I am considering buying Tri Rig Omega brakes for my Tri bike. I need feedback, please.
- What brake levers are you using?
- How is the stopping power (compared to Ultegra)?
I am considering buying Tri Rig Omega brakes for my Tri bike. I need feedback, please.
-
What brake levers are you using?
-
How is the stopping power (compared to Ultegra)?
-
the old style tiny vision crab claws
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good but not quite as good as a normal caliper
I was using Version 2 of the omega arms, version 3 which you would get if you ordered a new one has been beefed up, so might be a little better.
I should note that the levers used, as well as the rim surface and brake pad all conspire to have a significant effect on braking performance. The best levers I’ve personally tested so far are the Shimano BL-TT78 (alloy) and BL-TT79 (carbon) - the latter is the same lever integrated into all Di2 brake levers. These levers pull more cable than others, and therefore give you more effective power for the same amount of lever throw. The best rim/pad combo would be alloy rims with the included Kool Stop Salmon pads. For carbon rims, I recommend SwissStop Black Prince.
Not as good as Ultegra, but way better than most integrated brakes. I have Di2 levers with the Omega and find they have plenty of stopping power. Sadly, I’ve had to skid stop with them a couple of times due to idiots on the bike path. Brake pads make a big difference. My Enve pads suck, but the Swiss Stop I use with carbon clinchers have great power with the Omegas.
I used BL-TT78 levers (slight reach adjustment for my smaller hands, so not full lever travel) with an Omega front brake (verson 1) and opted to switch back to my Ultegra 6700 brake and deal with the minor drag penalty. Wheels were either Hed Belgium rims and the stock Kool Stop Salmon pads, or 404 Firecrests and Zipp’s cork pads. Braking wasn’t really up to snuff for me and other minor finickiness turned me off so I sold it.
A question, do you have a side view pic available of the cable housing support arm on your standard current model omega? Kind of like this (this is an sv):
The profile of the cable hanger on the Omega Standard hasn’t changed since its introduction. So the various pictures in the site are current.
So it does not look the hangar on the sv, correct? The sv hangar (pictured above) looks a bit beefier on the 90 deg. bend than the hangar on the standard omega. Any reason for the difference?
- SRAM Red road 10 speed levers.
- Nothing compares to Ultegra stopping power IME. That said, I have used dual Omegas on my S5 in Cat 3 crits and road races with good success.
I also learned in crits that you shouldn’t be using your brakes anyway, so it’s really a moot point. On long descents they work just fine. I have to take care to keep the mechanisms free of lube/grease because here in the PacNW it rains a lot in spring and they get all gummed up.
Previously, I used them on my P4 w/ 3T Ventus bars and levers and Nokon cabling which worked just fine as well. The front Omega was essentially my only brake as the P4 rear brake was so horrible.
I am considering buying Tri Rig Omega brakes for my Tri bike. I need feedback, please.
-
What brake levers are you using?
-
How is the stopping power (compared to Ultegra)?
-
the old style tiny vision crab claws
-
good but not quite as good as a normal caliper
I was using Version 2 of the omega arms, version 3 which you would get if you ordered a new one has been beefed up, so might be a little better.
Same except I have version 3. No issues, nor is it something I’ve ever worried about.
More than enough stopping power on alu rims and carbon rims with yellow swissstop and enve pads using Profile carbon levers.
The disadvantage compared to standard calipers (ultegra, campy) are less modularity → difficult to get exactly the amount of braking power you want.
(Light pressure on lever = light braking. More pressure - nearly no difference. A bit more pressure = full stop)
I used mine for road racing, and the power while usable left me uncomfortable in the climbing heavy races I do.
So I switched to eebrakes, and the difference is night and day. I don’t think I would ever go back to using the tririgs. I am planning on 3D printing a fairing for me though just like the direct mountain aero version of the eebrake.
So it does not look the hangar on the sv, correct? The sv hangar (pictured above) looks a bit beefier on the 90 deg. bend than the hangar on the standard omega. Any reason for the difference?
