SHIMANO IceTech vs SRAM Centreline Rotors

shram rotors

You should try the Galfer pads and rotors, made a night/day difference for my Code setup. Great vid also 👍🏻

Running the same setup - code Rs and icetechs (admittedly did it for aesthetic purposes)... Loving it. I usually use brake cleaner after washing the bike - nothing but consistency. Can't stand the floating bite point on the Shimano brakes that I've run.

Interesting - Been running Guides & IceTechs on my sons Hardtail, and couldn't really notice much in it Vs my old bike (Guides & Centrelines).

Threw a 200 on the rear of the Slash, OMG so much better than the 180 with the stock Code Metal Pads.
Always found the rear needed more input to get the same response/grab/bite as the front.
Now they much more feel balanced.

Keep up the great vids!

What about cooling properties, did you notice something?

Good thoughts and vid mate. I had the Code R's with the same centrelines and went Icetech 203mm Rotors like you have front and rear and it was a HUGE difference. I also put on the 8100-XT Brakes and Less fade, more control, more feel, seems easier to maintain and clean also. I am pretty fastidious with my rig being clean (being a Detailer). I am really happy with my Icetech and XT Combo. And yes, being a bigger guy it helps that bit more also.

I like the technology in shimano rotors, the aluminum core absorbs heat away from the steel outer. Steel holds heat much more than alloy, Every time I wash my bike with wax I loose braking power and have to bed the brakes back in, but ive started to find its no so much the wax, but more the fact im washing the brake dust off, because if I wipe my rotor down with metho spirits without washing my bike I loose braking power as well until the brake dust gets back on the rotor. Anyway lately I leave my bike dirty for a few rides so I know I have consistent brakes

Mate, next test in this line-up me thinks is a 220mm Centreline. Been running them now on the Code R for a couple months, brilliant. Best brake set-up ive ridden yet.
Code R with f220/r220
I think my next trial is to drop the organics for semi pads.

Just tried 203 rotors icetech on my codes RSc(had to put a 1 mm spacers on the adapter thought) and MTX pads red lablel.... just bed in those yesterday.... looking forward to really try these ceramic pads !!

Check out the MTX Braking Red Label Race pads for the Sram codes if you're wanting to try something different. Been running them with the standard avid centerline rotors for about 3 months now and like them alot. MTX and Fanatik Bike sell them.

Took me ages to get sram brakes acceptable. Key steps were to ‘exercise’ the pistons and pressurise the calliper with the bleed syringe. You can fix contaminated pads with a blow torch. Put the pads in a vice and gently run a blow torch flame over them. I use a gas soldering iron blow torch attachment. The contamination burns off and the pads are like new

Rotors glaze. Im not a fan of my codes looking to upgrade just the rear lever to an rsc. If no joy im going back to caliper brakes

Ice techs warp

It'd be a better comparison to try the centreline vs sram floating brake rotors I forgot what they're called

I have the XT Brakes with the SRAM centerline's. From what I can gather the Icetech wouldn't be a worthy upgrade. Now I hear the icetech could/would distribute/dissipate heat better over long downhill runs. What's your thoughts?

by the way, of the entire internet; your video's are some of the most helpful. Keep the great video's coming.

Was going to buy the shimano xt 8120 until i read the new slx m7120 are the same brakes but built in diff materials weighing 60grams more. Went for the slx and save abt usd 50 bucks for beers. The slx doesnt hv the pad contact adjuster tht the xt has but my past experience with shimano"s contact adjusters are tht they are pretty useless.

Hey im sure this' has already been said but you should have put Magura's Storm HC rotors on there.. I did that with my RSC's and switched to Galfer performance pads or Trickstuff pads Both combined with the thicker rotors boosted the RSC's outright power, at least that's what i felt. I have since changed over to the Shigura setup. And oh boy these brakes are fkn amazing! The outright power is scary but i didnt realize how much i prefer the shimano bite over the Code's bite. My hands are not as sore after a few dh laps as they used to be which is a big deal for me.
I definitely recommend trying these out.

Shimano= better thats the conclusion ! :)

I love my icetec rotors, like you said the bite is great! Being a clean freak and washing my
Bike so often I always find myself ruining pads! I’m running the mt5’s worth a try if you like brake modulation 👍🏼

i prefer shimano stuff. I much rather have a brake system that uses mineral oil than dot fluid. Both my bikes running Guide RE brakes will eventually have TRP or something else. I just wish shimano and trp would have bite adjustment like the code's do that actually work.

I’ve found the cut out on the shimano rotors clean the pads better than the sram rotors.

Love my XT on IceTech rotors on my Canyon Strive. Running a 203 rear too because I’m a draught horse, not a galloper. I suds my bike up with ArmourAll car wash pretty regularly and don’t really think it stuffs my pads. I ride it down the road wet and they just hook up.

