I built up a custom gravel wheel set for my gravel bike with CKing CL hubs so I needed CL rotors. Previously I’ve always used 6 bolt rotors. So I bought the Dura-Ace/XTR CL900. They’re high quality and have never been noisy. The required aftermarket lock rings, the Dura-Ace lock rings don’t work on my Chris King rear hub. I bought Wolf Tooth external notch lock rings and they work fine, plus they are blue ano so they look really nice too.
Why would you say new calipers? As long as the breaking surfacce is the same width there's no need. As for the tool...hae it and don't use it, cannot measure torque with it and it can slip easily. That's why it's collecting dust now but I agree you could potentially tighten the lock ring without removeing the wheel.@@PrzemyslawSliwinski
@@PrzemyslawSliwinski yup, but I've seen people run 2.3mm TRP rotors with shimano XT calipers and clearance is OK. I think most shimano brakes have the clearance for them.
If you look at the XT and XTR groupsets on the Shimano website and read the recommended brake rotors, the CL800 rotors are now recommended. So yes, the application range for 180/203 is probably primarily intended for MTB. I have installed a 180mm CT-800 at the front and rear of my MTB and am very happy with the performance. A long downhill of approx. 600hm on asphalt was no problem for the brakes.
Well I have brand new RT-MT900 rotors and brand new resin pads with fins. On longer descent if I hit brakes harder I can notice that the rotor expands and touches pads, causing well known sound which I personally hate. I tried to algin calippers perfectly and I did it but no matter what I do it acts the same. So I got brand new Galfer Wave rotors and Galfer advanced pads (without fins, red color). This new combination works perfectly and no any sounds at all.
How is the weight of the Galfer compared to RT-MT900? The Shimano Freeza are steel - aluminium - steel. You can have steel only rotors from all manufacturers, but they are of course heavy/heavier.
I'm switching to TRP 42's since my 1 year old XTR rear rotor got contaminated after the 4 pot SLX caliper decided that it didn't want to hold its mineral oil anymore
I rode Shimano Icetech or Freeza rotors for a long time for road and MTB with my Shimano brakes but one day I tried simple Magura Storm HC which are 2mm thick and never looked back. The Steel-Aluminium-Steel construction on the Shimano rotors really isn't as stiff as it should be and these rotors warp like cheese when things get a bit hot. Also, the Magura Storm are much cheaper.
Great summary. Keen to see if the new ones stay true. My RT800 Ultegra rotors never did, very annoying. Favorite rotors so far for XC use are still Ashima Ai2.
Another interesting vid thank you!!! I really like the look of those freeza rotors my 203s are quiet as hell and they stop on a dime.looking forward to your thoughts on the new ones!!!Cheers!!!
Alternatives are nice - but I've settled on the Galfer Wave about half a year or so ago. They work tremendously well, at a very nice price point. Not as blingy as the Icetech rotors, but the price of the Shimano Icetechs certainly also reflect that, and the Galfers are not bad looking. The Galfers in 6 bolt are some of the lightest I can find that I would also trust my life with anyway, and they work very well with stock pads for both my Maguras and Shimano brakes on my daugthers MTB. On my bike I have them on a set of Elite Wheels that I bought with discount code from this channel - so thumbs up and thank you for the reviews!
Good vid as always , I use 6 bolt but these look like killer XC bike race rotors , 203 in the front for better braking less effort . But weight ? The smaller ones would be good .
I am interested in the new sram brakes! Have you done rotor crankset or the rotor drive train? I am interested to see how the rotor compares to sram and shimano.
I would have liked some more info on those Galfers, do you still run them, how have they kept up etc. Maybe a comparison video on those different makes?
Good suggestions! I mentioned in another comment, we've used them since I reviewed them on a XC race bike with SLX brakes, amazing performance, no issues whatsoever.
I have the 203mm mt800-L on my EMTB They came on the new bike full XT set up, but after 3 short 40 mins rides the front is ticking when pull the lever slightly more irritating than anything, they need cleaned badly the discs are all black pad crud on the surface and think the pads are glassed over they don't squel when your riding the bike but they do when your sitting on it or moving it around they don't lock to the pads they like push themselves through so never seem to have a full lock to the disc! Never need up on the front wheel or really had a rear lock up skid, brand new but away to look at them today not happy with them
It looks to me like the extra weight comes from there being fewer cutouts on the braking surface. Quite interested in these for my MTB, thinking the higher braking surface could technically make them more effective?
Great! I was again annoyed by my noisy RT-ML800 blades with flat mount breaks. Where I live the RT-CL800 is common in 140 mm and 160 mm. 180 mm and 203 mm seem to be not very common.
Sorry to be off topic of the rotors but what brakeset would you choose if you had the choice? 7120 SLX or 8120 XT. I have the SLX but want to upgrade because the XTs look better 😅
There's no difference when it comes to braking performance. I have a set of 8120s and they're great, but I only bought them because the SLX model weren't in stock and I had a giftcard to use. If I had to do it again I'd rather save the money
The biggest problem we have ATM is the availability. Here in Australia, they are sold out in a lot of shops, and supply has been patchy for the last 6 months.
Shimamo's gravel stuff is often repackaged mtb and road stuff... calipers are road calipers as are rotors... chains are generally mtb. Even the rear derailers are road uppers with mtb lowers... you can make an sgs grx derailleur by switching an xt cage on grx. The mounting points for the cage are the same.
Ok stupid question, can all brake calipers be used with any of these rotors? I have a pair of alivio MT200 hydralics, can I use those rotors on my rig?
@LoveMTB i was thinking of getting the GRX brakes but keeping the same levers and getting rotors as well, but there so many rotors options around from Shimano makes choices dificult
@LoveMTB will try just that. If i manage to get my hands on a complete GRX flatbar brake levers, rotors and brakes i think i will be good to go. Thanks for your insight!
The deformation could be solved by have floating fixtures instead of the rivet style Shimano used to fix the spindle with the braking surfaces... Hope style floating rotors will solve the deformation issue, it's the most common engineering solutions (dirtbikes & moto) but often the floating rotors will develop a rattle. Personally I embrace the rattle 😜
@@LoveMTB a quality solid one piece rotor from my experience is a safe bet for most people and conditions but you get a weight penalty along with the deformation, that's why for ebikes and HD applications we're starting to see 2.3 mm thick rotors to supposedly be a end all solution, if you really want the full benefits of that increased thickness the rotors should be floating but it's apparently a hard issue to solve for bicycle companies, weird a since I'm buying floating rotors that are perfectly reliable and cost effective for my sport bike and two dirtbikes 🫠 ...
I don't know if replacement or alternative? Just like XTR/ HG+, I think once they launched it they realized that they might be better than what they have MTB specific? That tells me something...😉
I use a pair of MT900s on my road bike and the ticks keep ticking and they don't stop ticking. Drives me insane sometimes. So the solution to it is to drown it out from the woosh woosh woosh of my deep section wheels. 😆
