SRAM Guide R problems

[Cankicker]

Off a 2016 mtb. The rears are binding. This left me stranded at the weekend, having to walk the bike home. By the time I got back, they'd freed off sufficiently for me to ride it but on reflection, I don't think they've ever been quite right. The lever has practically no travel from off to full on. The adjuster is really hard to turn & a bit of reading suggests they're not Sram's finest hour.

No problem to repair or replace but if I do bin them, what are the alternatives? On my other bike, I have a set of cheapy Deore that have been faultless for years, if a bit binary. Any reason I couldn't just do that if I decided that was sufficient for my waning & weren't all that in the first place trail skills?

[Powerkiter]

I also have SRAM Guide RS brakes on my 2016 Orange 5. The bike hasn't been used massively over the last few years, although noticed 6 months ago that the front started to stick. Then on a bike ride with my kids last week, stopped at a pub for some lunch in the sun and the rears also seized. I understand this is a common problem with SRAM Guide RS brakes, particularly during warm weather, when the spring isn't strong enough to push the plastic piston (which expands when it gets warm) back to the original position.

Going to book my bike into the LBS.

[Maxf]

Bought a secondhand 'lightly used' bike with these on at the weekend - the fronts completely seized in the sun as I was setting the bike up! Of course, researching the brakes lead me to 1018392 threads about this issue, which I obviously hadn't seen when choosing it.

There is a fix apparently, where you sand off a very small amount of plastic from the piston in the lever... not really what I'd planned on having to do!

[Cankicker]

Right, thanks chaps, seems a common-ish thing. Do we know if they ever revised them to fix this?

[Powerkiter]

There is a lot of people on bike forums saying they can be repaired under warranty. However, I think my 2016 ones must be out of warranty now.

I spoke to my LBS and they said the warranty process can be a right pain and I could be without the bike for 2/3 weeks.

[The_Jackal]

Same with mine.
Started off with the lever being slow to return, then seizing altogether. Even changed the fluid, thinking it was that.
On the front brake, even the pin that pushes the piston slipped off its position and jammed the piston in.
While they worked they were fantastic brakes, especially being 4 pot, but I don't think quality and precision are their strong point.
Probably going to buy some Deore's for £100 just to get on the road/track again.

[Maxf]

Newb question, but is it possible to just replace the levers with a different brand, or do you generally need new levers and calipers at the same time/brand?

Edited by Maxf on Tuesday 4th June 11:09

[Cankicker]

I'm open to correction but AIUI, Sram use couplings called thing-a-ma-jigs & stealth a ma jigs that preclude mix & matching parts.

[PaulD86]

I have Guide RS brake on my Orange Alpine 6. I took it a ride on a hot day which ended in a very long descent. All good. Next time I go to use it the brakes bound on and the levers were actually going to the bar and you had to pull them out (so essentially working in reverse). Sent the levers (and calipers, although original calipers were returned) to the retailer I bought the bike from 18 months prior. They sent to SRAM who sent me new levers. I think the new ones are a slightly different design. Fitted those and they have been miles better! Less dead lever and they fell more powerful.

Also to add, the SRAM video makes the bleed procedure for Guide brakes miles more complicated than it actually is. I followed it to the letter a few times then got impatient and used a method which seemed more logical to me and I managed to get far less dead lever than I ever could the SRAM way.

[vrooom]

guides can be really good brakes if you bleed them out and change the pads to sinstered ones. they are bugger to bleed but once they done. fanastic brakes.

[PaulD86]

vrooom said:

guides can be really good brakes if you bleed them out and change the pads to sinstered ones. they are bugger to bleed but once they done. fanastic brakes.

Agree re the pads. To bleed I find simply putting a syringe of fluid on the caliper and the level and going back and forth between the two (mix of pushing one and pulling the other), then clamp the syringe at the caliper, pump the brake lever a few times, pull the syringe at the lever to haul the air out, open the clamp at the caliper, back and forth a couple of times with the syringes and you're done. Takes a few mins and I get way less dead lever than using the method in the SRAM video which is massively unnecessarily complicated IMHO.

[Cankicker]

I must agree they're far better brakes than my Deore. Do we think changing the lever for a new one might do the trick?