Shimano, they wear out quick but they are great!

The icetech rotors are not about "stronger" braking right off the hop. They are about staying cooler over the course of a long downhill. Hence the name.

I struggled with pad contamination for the longest time, and now i just wash my bike with water. I just stopped giving a shit about having it look clean

If both rotors are not new and your pads are not new then you will get flawed results. Both pad and rotor must be new to get a true performance indicator

About getting something cheap... Your probably going to have to wait until supply catches up with this crazy market...

Hey guys im currently runnings sram 200mm centreline rotors but want to try shimano 203mm ice tech rotors do i need a new spacer /adapter for my caliper like a 23mm adapter???

I've had good bite with Hope tech flosting rotors, cools well, I've tried with Shimano j04c pads, trp semi metallic/red pads. Good bite with both. I probably don't need 180nresr and 203 front, but had to go 180 rear on new bike so reused the front rotors as rear on G1. But one of the 180 rotors has creaky rivets after years of use. I found the semi metallic trp pads to bite at least good as the j04c, but they don't crack, seems like gravel might be ruining the j04c pads eventually. 🤔

I am interested in Brakestuff rotors they have thicker rotor, a lot ofnsmaller venting holes, no spider.

I've seen videos with these two rotors sqeeking like a siren or screaming cats. I wonder if the venting holes have something to do with it. I don't get this with Hope floating rotors, but they have pretty good braking surface, vending hole design, but I am curious how much better Brakestuff rotors would be and if not having a alu spider would effect it or if they will actually be better than Hope floating rotors. 🤔

Watching here bro… nice

It seems to me that the centerline is thicker than the XT. It makes you feel like you're braking more, as the contact point is higher and has more material for heat dissipation. Also noticeable when you exchange an old disk for a new one of the same brand, even with the old pads. The brake improves considerably. I use the XT at the front. One day I borrowed a wheel and I had a centerline. It seemed to brake a lot better. My Disk was more used than his. So I believe that because the centerline is 2mm thick and the XT 1.8mm, the centerline has greater braking power. What do you think?
regards

Centreline rotors are superior to ice tech rotors in every way. I run centrelines and ice techs (guide and XT’s all on 203 rotors) and couldn’t under why I had more power with centrelines when swapping wheels but a German magazine did a test and centrelines have better stopping power out of all the rotors tested with ice techs being one of the worst when tested in a machine. Not only to they offer better braking but they last way longer. I’ve got centrelines from 2014 I still use where I never get more than 12 months out of ice techs which warp as soon as you get any heat into them and unlike centrelines you can’t bend them back. Ice techs look cooler though which is all that matters.

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Got the RSC and centrelines 180 /200.
Coming from BMX brakes, was amazed how hard MTB brakes go !
I’m pretty light so haven’t noticed fade from heat yet.
Maybe I’m not fast enough like you 5 star 😂🤘👑🔥

Which is better for XC rides?

From Shimano

Ice Technology Rotor:

Clad rotors as well as Clad Brake pads significantly reduce heat build-up in the brake system. This in turn reduces fading, which ensures consistent high performance even on long downhill stretches, It also results in a longer pad life and substantially quieter braking.


Note: Shimano has a graph showing that a Ice rotor has the same-to +5% initial braking force as a non-Ice rotor, and that the Ice technology helps maintains that braking force better over time. But really, they just look cooler, pun...

When I bought my SRAM Code R’s, SRAM instructions stated I need to use a “1” piece rotor, so that is why I use Avid G2 (basically Centerline) brakes and NOT the IceTech style…. 🇺🇸

Do you still use the ct18 for the bike? If not what now?

Hi. Nice video. Can you test the new SRAM HS2 rotor in comparison to the SRAM Centerline AND the Shimano XT rotor? The HS2 rotor is thicker than both of the rotors you tested in this video. Greetings...

nice bike!

Whatever you try, get away from Formula monolitic rotors(for Cura brakes)...At moderate braking, excellent braking power, but at stronger braking there is an unpleasant sound, as if rotor will fall apart..

very good pint good man, really appreciate your test

I run shimano deore brake metal pads with sram rotors hs2 awesome power u need mucoff brake cover help out with brake and mucoff wash no problems

I SAW THE LIGTWEIGHT ROTOR, CHEAP AND GOOD BUILD AT CHANNEL THE KARARANGGES

👍🤔will the sram centreline rotors run sintered pads, or organic only🤔?

did you felt any difference during long descents when you tried the XT rotors? (since it's advertised the IceTech helps them cool down faster)

rt76 for the win

Hello! Which rotor would you recommend for me with metallic pads? Which are the best?

Are they with Sram system compatible, or better Sram CLX or CLX -R buy?