rather have an annoying clamp than a naff brake.
SpokesCycles - MemberMan up and get on board the XT train.
They're more powerful, have better feel, are cheaper, easier to bleed, easier to change pads and all round superior.
If it's any help, the other mechanic in our shop got Elixirs when they first came out and they've needed bleeding, the pads rub and they feel like shite. So business as usual with Avid.
XTs are shit in comparison to Elixirs luke, you always championw hat you have and do not give a fair review. EX XT with servo wave owner!
XTs are shit in comparison to Elixirs luke, you always championw hat you have and do not give a fair review. EX XT with servo wave owner!
in your face spokescycles.
i run elixirs just now on my race bike.
there very powerful brakes, prefer them to my 4 pot hopes, great modulation, very light. Alot easier than hope to change pads as well.
2 downsides. They sit close to the rotor so rub no matter what i've tried and the pads wear out quicker than you'd think
I've had juicy 7s for over 4 years no problems and only sold to upgrade to 7 carbons and still no problems, they are great brakes
I've got Avids on one bike at the minute Robsworth. Horrible things.
You name it, I've probably owned it at some point. I've finally found what works and what doesn't.
Don't know what's wrong with mine, but haven't had to touch them in over 3 years. No bleeding, just a few sets of pads.
Juicy 7s here on two bikes and no problems what so ever not even needed to bleed since fitting. Love them think they're great.
are cheaper,
My elixirs were £80 per end (plus I had a free bleed kit)
easier to bleed,
Like the OP I like the avid bleed system, looks like a faff and the instructions are a bit long winded but in practice its easy and very effective.
easier to change pads
Have you seen an elixir caliper? The pads slide in and out of a massive cut out in the top. It's possible to change them without even removing the wheel if you really wanted to!
I have become a Magura fan. I have 2x sets of Louise and 1x set of Julie HP. I like them because they just work! Avid Juicys should have put me off disc brakes for lige!!!
I would prefer formulas and hopes to avids. I've not tried shimanos (yet!) but would not spend any money on avid again.
My scandal came with the latest xt - just didn't float my boat at all, looks or performance. Swapped to elixirs on my other bike from juicys and couldn't be happier so sold the xts on and got another set of elixirs - can't fault them. Brakes are a personal thing but for me elixirs win by a country mile
I'll never buy another Avid product after the service I experienced from Fishers. Still haven't got my brakes back after they told me I'd have to pay over £200 to have them serviced when they self-destructed at Innerleithen causing me to crash so badly I needed hospital treatment. Moved over to Magura Louise Carbons which have been flawless.
again, for balance, I have one set of J7's and one of J ultimates. Both have been trouble free, i've used one set of pads on the J7's in 3 years, including a week's riding in Verbier. The J ultimates needed bleeding when i got them second hand, but have worked flawlessly since then...? I don't knwo anyone who's had aproblem with them, and i've ridden them in all conditions... 😕
Had Juicy 3s and 5s on various bikes, got Elixir Rs on my main one now and love them, modulation is perfect and pairing up with the matchmaker clamp makes lever and shifter positioning a breeze. Can lock up both wheels so power is definitely not a problem!
I like the bleed system as well, first time it's a bit of a faff but you can do it in 10 minutes after a few times.
Pad removal is definitely a step up from the Juicys too.
In my opinion. 🙂
spokescycles needs to get a mechanic that can bleed and set up elixirs so they don't feel like shit 😉
For balance, power was never a problem for me and I know people who have had cheaper Juicy's running problem free for ages. However I know of four people who have had massive issues with Juicy Carbons and Ultimates, me included. Bleeding was never a problem, but pad clearance was, they always rubbed within 10 minutes of adjusting them. They also had very poor modulation, either on or off, very little in between. Fisher have now had my brakes for over 6 weeks and may have lost them. This is after trying to charge me more than the price of a new set of brakes for a 'service'.
Mr Overshoot made me an offer I couldn't refuse so I've gone for some Elixirs.
So I'll put those on the HT and keep Mono M4s on the FS for now. If I like the Elixirs I'll flog the Hopes and get a set for the FS too if only so I only have to keep one type of spare pads on me.
Haven't tried Elixirs as I have heard that they rub just as badly as the Juicy's which gave me the same problems you seem to have. Rubbing pads, no way to put the pads in easily, the crappy retention thingy falls of all the time. So went and bought a pair of XTs. No complains since at all.
Higgo - Member
Mr Overshoot made me an offer I couldn't refuse so I've gone for some Elixirs.
Probably sold them too cheap, but that's what mates are for. TBH they worked fine but much like Hig's I don't want too many sets of pads to worry about.
So now its just Hope Mono M4's, Hayes Stroker Trail's, Shimano and Avid BB7! Hmmm think I need to get that down a bit more
Nothing like brakes to divide opinion!
it's so random!