Bontrager Speed Limit

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Trek '08 2 Series Frame
Sram Rival group
Ksyrium Equip wheels

Summary:
Bought these off a fellow bike-shop employee, as part of his Rival groupset (so I'm using them with Rival brake levers). They are a fantastic brake, very powerful for a single pivot brake, with good modulation and a nice feel with my Sram levers. If your not going to be setting up or adjusting your brakes, and instead will be having a mechanic do it, then these brakes are fantastic, however, if your going to be doing that work, then I hope you have a lot of time on your hands. THe initial install took around an hour, as the routing for the cables is, sorry but I can't think of another word, retarded, and the adjustments took around that time again, because the centering adjustment is ridiculously fine, with the slightest movement completely throwing it off. I've had to adjust it a couple more times (mainly because I get it functional and then go), but those have been not nearly as bad.

Strengths:
Light, strong for a single-pivot brake, decent aesthetics

Weaknesses:
Pain to install and adjust

Price Paid:  $75.00 at ebay

Favorite Ride:
commute to work

Bike Setup:
Unlike some of the other reviews I found these super easy to set-up and adjust. Quickest installation I've ever done. I think the trick is to really crank the anchor bolt while keeping things relatively centered. The huge 6mm allen head bolt to center the brakes is way easier to use than the tiny 2mm's on other dual pivot brakes.

Summary:
These brakes are pretty cool... same stopping power as others brakes I've used and they weight less. The quick release and centering adjustment is pretty trick.

Strengths:
Easy to adjust, power, weight, quick release

Weaknesses:
hard to find

Similar Products Used:
Shimano, Campy and Cane Creek

Price Paid:  $110.00 at Craigslist

Favorite Ride:
Anything up and then down

Bike Setup:
Specialized Tarmac, Full DA, Cane Creek wheels...

Summary:
I found these on Craigslist and the price was right so I gave 'em a shot and have been impressed with them on some challenging descents in the mts. They have excellent power - noticeably more than my old Dura Ace 7700s... I used to be able to see the arms on the DA calipers flex - not these.

These are strong, light and very solid feeling brakes. They do their job and seem to be solid value for the price (retail is like $200 I think and comparably light brakes sell for twice that!)

Strengths:
Strong stoppers, plenty of power, good modulation when set up correctly (see below...), nice pads (they may ear fast as they seem soft but that remains to be seen).

Weaknesses:
Set-up is different than most others and can be a bit more time consuming that other brakes of you're not used to them, but not that big a deal. They needed some adjustment after a little use to get "re-dialed" in and we'll see if that's typical or just a break in thing. The pads feel soft and certainly stop well - but I suspect they'll wear fast.

Similar Products Used:
DA, Ultegra...

Price Paid:  $150.00 at Ebay

Favorite Ride:
Anything with the Rukus

Bike Setup:
2005 Fuji Team SL frame, Reynolds Solitude wheels, Sram Force Grouppo, Ritchey WCS controls and fork. Thomson Masterpiece and Toupe Gel Saddle.

Summary:
Bought these when I decided to re-do my Fuji Team SL. Did a comparo between Shimano, Sram and these. These were the lightest of the bunch and the cheapest. They work very well for me. I'm a 200lb rider and have no issues at all. Set-up sucked, I almost pulled them off. But stuck with them and I'm very satisfied.

Strengths:
Light, strong, and no every rider out there has them.

Weaknesses:
Set-up SUCKS. Other than that, they're solid.

Similar Products Used:
Shimano Ultegras, Zero Gs

Price Paid:  $160.00 at RBM

Favorite Ride:
Litespeed Vortex

Bike Setup:
Litespeed Vortex Compact, Campy Record, Dura Ace crank, Thompson and my new Garmin 705...now that's cool.

Summary:
Overall, I'd say they are a good, strong brakeset. These use a cam assembly to increase leverage so they will be different from dual pivots. But that's what you get when you go light. I got rid of my Zero G's b/c of zero b/c of the flimsy arms. I'd say this is a big improvement over stock Zero G's, the Neg G's may be better/beefier but for the money...no way. Centering is not a problem since it's 1 allen wrench and they stayed put on my bike, very easy install & adjust. The pads are a little on the sticky side but it could be some road grime. Pad adjustment is easy enough but I'd prefer a bigger dome on the pad holder to angle the pad. In the old days we just bent the arms but not a good idea here.

Strengths:
Lightweight and more than adequate stopping power. Not DA or Record but not heavy either. Cost is low compared to others. Bontrager stuff is great quality. Super beefy arms, very little flex. Very simple QR mechanism. Nice looking and rare find.

Weaknesses:
3 different size allen wrenches to use on one break. I've got a pet peeve about crap like that. Use 1 wrench size and put adaptors where they need to be shrunk down etc. I got the same pet peeve on derailleurs...they can make a clamp bolt allen but adjusting screws phillips...why? I replaced all mine with allen. The entire brake can slide on the center bolt...make sure that's adjusted first and not moving much.

Similar Products Used:
Everything...I've had EVERYTHING...