Mixing brakes - is it acceptable?

[slarge]

My really old Stumpjumper is my singlespeed that’s great fun, super light and ideal for short sharp blasts. However the rear brake squeals like a banshee.

It’s an IS mount frame, with a post mount adaptor and SLX calliper. I have a really old IS Hope mini brake that will fit that I think will get rid of the squealing as it will allow removal of the adaptor and make a more rigid brake mounting - plus will allow me to use a 140mm rotor.
The trouble then is that the front brake is post mount and I’ll leave the SLX on. So SLX front and Hope rear, which will do my nut.

Is this acceptable to the masses? Will it look like a parts bin bike?

Or do I need to hold out for a post mount Hope mini from the early 2000’s?

[GregMay]

Once the difference in brake feel is ok for YOU - who gives a poop?

Its a bike to rag around on and enjoy - do it.

[ScotRoutes]

Never!

[slarge]

Oh come on, 2 replies and 2 opposite opinions. Can we have some consistency please?

[Bearlegged]

Will it look like a parts bin bike?

Is this a trick question?

My really old Stumpjumper is my singlespeed...

[redefined_cycles]

Nah... Don't do it Steve... It's gonna make you sad each time you press thw lever. Take the squaeling

[fatbikephil]

I think I might have a hope mini pm somewhere

[ledburner]

Oh come on, 2 replies and 2 opposite opinions. Can we have some consistency please?

just try it, the see if you like it, what have you got to loose, half an hour on the tools?
If your having a blast you won't notice it!
You said you won't be out all day on it
spend the saved cash on a treat. beer!

or what ever float your boat

[redefined_cycles]

I think I might have a hope mini pm somewhere

Phew

[jay91]

Just do it . I've got odd wheels on the SS there even different colours

[Bearbonesnorm]

Will it look like a parts bin bike?

It is. Accept and embrace.

[ton]

my tourer has a deore rear and a slx front. it is fine.

[Lazarus]

Personally I would do it it's not like you look at the bike when riding it so why care ?
Many folk mismatch tyres...but that one is ok it's just fashion/ trend/conformity making you ask.

[RIP]

I reckon go further than accepting it, positively revel in it - mix n match as many parts as you can: brakes, tyres, grips, pedals, shifters. You'll get some interesting conversations out of it.

[benp1]

Only geeks like us would notice any difference

I'm thinking of putting a hydro front brake (need to find one first though) instead of the BB7 on the front of the Big Dummy. But leave the BB7 on the back because don't need as much power there and the cable would have to be about a mile long. No one is going to notice that

[faustus]

Do it, no brainer. Saves money, reuses perfectly reusable parts. Your fingers will adjust to any difference in feel. Happily used mismatched brakes for ages, mainly because I'm happy to just use what I have especially if it's good enough. Also happily ran my first mtb disc front and v-brake rear

[lune ranger]

Had a CX with a disk front and rear v-brake for years. No bother

[thenorthwind]

You appear to have asked a question about brakes, but you've actually asked us to determine the very nature of your personality: are you classical thinker, valuing function over form, or vice versa, a romantic

I reckon go further than accepting it, positively revel in it - mix n match as many parts as you can: brakes, tyres, grips, pedals, shifters. You'll get some interesting conversations out of it.

I think Reg has it though. One mis-matched brake is ugly to most of us, but a whole bike of completely mis-matched parts: cool. Perversely, that would be the epitome of romantic thinking.

[padonbike]

I recently snapped the steel forks, (at the top of the front hub drop out, fortunately while going up hill. Managed to limp the 10km back home very slowly), on my trusty road single speed. Replacement 1 1/8 steel forks are relatively cheap on santafixie, but the basic info that they DON'T provide is dire - be nice to know brake reach, steerer tube length, height of fork from crown to axle etc.
When the forks finally arrived, the steerer tube was about 60mm shorter than before, but "slammed" is cool right?
And ... the brake reach was short reach, whereas existing rear brake is long reach. The cheapest dual pivot brakes on ebay were black so I have a short reach black brake on the front and a long reach silver brake on the rear.
To be honest, it took the best part of a month to get the parts and get riding on it again so I'm just pleased to be using it, rather than distressed by the mis-match. However, I won't be able to fit a mudguard to the front wheel in winter ..

[Alpinum]

My really old Stumpjumper is my singlespeed that’s great fun, super light and ideal for short sharp blasts. However the rear brake squeals like a banshee.

I must be missing something...
Checked the alignment of the caliper/rotor?
Checked the pads for glazing? Did they get too hot? Is the rotor too small?
Tried different rotor/pads?

If I can answer all of above with yes, only then I'll be looking into different calipers.
And certainly wouldn't give a sh*t if they were "not matching", as long as the calipers work well with the lever.

[redefined_cycles]

Had a CX with a disk front and rear v-brake for years. No bother

That's different... and if it had been disc up back and v front then that would have induced the puking gnome I think

[slarge]

Thanks all, looks like I need to take a deep breath, change the rear brake to my old Hope Mini, and celebrate the braking diversity. Some of the mix and match suffered by some of you would make me cringe - I'll have to point fingers and snigger when I see your bikes next!

Alpinum - this has been going on for a long time - I've changed brake calipers, discs, aligned it all, changed pads, aligned it all again. The whole setup looks flexible today - IS frame, adaptor, PM caliper - and the type of vibration can be felt through the whole frame, so I think it's being set off by the flexibility in the mounting system.

So I'm going back to basics and something that worked on (my other Stumpjumper FSR) another bike many moons ago.

Phil,
if you do have a Hope Mini (black) with PM in your parts bin I'll happily take it off your hands. I might be able to make a matching set of Hopes front and back then..

[Alpinum]

I've changed brake calipers, discs, aligned it all, changed pads, aligned it all again. The whole setup looks flexible today - IS frame, adaptor, PM caliper - and the type of vibration can be felt through the whole frame, so I think it's being set off by the flexibility in the mounting system

Yeah, not much left to do in that case.

Hope it goes away with the planned changes.

Had a similar issue on my first fatbike. A lightweight ti frame and IS2000 mounts.

[slarge]

You appear to have asked a question about brakes, but you've actually asked us to determine the very nature of your personality: are you classical thinker, valuing function over form, or vice versa, a romantic

I reckon go further than accepting it, positively revel in it - mix n match as many parts as you can: brakes, tyres, grips, pedals, shifters. You'll get some interesting conversations out of it.

I think Reg has it though. One mis-matched brake is ugly to most of us, but a whole bike of completely mis-matched parts: cool. Perversely, that would be the epitome of romantic thinking.

You may have nailed it - am I a romantic (mrs says no) or classical thinker(mmhhh). Maybe I’m a classical thinker yearning to be a bit more punk in my outlook. Let me change the brakes, and see if my head explodes - that will sort it

[thenorthwind]

You may have nailed it - am I a romantic (mrs says no) or classical thinker(mmhhh). Maybe I’m a classical thinker yearning to be a bit more punk in my outlook. Let me change the brakes, and see if my head explodes - that will sort it

Careful, it's a slippery slope... One moment you're mixing brakes, and the next thing you know you're tattooing an anarchy symbol on your own forehead with a safety pin