Phatmike

Sounds like you might be better off getting some new calipers! They're not that much new, and there's plenty around here in FS/Wanted. It's a shame those cylinders aren't designed to last forever...

The chamfered edge will reduce the noise of the brake, but they do increase the power. The pads will have a different appearance from cut ones as they've got a higher quality surface finish, though this doesn't mean they're actually a different colour. Have you used the pads 1st hand, Jake? As I said before - the phat compound is the same, and still works!

Do post back how you get on! It should work, but say if not and we'll try and get it sorted.

Hey guys. I'm requesting you to post up pictures of your (rim) brake set up. I'd like a variety of pictures, from a variety of set ups - if you've got a grind, smooth, magura, vee, booster or not, etc etc; I want to see them! Thanks for your help, Mike.

WD40 will be fine Ash, Use that and a toothbrush to thoroughly clean the pistons in the lever and calipers, then apply some thick, wet lube (ooh er!), or some grease to the pistons to ensure they're nice and smooth.

True that. As setups vary so much it's always hard to put one thing against another, though is it possible to argue that metal backings don't make for a more powerful brake? (At least in theory?)

Heheh, Yeah - I definitely run a booster. I agree without a booster they can perform with more bite and less hold. TGS riders have found this set-up works really well for them. (And also on smooth rims 'with a bit of tar') For max hold (and no annoying noise), they should be on a grind, set up straight (as ever!), with a stiff brake (frame and or booster), and ideally a long lever blade too. This will provide the best hold, and the most reliable brake. We also have many, many riders using the pads on decent grinds, and a relatively flexy brake that still get great hold (and I'm sure they'd be happy to comment on this regard!).

Ok, cool. Did the pads look like they'd completely bedded in? The pads will be quieter as the chamfers help reduce vibrations (this is a good thing!), and all I can put the hold down to is them not being bedded in 100% square to the rim.

How long did you ride them for Ryan?

Jake, the compound hasn't been changed in the slightest. I was slightly concerned when designing the mold tool and going for this option that the compound could be different, but after testing the material, and using it first hand, I was so glad to know that I'm riding the same great PHATPAD material, and getting the same, incredible performance!

Been running mine for a few days now and it seems positive! There's been the odd clang as it's skipped when setting up, but so far it's not produced a skip whilst under any load.

Good shout mate, good luck getting your brake sorted.

Looks like there's some clearing up to do here Phatworks have never changed the compound of our PHATPAD material. I've been using it for well over 4 years in pretty much every condition imaginable, and it has always delivered a consistantly reliable brake! This goes for the new, moulded pads too - the same old great material, but to a new, higher standard of quality. Interesting, Ali, how you've found they've had bite but not quite the hold you'd like on your set ups. I love how my phat setup works - really quiet, a nice swoosh, but the performance and hold I've grown to gives me so much confidence in my brake to do moves most people often wouldn't even look at! They also work far better in the wet than anything else I've ever seen - even soaking with rain and mud and the performance barely drops a notch. All I can do is urge you to give them a go for yourselves! I'm sure you'll be happy with them, as are the hundreds of riders that have used, and use them all over. Mike

CNC backings will be a massive help, plastic backings should be confined to the rubbish bin! They're only £20 on the site, and your pads will go right in. A fresh grind should be your next port of call, and then a booster if you've got much flex going on.

I've not looked at the tnn pads as they use a completely non-standard pad fit, so can't answer that directly. However, looking on the spec sheet for the tnns, it seems they're an 8mm pad recess width, whereas ours (and the standard) is 7mm, so without a lot of Araldite, they're not gonna fit.

Before you worry about a *great* set of vee calipers/lever, make sure your set up will be spot on.. Decent mounts, a booster and not to mention great pads will have much more of an effect of say avid ultimate arms over Shimano Deores.

Yeah, envisage in your head the whole line from start to finish. The more you do it, the more you'll actually feel the move (and you start waving your arms and body around looking like a loon..). If you're trying a move you've not done before, or find hard, it's an especially great technique to use, as you can imagine what position your body needs to be in at various points throughout the move. I find this technique more important for hard or technical tricks - if I'm going all-out on a big move, then it's the mental aspect of being 'in control' which is the biggest aid. Whenever I feel any fear, I stop, realise why the fear is there (height, danger, dangerous bike parts etc!), and deal with what may cause the fear first (eg check my bike over and check the line, minimizing any possibility of failure). Then, if the fear is still there, I choose to not let the fear (a body-consuming emotion) take over me, but rise above it and distance myself. Kind of like having your head inside a beach ball, vs having it in your hands to hold or throw away!

I can't stress the importance of practicing your imagination! When you're learning moves such as drops, you might be unsure of whether you'll even land it or not, this uncertainty can bring either fear, or a rush! If it's fear (or too big of a rush!), then this is where visualisation comes in. Without it just sounding like a buzz-word, visualisation boosts your confidence of nailing it from an 'encouraged' (or cocky?) certainty of what's to happen next. If you can picture, or even imagine what will happen, then that'll bring on the certainty and the drive to go ahead and do it. (And well, too!) I consider fear and confidence the things that I've focused on in my riding more than anything else, feel free to ask any Q's.

Just thought I'd highlight this point again. If a brake's spongey, it's not because of the fluid! (Unless it has air bubbles in it - one of the issues with using tap water..) Using water does work well, and its lower viscosity makes a huge difference in the feel of your brake. However, aside from potential air bubles (it's worth boiling the water first), it also does show to corrode the Aluminium inside your brake. This can be seen from that nasty grey greasy substance that appears around the seals. We've been prototyping a trials-specific brake fluid for a couple of years and has been in testing since then. There's one brake still going from an original bleed with phat phluid 18 months ago, having been ridden regularly and never even topped up. It still feels as great as it did when it was first bled! PHATPHLUID will be on sale next month.

Cheers Dan. We've identified the nav-bar issue in Safari and Chrome, although I'm not sure about having to scroll horizontally.. are you running 800*600? Could you grab a screenshot, please?

I've just had a first ride on mine, so I'll try and update and give my verdict as I go on. It's skipped a few times especially when it was first on, but I've given a bit of a wizz and it seems to be behaving better. These pesky bike components need to learn to respect their riders if we're gonna build up a rapport with them! (The same goes in reverse too - treat your stuff right!)

Exactly the comment I came to make; the whole thing seems really good! I was very thankful for the removable alu sleeves negating the need for a crazy BB tool. I'm looking forward to my 1st ride on the Trialtech freewheel - Been a Chris King/Hope man for as long as I can remember, so it'll be an interesting change. Crackin' stuff Dave.

Yeh why not. Hook Woods on Sunday?

Norwegians love PHATPADS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq5ikcOQ0pc Why do you want noises, Flip? A perfect brake should be silent. Noise doesn't inspire a decent brake, a decent brake does!

Josh, the Phluid is a deionised water blend of a 5xx series corrosion inhibitor, and a cycroprotectant for cold weather performance. It's gonna be needed now it's getting cold! The chamfers help stop any 'ripping motion' that the sharp (90 degree) end of the pad usually causes. This means the pads wear flatter, so you get a stiffer, more powerful brake for much longer - as you get even wear throughout the pad's life.