Avid Centerline 180mm

Discussion in 'Rotors' started by Mikie, Oct 4, 2017.


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  1. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    First Impression: These are Junk:thumbsdown:
    Avid.Centerline 180mm.jpg

    After 3 rides (Granted, pretty brake burning events on OEM Metallic Brakes) these brake rotors are unraveling. They make this horrid wallowing slobbering noise that is pretty much indescribable. I have the confirmation of a fellow imtbtrailer that I need to immediately change them both out front and rear and the problem will go away, and I will most likely like Guide Brakes.

    I hope so as these are a real disappointment and came OEM on my 2018 Santa Cruz Hightower. At this point I can honestly suggest not using them.

    Your Mileage May Vary...
     
    Faust29, mike, Cyclotourist and 7 others like this.
  2. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    In the end, you may not like the SRAM brakes more than your Shimanos. But with those Lucifer rotors, there's no way to really tell... Throw on some cheapish Shimanos and give them another try.

    After swapping the rotors, I really appreciate the Levels (XC version of SRAM brakes) and would not want to go back full time to the Deores I have on the other bike. There is simply more stopping power...
     
    Cyclotourist, Danmtchl and Mikie like this.
  3. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    Ditch the metallic pads.....and yes, SRAM still does not know how to make a rotor that doesn't squeal/shimmy.
     
  4. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Ditto. I've had three bikes with SRAM brakes and every one of them started making that dreaded sound within a few rides. A switch to resin pads cured the noise. They all ultimately failed though and were replaced with Shimano XTs.
     
  5. Cornholio

    Cornholio iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    B
    Current Bike:
    Huffy
    Do you guys run resin pads on other rotors, such as XT ICE, that don’t have the death gobblewobble? I’ve always used metallic and never felt like braking is lacking but maybe I’m missing out on even better braking with resin. I run XTR race with metallic finned pads.
     
  6. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Resin is quieter but doesnt last as long.
     
    Luis, Cornholio, DangerDirtyD and 7 others like this.
  7. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    I’m not fond of metallic. They eat rotors faster and... on XT Ice Tech (my most favorite brakes in the southern universe), I find less brake modulation with metallic (more all on or off braking) so I use Resin on the Ice Tech Rotors.

    To be honest, the Guides do have a nice gradual brake increase which is kinda nice, but the warble these rotors put out sounds like gravel flung constantly at the brake system echoing like a cheap symbol in a empty metal warehouse has got to go!
     
    Luis, Cornholio, DangerDirtyD and 4 others like this.
  8. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Zzzzactly
     
  9. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    Yup....I'd rather run the Resin/Organic pads and replace them in shorter cycles...pads are cheaper than rotors.

    I have X.0 Trails on the TB.....I don't like the way they feel at the lever, but I can't deny the overall amount of power the 4 piston calipers have.
     
  10. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Not what I want to hear, Ed! I'm hoping that their quality control has gotten better with the new Level/Guide product lines. I really want to like them...
     
    Mikie, Danmtchl, UPSed and 4 others like this.
  11. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    So Shimano rotors fit fine for SRAM brakes? I thought the thickness was different.
     
    Danmtchl, Mikie and DangerDirtyD like this.
  12. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower

    Yes, they work just fine.
     
    TwoWheel Eric, Faust29, Mikie and 3 others like this.
  13. Cornholio

    Cornholio iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    B
    Current Bike:
    Huffy
    Hmmm, my metallic pads have hardly ever squeaked other than when getting wet and that’s usually just a short while. I should probably measure my rotors too, I’ve been running with the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” attitude with my brakes but also don’t want to have that bite me out on the trail.

    Dammit, now I’m gonna go buy stuff. Already spent $25 this week on a little k-edge stem cap mount.
     
  14. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Mine were all Elixirs. I don't believe their newer brakes are as prone to failure though still plenty of reports of the turkey warble. My buddy Dennis has Guides on his bike and has had no problems in 2 years. Of course he doesn't use his brakes much. :gag:
     
  15. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    K-Edge makes way cool stuff! I wish I owned that company...:(
     
  16. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    TURKEY WARBLE! That is an excellent description of that hideous sound!
     
