Cluster 03 · Brakes

Disc brakes

The full disc brake cluster, linked. Start with the pillar to identify yours, then drop to the exact standard: Post/Flat Mount, 6-bolt/Center Lock, DOT/mineral, rotor size and pads, plus the comparisons and which rotor fits.

What disc brake does my bike use?Start here. Identify it in four facts: mount, rotor mounting, fluid and size. Post MountMountain caliper mount: two posts 74 mm apart, M6. Robust and self-centering. Flat MountRoad/gravel caliper mount: bolts 34 mm apart, M5, from below. Clean and light. 6-boltUniversal rotor mount: 44 mm BCD, M5 Torx, star tightening. Center LockShimano splined rotor mount: central lockring at 40 N·m. Fast. DOT fluidGlycol, hygroscopic, ≈230/260 °C. SRAM/Hayes/Hope. Never with mineral. Mineral oilHydrophobic, non-corrosive. Shimano/Magura/Tektro. Never with DOT. Rotor size140 to 220 mm. Bigger = more power. SRAM 200 vs Shimano 203. Brake pads (resin/sintered)Resin: quiet and cold. Sintered: handles heat and wet. Post Mount vs Flat Mount74 vs 34 mm. Which your bike uses and why they don't swap without an adapter. Center Lock vs 6-boltWhich mounts your rotor: set by the hub. How to cross with an adapter. DOT vs mineral oilGlycol vs petroleum. Why mixing them destroys the seals. Which rotor fits?Hub mounting + frame size + correct adapter (+20 = 160→180). Hydraulic brake physicsFrom kinetic energy to fade: thermodynamics, Pascal's lever and the why behind every standard. DOT vs mineral oil (in depth)Dry/wet boiling points, hygroscopic vs hydrophobic and seal compatibility. Pads & rotorsCompounds vs temperature, glazing and how diameter changes torque and heat dissipation.

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