Correct. The reason for the difference is to allow the standard Omega to fit better in the envelope of bikes like the P3, which have protruding head tubes, and still allow the user to tuck it right up against the fork, as in this picture - it can also be helpful in certain rear installations like this one. Regarding whether it’s “beefy” enough, I can tell you that in the several thousand brakes we’ve shipped, I’ve never ONCE seen a crack/break at that thin point of the hanger.
More than enough stopping power on alu rims and carbon rims with yellow swissstop and enve pads using Profile carbon levers.
The disadvantage compared to standard calipers (ultegra, campy) are less modularity → difficult to get exactly the amount of braking power you want.
(Light pressure on lever = light braking. More pressure - nearly no difference. A bit more pressure = full stop)
I would suggest this has more to do with your rim/pad combo. The Omega’s cam is linear, so it should give a pretty linear response in braking, all else equal. A change in pads might change your experience drastically.
I just saw that Tri Omega brakes are 15% off so I’m about to place an order. One last thing I need to sort out before hand…Do the brake calipers have a quick release that allows for easy removal of the wheel? I travel all the time with my bike on my roof rack and have remove the front wheel. If no quick release is there enough clearance for a wheel with a 23mm tire to get through easily? Thanks.
I just saw that Tri Omega brakes are 15% off so I’m about to place an order. One last thing I need to sort out before hand…Do the brake calipers have a quick release that allows for easy removal of the wheel? I travel all the time with my bike on my roof rack and have remove the front wheel. If no quick release is there enough clearance for a wheel with a 23mm tire to get through easily? Thanks.No quick release, but a lot depends on what wheels you are using. On my training wheels which are 20mm wide and 23C GP4000s I let some air out of the tire before removing (or you can bring along a 2mm allen and easily widen the pads). For racing, with the wide FLO’s and GP4000s no air has let out to remove the wheel.
No quick release. On most wide rimmed wheels you can pop a wheel off without moving the pads. You could work a barrel adjuster in there to make it a bit easier.
I just saw that Tri Omega brakes are 15% off so I’m about to place an order. One last thing I need to sort out before hand…Do the brake calipers have a quick release that allows for easy removal of the wheel? I travel all the time with my bike on my roof rack and have remove the front wheel. If no quick release is there enough clearance for a wheel with a 23mm tire to get through easily? Thanks.
I have a barrel adjuster on my rear tm02 brake, but I’ve read that installing a barrel adjuster on a brake cable may not be the best idea. Would love to hear tririg weigh in. Also notice that as the cable stretches (I guess ) the adjuster is less and less effective
I have a barrel adjuster on my rear tm02 brake, but I’ve read that installing a barrel adjuster on a brake cable may not be the best idea. Would love to hear tririg weigh in. Also notice that as the cable stretches (I guess ) the adjuster is less and less effective
there will be some downside yeah, you got more cable housings going into and out of thinks, so more slop in the system. Might make the rear brake feel pretty soft. Haven’t tried it. Up front might be less of an issue.
You could set it up so the barrel adjuster as at the end of the system rather than inline (bare cable exists the adjuster).
I have a barrel adjuster on my rear tm02 brake, but I’ve read that installing a barrel adjuster on a brake cable may not be the best idea. Would love to hear tririg weigh in. Also notice that as the cable stretches (I guess ) the adjuster is less and less effective
You do need to periodically tighten the cables at the brake as they stretch or seat in.
The adjusters do add drag. But I think that’s far less critical for braking than shifting. On a road or tri bike I’m of the opinion that a either works or it doesn’t. It’s not like you need to regularly brake at or near threshold. “feel” at the brake lever IMO is overrated. More important is how linear/progressive it is, especially as you approach threshold. I find that 99% of the “feel” of braking is through contact points (bars and seat) not the lever
Besides, how often are your braking really hard on a tri bike. You’ll get yelled at by course workers and possible get a penalty if you tried to save an extra 1s and brake really, really late coming into T2 or a sharp turn. I mean it’s not like it’s a race.
Yeah, at something like Miami or Nola 70.3 I don’t really care. But coming down the last big hill at wildflower or one of the Silverman descents my 195# gets going pretty fast, and I am a big wuss when it comes to descending.