Formula ORO Brakes

A couple of months ago a set of my Hope mono M4 disc brakes seized in the 'on' position, a quick scan on e-Bay turned up a set (front & rear) of brand new Formula ORO brakes with 180mm rotors at £150-00 from France. I took the plunge and bought them, they arrived within 1 week pre-bled and ready for fitting, they were in their box with each part sealed in its own plastic bag.

Both the caliper and bar unit are finished in what appears to be a silver powder-coat, so far it has proven very durable. Fitting was similar to Avid, very easy without the need for shimming or spacing. The fixing brace has an oval slot which allows the caliper to be accurately positioned to centre the rotor before tightening the bolts. The hoses fix to the handlebar units using a 'side' fitting, this fits perfectly around the SRAM shifters but I think it could require juggling if Shimano shifters were used. Also included in the box was a sealed plastic bag with spare 'fixing' units and washers etc apparently these are spares in case the hoses need to be cut down. The bar mounts have rotating 'thing' around the piston, this adjusts the pull distance of the lever before the brakes are fully applied. This feature is useful, I have the front brake fully 'off' and the rear fully 'on'. About 1 month after I fitted them the Formula ORO came out top in a UK mtb magazine review of all hydraulic brakes available in the UK and recently they have scored very highly in another UK magazine review.

What are they like in use? Stunning. They have awesome power; however unlike previous brakes we have tried the power is combined with fantastic modulation. One finger braking within 5 metres will bring the bike to a standstill without skidding after hammering at full speed. The braking application never feels like it will fail, with previous brakes I am tempted to increasingly pull the brake harder in order to stop. With the Formula ORO there is never any doubt that the bike will stop. I believe if the levers were pulled fully on then I would be thrown straight over the bars. The combination of power and modulation enable controlled braking down on both very steep sections and technical minefields.

I am not sure if the pads are organic or sintered, I have not had to replace them yet but will buy sintered when I need to. It is not often that a replacement component has a dramatic effect on the way a bike can be ridden but the Formula ORO brakes are one such product. My riding buddies are tired of me praising these brakes every time I stop but they really are streets ahead of all other brakes I have tried.

In summary the Formula ORO brakes are a brilliant piece of kit. I am trying to find an excuse to buy a set for my other bike.