stock rubber brake hoses vs stainless?

[tkent02]

More wishful thinking. A lot of ABS bikes come with braided lines. There's really no difference until the rubber lines get old and soft. Never heard of a problem switching to braided lines on ABS bikes or cars either.

Brings up a good point though. Is there any effect on the ABS function when rubber lines get old and soft? I have never heard of this, though ABS on cars has been common for thirty years or so, and almost no one ever changes their old brake lines on cars.

I think it just doesn't matter.

[RichDesmond]

I will throw the cat among the pigeons.
No difference, except for price, stainless cost twice the price for no better performance.
The reason that the brakes feel more firm is because you are replacing 30 year old, soft and worn out lines with new ones, will feel exactly the same with new stock hoses.
Braided stainless is for show bikes, they are a b1tch to try and keep looking new, the dirt embeds between the strands whereas a standard rubber hose just takes a wipe with a cloth and it looks new.
Maybe if you were looking for 0.04 of a second around the track, but for road riding, no difference.
Make sure when they make up your lines they put the fittings on at the right angles.

Agreed, most of the apparent improvement is because the old stuff is soft, but even comparing new with new the SS is a little bit better. Yes, I've done the experiment.

[Flyboy]

Tom the electronics in ABS would negate any expansion of the lines, as the primary result is a function of wheel speed, so, should pressure be lost due to expanding rubber hoses, the system will just compensate to achieve the desired wheel speed, so it is moot actually.
Interesting subject and one we can debate for pages, however for road use, practically, besides looks and spending $50 every two years there is no real advantage or braided over rubber, and if you too mean to spend $25 a year on brakes.....................well.

What I have seen is that I speak from a slightly different standpoint, it seems that the price difference over there in the big ole U.S of A is negligible.
When I had new lines made up for Jennifer, original rubber cost me just over R1000, braided was just over twice that price at R2100, so you can see why I mentioned price, you can guess what I went with.

[mrbill5491]

Another opinion.

Braided lines are braided to prevent expansion under pressure, good for the race track. Non braided lines expand a tiny bit under pressure.
This means ... Braided lines have more "feel" but no modulating effect, this can be a good or bad thing depending on your point of view.
An example: panic braking in an emergency with braided timed in milliseconds - you apply full braking force to the front and all is good, then the wheel hits a bump, your fingers remain clamped round the lever. The extra forces caused by the bump initiate a lock up of the front wheel and unless you have superman reflexes (i don't) now you go down.
In the same situation with non braided lines there is a tiny amount of "give" in the system which is enough to absorb the milliseconds of extra pressure caused by that bump, this prevents the wheel locking which is a good thing.

IMHO putting braided lines on old bikes like these just makes the brakes feel wooden by amplifying their inherent lack of feel and power compared to more modern machines. Sticking with rubber lines gives a nicer feel at the levers and helps in hard braking situations.

I so disagree with this statement. I went to the SS lines and have the best feel of my brakes I have ever had. I can modulate the brakes much better then I ever could with the old rubber lines that came on my bike. I kept saying to myself why did I wait so long to convert.

[Flyboy]

I so disagree with this statement. I went to the SS lines and have the best feel of my brakes I have ever had. I can modulate the brakes much better then I ever could with the old rubber lines that came on my bike. I kept saying to myself why did I wait so long to convert.

And you have had this bike from new?
Just asking.

[GSX1000E]

I so disagree with this statement. I went to the SS lines and have the best feel of my brakes I have ever had. I can modulate the brakes much better then I ever could with the old rubber lines that came on my bike. I kept saying to myself why did I wait so long to convert.

Modern FF or GG pads to replace the ancient factory EE pads will do that all by itself. On one of my bikes, I replaced the lines with SS, and just like Flyboy, noticed absolutely no improvement.
Perhaps it is more like a placebo and many of those that changed them out want to believe that they made a great improvement and are trying to justify the expenditure?
As for changing the stock rubber hoses even every 4 years, how many of you that HAD to change your hoses on your bikes have bothered to change the front hoses on your cars/trucks that REALLY wear out due to constant steering flexing???

[mrbill5491]

And you have had this bike from new?
Just asking.

That's what my signature says right?

[mrbill5491]

Modern FF or GG pads to replace the ancient factory EE pads will do that all by itself. On one of my bikes, I replaced the lines with SS, and just like Flyboy, noticed absolutely no improvement.
Perhaps it is more like a placebo and many of those that changed them out want to believe that they made a great improvement and are trying to justify the expenditure?
As for changing the stock rubber hoses even every 4 years, how many of you that HAD to change your hoses on your bikes have bothered to change the front hoses on your cars/trucks that REALLY wear out due to constant steering flexing???

You can believe what you want, I'm not trying to justify anything. I DID feel a difference and that's all I'm gonna say. And yes I have even replaced my front brake hoses on my 34 yr/old truck.

[Flyboy]

Thank you, the prosecution rests, no further questions 'mlord.

[tkent02]

Meh, I'll stick with braided lines, because I like 'em, they last forever and they're cheaper.

[JTGS850GL]

You can believe what you want, I'm not trying to justify anything. I DID feel a difference and that's all I'm gonna say. And yes I have even replaced my front brake hoses on my 34 yr/old truck.

I would have to agree that the difference in feel with SS hoses is mostly a placebo effect. Look cool, must be better.

I wouldn't doubt that you felt a difference when replacing older hoses. Performance degradation over time is rarely perceptible until you return back to the original condition. The only true comparison would be to replace NEW rubber hoses with SS hoses and see if there is a notable difference. Of course you'd have to do the test blindfolded for it to be a true test.

[Flyboy]

Of course you'd have to do the test blindfolded for it to be a true test.

I know some people that drive like that.

[Brendan W]

I wouldn't doubt that you felt a difference when replacing older hoses. Performance degradation over time is rarely perceptible until you return back to the original condition. The only true comparison would be to replace NEW rubber hoses with SS hoses and see if there is a notable difference. Of course you'd have to do the test blindfolded for it to be a true test.

Or replace old SS with new rubber. How would modern rubbers compare to 1980s? One of my front braids is a bit short for my liking. Did the whole braid thing get traction because rubber was inferior back then?

[tkent02]

It still is.

[GSXR7ED]

Wow, what a way to screw up a simple question. So what if there's placebo affect...I'm the one riding the bike.

I replaced my single brake line with a braided line and love it. Of course, I did an MC and caliper rebuild so I really feel the difference.

OP, my suggestion is...do what you want for a set up. My recommendation is braided.


Ed