[deadtom]

In my experience the only way to permanently solve the issues that come with SRAM (nee Avid) is to remove them from the bike entirely, and throw them in the bin.

Then buy Shimano brakes*

• This information is an accurate reflection of the market up until about 2017, maybe the situation has changed since then

[dogbucket]

Had the same on my mine which is that the white nylon piston in the lever swells up in warmer conditions and binds. I removed and sanded about a tenth of a mm off the diameter at the pinch points and reassembled with some Avid DOT grease.

You can buy third party Chinese replacement pistons off ebay which I did but haven't had to fit them yet as the originals are still working fine a year later.

I believe SRAM changed the design of the piston and now also supply a revised part.

You need some internal circlip pilers with fairly small 'pins', I got a cheap set and ground the diameter of the pins down a bit.

Edited by dogbucket on Thursday 6th June 12:51

[bmwmike]

+1 for shimano

I currently have magura mt5 and they are powerful but very temperamental. I've finally got them working nicely, but wouldn't have them again.

[Court_S]

deadtom said:

In my experience the only way to permanently solve the issues that come with SRAM (nee Avid) is to remove them from the bike entirely, and throw them in the bin.

Then buy Shimano brakes*

• This information is an accurate reflection of the market up until about 2017, maybe the situation has changed since then

Not based on my recent experience. My XTR Trails were an absolute pain in the bum with a constantly moving bite point, normally at the worst possible times. The Zees on my DH bike were a bit poo too and my mate has constant issues with his.

Whereas both pairs of my Guide RSC’s have been faultless for three years needing nothing other than pads.

[Maxf]

Ive ordered a new Guide RS front to replace the sticky one (which again stuck at the weekend in the slightest sun!) - I was going to go for XTs, but that meant messing around with adapters for the shifters. 2017 onwards are supposed to be sorted, but regardless I'll get a new warranty with the new brake and by the time that runs out it's probably new bike time!

It seems to be that the slightest solar heat swells the plunger, so I did wonder about cutting some reflective tape to cover the lever.... a bit ghetto but could work.

[deadtom]

Court_S said:

Not based on my recent experience. My XTR Trails were an absolute pain in the bum with a constantly moving bite point, normally at the worst possible times. The Zees on my DH bike were a bit poo too and my mate has constant issues with his.

Whereas both pairs of my Guide RSC’s have been faultless for three years needing nothing other than pads.

aye, Shimano are not perfect and their more expensive items can be fussy. I am surprised by the Zee brakes playing up though, I've had numerous sets and they've been faultless. SLX/Zee have always been the sweet spot for me.

For all of my complaining about SRAvid brakes, the next set of brakes I buy may well be Guides as they look really good and the performance is meant to be excellent. Also. now that I no longer work at a bike shop it's no longer my job to sort them when they break, I can just hand them over to someone else and ruin their afternoon instead

[BOR]

Thanks everyone, particularly Dogbucket. My rear Guide Ultimate has been dragging for a few weeks now so was good to hear what the problem was.

dogbucket said:

Had the same on my mine which is that the white nylon piston in the lever swells up in warmer conditions and binds. I removed and sanded about a tenth of a mm off the diameter at the pinch points and reassembled with some Avid DOT grease.

You can buy third party Chinese replacement pistons off ebay which I did but haven't had to fit them yet as the originals are still working fine a year later.

I've ordered the chinese pistons, but they still haven't arrived, so decided to repair the nylon ones as many people have done.

The biggest problem was that I couldn't remove the piston from the bore. Eventually I hooked up a bleed syringe to the bleed port, and applied some hydraulic pressure, while tapping the lever body.

Still no movement.

More pressure. Still no movement.

More pressure, still n ... aaargh as the piston came out like a bullet and hit me in the chest followed by a DOT 5.1 shower.

One of the diameters was slightly larger than the other, although no visible signs of binding. I filed both diameters down about 0,1mm, applied the grease and re-assembled.

The binding was gone, and the brake lever itself was snapping back into position, instead of flopping in a dead-zone.

I still might fit the metal pistons if they ever turn up, because I suspect the plastic is swelling up over time due to the effects of brake fluid on the material.

Anyway, thanks again.