  17. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    I have been unfortunate enough to run Juicy 3, 5 ,7, Code and Ultimate. All suffered from some type of mechanical woes compounded with the ever present "turkey warble".
    After a love affair with Magura that ended ugly with some wonky MT-8s, I went Shimano.
    XT 785, JO2A resin pads, and Magura rotors 180F/160R-quieter than a shoe cam shutter in a library!
     
    herzalot, Mikie, Cyclotourist and 7 others like this.
  18. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    It's more than a noise. I swear I could feel it in my fillings when it happened. It vibrated the whole bike!
    And it's now gone since I've switched to the 66 rotors from Shimano...

    Edit: I've also been playing with metallic vs. resin... Not sure which I prefer yet. I will say that the Deores on the Highball are a lot less finicky, but I like the extra stopping power enough that I'm willing to experiment and figure out what works best.
     
    Cyclotourist, kioti, Mikie and 2 others like this.
  19. scottay

    scottay Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Gods Country
    Name:
    Scottay
    Upskirts FTW!
    .
    .
     
    DangerDirtyD, Mikie and rossage like this.
  20. scottay

    scottay Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Gods Country
    Name:
    Scottay
    Run metal on the right, resin on the left.....
     
    Mikie likes this.
  21. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    I got them as OE on the Smash.

    How to make Shimano brakes not awesome: Use SRAM rotors. :unsure:
     
  22. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    We had a guy come in and had us bleed his brakes and he had used this hack. The other mech had never heard of this technique and "fixed" it for him.
     
    mike and Mikie like this.
  23. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Is SRAM giving these things to the bike builders hoping they'll catch on? They are junk!
     
  24. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Nostalgia inducing, though. They sometimes produce a ping sound that reminds me of the spoke protector on a Schwinn Varsity. o_O
     
  25. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    My theory, based on minutes of internet searching on wikipedia, is that manufacturers know that the product is not up to actual, real-world use by dedicated mtbers. We all know that a large percentage of bikes end up being ridden a few times and then they are relegated to a sunny spot in the backyard, or a hook in the garage. The noise is brushed off at first by desperate bike techs as "it needs to be broken in..." Most customers are only going to bring that pos into the shop once or twice before they decide it is much easier to watch Survivor than to be one.
    I have warranteed more SRAM brakes than all the other brands combined-and the replacements tend to be just as bad.
    Won't buy their products, won't recommend their products.

    I did send a brand new pair of Juicy Ultimates to my brother-in-law in China and a few weeks later he asked in an email how to stop the noise!
     
  26. Luis

    Luis iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Sylmar
    Name:
    Luis
    Current Bike:
    La Diabla
    Thanks, now I gotta wipe the coffee off my computer monitor :laugh::coffee:
     
  27. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Laughing out loud in my very quiet office...
     
  28. Makoto

    Makoto Member

    Location:
    Costa Mesa
    Name:
    Mike
    Although @Mikie mainly posted about SRAM Centerline rotors, it appears as though this thread has morphed a bit to include SRAM brakes. I feel compelled to share my experience in case it helps out another rider. I have had Guide RSC brakes and Centerline rotors since picking up my bike from @AKAKTM back in the Spring of '16. Unfortunately, I have had front and rear brakes replaced under warranty for the sticky lever issue and just had my front brake replaced under warranty because of sticky pistons. When they work, I enjoy the lever feel, modulation and power. However, this is the last set of SRAM brakes I will ever use. Reliability is king for me. I will be going back to Hope brakes if/when these current set fails me.
     
    herzalot, Faust29, Mikie and 3 others like this.
  29. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    Welcome, my friend, to the Derailment.
     
    Faust29, Mikie, Cornholio and 2 others like this.
  30. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Agree here. They work great when they work. Brakes are just something I'm not willing to take a chance with.
     
    rossage, Faust29, Mikie and 3 others like this.


As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?